The morning times., 1896-07-09
A Democratic Convention Without Democratic
- PrincpleS

Principles
The absolute lack of seriousness at the Chicago
vention and the approach of majority of its dele
gates the ragtag and bobta of tinarmored opera
boue army gives the entire affair the appearance OF
lucrous farce many of its leading figures to
have suddenly dropped into the from either pump
kin show country circus, and while they add certain
degree of grotesqueness to this national political comic
drama they be said to lend the slightest degree
of dignity Imagine Silver Dick" Bland, who has for
the last twenty years been drawing fat government
salary, posing "one- galused, poverty stricken
farmer whose land has been made barren by god bugs
Horney Hand Boies, who all his life has been farm
ing clients in Iowa law Office, setting himself up as
tiller of the soil. Then there is 'Co. Joe Hickey
OF Washngton's famous lobbyists whose chief industry
accepting fees from corporations for furhering their
schemes but who steering the Bland boom in the
interest of the silver king mine with the full con-
sent and knowledge of Mr.. Bland
Picture the Hon. Thomas Jennings Bryan proudly
entering Convention Hall, surrounded by Nebraska
friends, all of whom armed with wooden spears
tipped with painted silver. The thing lacking to
complete this groesque array the Falsta belly with
which he should have been equipped Nor could Altged
the capalistc demaogue who scrub whiskers on
his wits we'll his face. be spared from the Demo
cratic sdeshow without marrng the effect for he is the
hero who believes killing rattesnakes by strokng their
backs. After Altgeld Tillman, grim with malig
humor and blazing his way to fame with eye in
spred by madness.
'Twoud be useless to mention Matthews, Sibley, or
other candidates for Presidential honos for in the
vention babel they nts in insect fold. They
do to be favor with the silver kings
the Senatorial Sx-Danie Turpie Harris, JONES' White
and Ves do they tobacco stained whiskers and
tangefringed hair, they might be popular with
the delegates
Unless the Chicago Coliseum collapses this Pick
wickian assemblage will be known in history Demo
cratic without Democratic precedent prin
ciples. Those object to the mountebank rule en-
forced by the majority should bear in mind that their
men who riding the clown the protests
of their political colleagues preparing their own
downfall and after the November election will drop into
political obscurity. The country needs practical know
edge of the folly of free silver and during the next four
months will te given its first lesson Already the purse
strings of capital being drawn little Closer and
when business find impossible loans and
the absence of money throws working people out of em
ploymen the public will begin to understand that we
prosper under the guidance of irresponsible poll
tcians the threat of deprecated currency.
While the present outlook may disheartening to
Democrats who adhere to the traditions of their party
and them fear for the future of their organza
ton there is satisfaction in knowing that this is the
first time any Democratic convention has declared
for than sound money The platform of the Chica
go mounteocracy is direct departure from the beaten
path of the Democratic party and while it will go before
the country and appeal for in that honored
the great American people will recognize the difference
between the motley and the genuine and the free silver
heresy will be given a joyful November burial. Then
the Democratic party will return the financial faith of
its founders.