The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-23
A FEW SUGGESTIONS
offered by a Correspondent of the
Globe.

Globe.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Before proceed must compliment the
o g in opening its columns to the dis
cussion of this great question which Is now
agitating the country; but I must admit.
In all l have read on either side. that no
real discussion OF the question has been en-
tered into. regret very much to see the
spirit OF equivocation and the calling OF
names which Is being resorted to on all
hands. Neither side is free from the charge
evolution had passed. Elections have been
carried In the past by such methods. but
way. $500
equity or tnequity Of the claims made by the
advocates of one policy or another, but would
simply offer few suggestions.
convention of the national Democratic
party, which was recently held in Chicago
declared for the free coinage of silver at q
ratio of 16 to l. and nominated a ticket
which, II elected, is expected to carry out
that policy. The minority represented in that
convention. and the press, the country over
which is the mouthpiece of that minority
have resorted to the vilest abuse and have
flung epithets which presumably are supposed
by them to have more weight with their
readers than cold logic and argument and
have almost unanimously declared that the
convention was un-Democratic. II majority
rule is un-Democratie, / humbIy beg to ask
what Is good Democratic doctrine? Why
should party institution, political or
rwise-granting for the sake of argument
that the majority in the Chicago convention
did violate precedent in few minor points
be bound by precedent think all history
proves that a too close adherence to prece-
dent or past usage has delayed real progress
more than any factor which can be named.
The argument, or rather charge, that the
convention was controlled by Populistic her
esq proves nothing or rather it does not
prove that 1t was un-Democratic. For what
is Democracy but the voice of the people?
And To hot t1an xrQfax CR
people was heard in that notable convention
Of the Democratic party so recently held at
Chicago; not of all the people, for then there
would be no need Of parties but of the ma
jority of the people from all walks of life
the people for whose rights the Democratic
party Is supposed to stand. I may be mis-
taken and am open to conviction. II any Of
the papers, or anybody, for that matter, can
give me ocular demonstration to the contrary,
I will be only too willing to surrender. Re-
member, / am not trying to prove that the
majority are always right, but merely that
under Democratic or Republican forms of
government they have right to rule. Now,
If the majority, as represented in the ma
uonal Democratic convention, declared for
certain reforms which they believe will be
OF benefit to the country at large, and no one
has right to accuse them of dishonesty
then, they have right to- the use of the
Democratic name, and the branding of them
as Populists, communists, socialists or anar-
schfsts is, according to my Judgment, not
going to weaken the right one iota. But be-
cause of the right Of the majority, 1t does
not necessarily follow that the minority, IL
they cannot conscientiously approve of or
support the platform adopted by the majority,
should fall into line and work for the adop-
ton Of platform which they do not ap-
prove. l consider the advocates of free silver
are fighting for principle, which, to them,
is Of more Importance than the perpetuation
of party names or organizations. If the adj
vocates of gold monometallism who have
heretofore been Democrats, as sincere,
and they cannot conscientiously support Nc
Kinleyism, let them form new party and
formulate q platform declaring what they
stand for for, if they have vital principle
to back them up, a mere party name will
bear but little weight for or against the
truth for which they stand. 1t may be urged
against this course that they will stand no
show of electing their candidates. that the
people are Influenced by party names. If
that claim is made, then they have no right
to ask the suffrage of the people, and it is
a good thing feEl the country that they have
lost control of the Democratic party. In any
case 1t will do them little good to adopt
the name of the old party. The voters know
what they want this year. The gauntlet has
been thrown. The result will be known in
November. Let US hope that 1t will be a
Waterloo for the oppressors of the people
and the triumph of Democracy.
w. S. MacEwen.