Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-24
TIME TO SHUT UP OR GET OUT.

Chicago. 1t is already a foregone con-
clusion that the free coinage advocates
will control the convention. For weeks
the only question has been how large
will the majority be.
Mr.. Whitney, the man designated by
the administration to proceed to Chica-
go and if possible, turn the tide in favor
of the gold advocates, has made his table
of figures, showing that the free silver
people will have nearly, if not quite, a
two-thirds majority in the convention.
No sane man longer doubts what the con-
vention will do as regards its platform
declaration on the financial question. It
is going to declare for the free coinage of
gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1.
Upon the issue of free coinage VS.. the
single gold standard the contest has been
made. Free coinage has won. 1t has
won fairly and over great obstacles The
administration has done all that it could
do. One after another of the members
of the cabinet have gone on the stump
in their respective states and appealed
to the people to stand by the admnistra-
ton, which was to stand for the single
gold standard. The gold trust in New
York has been scrupulously careful to
see to it that plenty of funds necessary
to prosecute the campaign for gold were
forthcoming. Everywhere the advocates
of the gold standard have been on the
ground and heeled for the fray. They
can't say their side of the case was not
fairly presented. They can't say that
anywhere snap judgment was taken on
them, for nearly everywhere they began
in possession of the party machinery
They can't be heard to say that they
were taken by surprise or that the people
were not given a chance to study the
question, for they have been busily en-
gagged since January, 1894, in the attempt
to educate the people to see the thing as
Wall street sees it.
About that time they began to flood
the country with sound money" broad
sides. Millions and millions of copies of
broadsides have gone into the hands of
the people. Tons of Sound money"
speeches have been franked out from
Washington though the mails to the peo-
pie. large majority of the daily and
weekly papers of the country were pro
cured" early in the game, and they, too,
day in and day out have harangued the
people with discourses on the beauties
fulness of free coinage. From Maine to
California and from the lakes to the gulf
the contest has been waged. There has
been no tagging or letting up Just the
other day the president issued a message
to the country appealing for the gold
standard.
In>spite of all this the people have re-
manned true to. themselves They have
refused fatty TO be bought, bribed, CO.
creed or deceived into the hands of Wall
street. And now on the eve of the ma
tional convention everybody is forced to
admit that the convention will declare
for the free coinage of gold and silver at
16 to l and against the gold standard.
This brings us down to the point where
we think we have a perfect right to put
the following question to the democratic
newspapers that have fought on the other
side of this question from the State Her.
aid: ''Do you intend to support the plat
form and candidates of the Chicago con-
vention and honestly and earnestly strive
to bring about democratic success in the
November electon?" If-you answer that
you do, then pray tell us and a wondering
public why you continue to proclaim
to the world that the ticket will stand nj
chance to be elected?
1t can't be said that by such declara-
tons if you really believe them, the now
inevitable result of the approaching con-
vention can be Influenced. 1t can't be
said that they will in any manner
strengthen the party's chances for sue
cess. knowing as you do now what the
party is going to do newspapers and men
,I.f,N if,ff he CHI
proclaiming that the party is doomed to
defeat or they should come to the front
in manly way and announce that they
can't go with the party, and will step out
and cast their fortunes in some other
party.
Newspapers, especially, owe 1t to their
democratic constituency. now that the
contest may be said to be ended, to let
them know promptly the course they in
tend to pursue. There can be no spewing
up of platforms now and knitting of candi-
dates on the theory that still higher au-
thority has vet to pass upon what con-
stitutes democratic principles and poll
cies. The people-the democratic peo-
ple-the supreme party authority in this
land-have spoken, and they have said If
you are democrat and propose to pose
as democratic newspapers you must sub
scribe to the doctrine put forth by the
party in it's national council.
This is a matter of importance. The
party don't want any newspapers claim
ing to be democratic proclaiming in ad-
vance that it has no chance of success.
1t is high time certain newspapers were
taking their bearings. They must accept
the party's doctrines and go to work for
its success or get out and take up quar-
tiers ON the other side. Beating around in
the brush won't go any longer. 1t is i'm
possible to serve two masters. You must
do battle for the party or cease sailing
under false colors.
SOMETHING WRONG.
"Why should we accept republican
upon our ticket unless it be to assist him
in perpetuating his party?"