The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-04
a GoLDBuG PREDICTION.

] Discussing Mr.. w. c. Whitney'S let
/ ter the New York Times takes a very
gloomy view of the future of the Dem
ocratic party. 1t says that in the pres
/ ent agitation for free silver there is no
great cause involved; no definite prin-
ciple at stake; that there is nothing
but the stream of mingled discomfort.
If all this were true then there would
be nothing in it to cause any worri-
ment to anybody. To say there is no
definite principle at stake may or may
not be correct, as one chances to look
at what constitutes a principle. The
gold men do not look upon the con-
tention Of the silver men as being any
thing more than craze. Did not the
protection Republicans look upon the
agitation of the Democrats for tariff
reform in the same light? Democrats
look upon the system of protection as
being chiefly a device by which the fay-
ored classes may plumber those who
are not favored. Republicans regard
it as fundamental principle. Repub-
licans regard the theory of free trade
and a tariff fer revenue only as a de-
sign for the purpose of aiding the for
eigner and expressing the domestic
workman. Democrats regard them as
true principles of government The
fact of the matter is that it is almost
impossible for opponents in anything,
politics, religion, business, anything, in
fact, to give each other credit for
sincerity and honesty This is very
true of what are known as goldbugs
and silverites. 1t is not only childish
for them to carry on their disputes over
the theory of currency in such a way,
but it is really hurtful to the cause of
either and the chance of arriving at
a correct conclusion.
The Times treats the question of sill
yer at Chicago in this same spirit 1t
says: You cannot take a great party
to hopeless and certain defeat for
shallow and dishonest craze of which
even its victims have no clear notion
without dissolving it. Not only its
spirit is broken, but its character is
gone. The people will despise it, and
will not again trust it. Why should
they? 1t puts in peril the interests of
every man in the republic, not more
the capital of the fnancier, the enter
prises of the captains of industry than
the daily bread of the wage Garner. 1t
becomes not merely weak, foolish,
Maynard organization, but a danger
Gus one, threatening the things by
which the people live"
1t is very far from sure that by de-
claring for free silver the Democratic
party would go TO hopeless and certain
defeat. 1t is the belief of men, as deep
in their devotion to the principles of
Democracy; of men who have studied
the principles Of finance as profoundly;
of men who are as honest and high
souled as the Times writer, that dec
laration by the Democratic party in
favor Of free silver will be it's sure
salvation as well as that of the people
of this country, if the party is victor
ious. And if the people continue it in
power on this issue is it likely that
they will despise it?
The Times and the gold men will
feel much better after the Democratic
convention has declared for free sill
yer. And they will find that they, like
the knight of La Mancha, have been
hanging all night to the window sill.
the solid ground was so far
below them that to drop meant certain
death, when in fact their toes were
just two inches above it.