Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-04
At Last, a Fair Fiqh..

The most encouraging feature of the
Presidential campaign of 1896. so far az
II has yet developed, is the probability
indeed. alniose certainty-that by the ac-
ton OF the Democratic national conven-
ton next week all DISCUSSES will be
thrown off. and for once II square and
honest fight be made in the open upon
clearly defined issues If the leaders in
the majority In the convention carry out
their declared purpose. the result viii be
the nomination of an outspoken free sill
yer candidate upon an uhambiguous and
aggressive free silver platform. That
both candidate and platform will be
equally unequivocally for free trade is
of course, beyond question. The lines
will then be fairly drawn between free
silver and free trade on the one side and
sound money and protection on the other
1t will be the first time in many years
that the Democratic party has unequivo-
political issues of a campaign Ever
since the disruption Of the party in 1860
It has played the game of hypocrisy and
deceit. In evedy one of the last eight
Presidential contests its chief effort mas
TO gather TO the support of it's candidates
the odds and eEdS or all parties and all
factions by tricks OF phraseology in plat
forms or lures of one sort and another in
the outgivings OF candidates
They We're against the war for the
union and IN favor of its vigorous prose-
scution; opposed 10 the greenback cur
rency. and in favor of the payment of the
debt in Sreenbacks; in favor of resualp-
tion in theory but bitterly onposed Ia
legislation 10 effect n; opposed to infla-
uon but IN favor OF every measure to in
crease the volume OF the currency: on
posed to the debasement of values bv
limited purchases OF silver. but in favor
of the free unlimited coinage Of silver
wherever that deiusion seemed TO have
any hold upon the voters: opposed ia a
protective tariff, but ready to .nact an
unbalanced and Illogical law which pro-
tected certain interests without rhyme or
reason, and in favor of n tariff for
revenue only, their devotion to which
proceeded to Illustrate ut the first OPP
pottuhltF by the enactment of a law
which did not furnish revenue enough TO
meet the necessary expenditures OF TIN,
government. They havf been pursuing
this Misunderstanding policy for 30 years
ana more -Four years ago they eorIaletl
into their cave of Adullam all The fiotsam
and jctsafa of politics in the country. tha
dissatisfied and disgruntlcd. the crdulss
fanatics agitators walking delegates
feather-heads and Mugwunlps. and with
candidate whose chief claim for con-
sideration was that he was better than
his party-and he couldn't be worse-they
carried the country.
The result of bringing into power this
conglonerate of eterogencous and dis
cordant elements is well known. Its eff
fectS are all too visible in existing finan-
cial. commercial and business conditions
Bat let us be just. and avoid hasty and
sweeping condemnation. They were at
least right in one of their propositions
Grover Cleveland was, and is. better than
his party He deserves great praise-and
The Tribune has no disposition to with
hold it--for the determined stand which
he took at the beginning of his admins
tration in opposition to the silver coinage
heresy. and the steadfast courage with
which he confronted and finally tri-
umphed over q ma jority of his own partv
1t was n shcrt-lived triumph. to be sure
but all the same he deserves great credit
for the service he then rendered the
country. II should not be forgotten 1t
is almost the only ray of sunlight in the
dismal darkness with which the country
has been overshadowed for the last three
years. But the wild horses" which ex-
President Harrison with clear forecast
said at the beginning of the present adj
ministratlon Mr.. Cleveland would have q
difficult task to manage very soon got
beyond control and began cavorting. Ii
is now question of 3nybody's controll-
ing the wild horses. but rather how
much damage the wild horses" will do
fight. was against an ambuscade, into
which Il great many misguided voters had
been lured by deceitfu promises and dis
honest party cries. To-day their eyes are
ceived. and how dearly they have paid
for It, This fight will be in the open.
The Democratic party Will stand for free
silver and Free Trade; for dishonest
currency which will cheat the working
man OF his hire, and a ruinous fiscal
policy which cheats of market for his
labor. 1t Is altogether best it should be
so: that the battle be joined with Il fair
understanding in an open field. and that
the American people have an opportunity
to meet the issue squarely. The question
then VIII be one OF common honesty and
common sense; whether they are such
fools as to debase their currency and
such fools as to degrade their own labor.
and no one who has any faith In free IN
situations or the capacity of man for
self government can have any doubt as