The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-07-23
THE DEMOCRATIC REVOLT.

Only once In its entire history has
there been such an upheaval in the
Democratic party as that which has
resulted from the adoption by the Chi
cago convention Of a platform declar-
ing for the free and unlimited coinage
of silver at the ratio of Is to l, indie
pendent of the action of any other ma
ton, and that once was when the party
split upon the rock of slavery at the
Charleston convention i'm 1860, nearly
all the southern delegates Withdrawing
after the adoption of the Douglas plat
form, representing the ideas of the
northern democracy, by a vote of l65
to 1873. One of the Douglas resolutions
sought to pledge the temperate party
to ''abide by the decisions of the SUI
preme court Of the United States on
the questions of constitutional law"
but to this the southern Democrats
would not agree, although the famous
bred Scott decision, then recently rem
dered, was in their favor. Their dis
trust of the highest judicial tribunal in
the United States was not more stror G.
ly manifested then than it was in the
recent convention at Chicago in the
adoption of a resolution in opposition
to the income tax decision and signifi-
cantiy proposing to reconstitute the
supreme court as fast as possible in such
manner as to insure the approval of
such law. The southern democracy
is now as it always has been ready to
resort to any means, no matter how
revolutionary, to nullify any law which
fails to meet its approval. 1t has not
now and never has had any principles
that are not subordinate to its sectional
ism and greed for spoils. Aided by the
free silver shouters from the west, who
imagine that unlimited coinage of the
white metal is the one panacea they
need for all their ills, they have driven
nealry every great Democratic paper
In the country into open revolt against
declarations of alleged principles whose
enactment into laws would mean ia
tional bankruptcy and reputation and
industrial and commercial disaster
without parallel in American history.
The New York Herald solemnly de-
clares that there has been raised ian
issue as single and direct as that raised
In 81. 1t was then union against Sc
cession, the national flag or the Con-
federate flag. 1t is now patriotism
against silverism, the country against
Populism. On this vital issue true
Democrats and loyal citizens can no
more hesitate than they did in 81. All
then stood shoulder to shoulder, re-
gardless of party, for the honor of the
flag and the safety of the nation. The
time has come for all to do so again."
The effort of the Populist- Democrat
to make it appear that the Republicans
would endeavor to make the tariff the
paramount issue of the campaign has
fallen fat. There is nothing evasive
or ambiguous about the Republican
platform. 1t leaves nothing to be as
sumed and above all things it declares
for honest money and the maintenance
OF the national credit, and that Major
Mckinley is in the fullest accord with
his party's position upon this question
is shown by his utterances in the ad-
dress delivered by him at Canton Oh
the 18th inst, in which he said:
Recent events have imposed upon the patriot.
&c people of this country responsibility and a
du or :ater than that of any since the civil war
Then Il was struggle to preserve the govern
ment OF the United States Now 1t is a strurg r
to preserve the financial honor of the govern
rnent of the United States
Then 1t was a contest to save the Union Now
Il Is contest to save spotiess its credit
Then section was arrsyed against section
Now, men of all sections can unite and will
unite, to rebuke the reputation of our ohIioa-
tons and the debasement of our currency
In this contest patriotism is above partv and
national honor is dearer than any party name