The herald., 1896-11-09
AFFORDS VIEWS.
What the Chairman of the Democratic
State Central Committee Has to Say.

The following letter from Chairman
William Afford of the Democratic state
central committee tells it's own story
and will interest every Democrat:
SAN FRANCISCO Nov. 6, 1896.
Our hopes for the presidential cam
pagn have been blighted. Bryan is de-
feated. Major Mckinley has been elect
ed president of the United States. and
the single gold standard has won the
first battle in the great struggle in
which this election is only the initiatory
step.
The causes to which defeat is attrib
utable in any campaign are, of course,
numerous, but in this campaign two
principal and, l might say, primary,
causes overshadowed all the rest. The
first was the great, the almost immeas-
urable, power of wealth. 1t is well
known fact that the wealth of the coun-
try, heretofore divided between the two
great parties, was in this campaign
entirely upon the side of the Republican
party. II was a fight of the masses
against the allied wealth. not only of
this country but also of Europe.
The manner in which the wealth pow
er exerted it's influence over the labor
ing people was varied. The hard times
through which we are passing has made
timid not only the man who earns one
day what he consumes the next but it
has also made timid to perhaps great
err extent the business man of small
capital whose prosperity temporarily
depends upon the conditions being I'M
disturbed The man employed for wages
was told either that his wages would be
actually reduced in the number of dol
lars he received, or that the number of
dollars he received would only purchase
half as much If free coinage should be-
come a law. A great many were actu-
nf of
statements, and a much greater unm-
Der who We're inclined to believe in the
free coinage of silver and who for every
other reason would have ben delighted
to support Mr.. Bryan. were induced to
vote for Mckinley on the theory that
should free coinage prevail the results
prophesied by the Republicans might
possibly occur, and that. if so, they
would be the sufferers. In other words,
the exigencies of their present stu
ation-the fear Of immediate want to
themselves and to those who are de-
pendent upon them-caused them to de-
eide not to disturb present conditions,
even though they believed the opposite
decision would result in ultimate good,
not only to themselves, but to the coun-
try.
The other great reason for our defeat
was the lack of time to educate the peo-
pie. This was perhaps the greatest cam
paign of education in the same length
of time that was ever conducted in the
history of the country; but the time was
too short. 1t was perfectly amazing to
see how little the people knew about the
financial question; and, to make matters
worse, the men who knew the least were
the men who posed as advisers of the
people and actually eXerted the greatest
influence. The ordinary run of COM
mercial bankers merchants and bust
ness men, who make money only when
,fv.xy f11,,, %,1r
ing time to study the question, at once
concluded that their interests were
identical with the interests of those who
call themselves bankers, but who are,
in fact, mere spectators in the circulat-
ing medium. and who make money only
when other people are losing it. OF
course, nothing could be further from the
truth than this conclusion; but two
months and half is too short time to
convince men whose minds have been
turned to oppose before they were called
upon to investigate Many of this class
when they awaken to the true state will
come back to the party that is strug-
Cling for the welfare of the people
of whom they are part.
The forces that followed Mr.. Bryan
have great reason to rejoice, although
Swallowed by temporary defeat Their
great leader is in the prime and vigor of
life No great reform was ever accom-
plished in single campaign. The new
alignment of parties which has taken
place within the last six months should
fill the heart of every lover of popular
government with hope. The Democratic
party has hurled from it's back the mo-
nopolies which, like the "Old Man of the
Sea-" were riding it to death, and, re-
lieved of this burden, it steps forth like
a giant refreshed. 1t stands today more
glorious in defeat than it's opponents in
victory.
The Populists, standing upon plat
form as broad, as patriotic, and in all
it's principal features identical with
that of the Democratic party, have
learned in this campaign that the real
Democrats Of the country are entirely
in sympathy with them and are their
brothers in the great struggle for re-
form The final blending of the two par
ties is inevitable. You might as we'll
turn two streams into the same channel
and expect them to flow separately as
to expect two Democratic parties to re-
main separate in the United States.
So far as those are concerned who
should have been the friends Of the
party, but who have deserted it when
it most needed their assistance, there is
nothing that needs to be said. They will
take their proper place. Traitors may
cause the loss of single battle, but
never in the history of the world have
they been able to defeat great princi-
pie.
The fight has only begun-the fight for
reforms towards which the free and I'M
limited coinage of gold and silver is
only great step. Personally, I have
never felt more encouraged for the final
and permanent triumph of true Demo-
cracy. Through the gloom Of defeat
can see her myriad banners rise again.
Above the shouts of victory hear the
clarions of battles yet to be. In the
meantime William Mckinley is no long
er the candidate of the Republican party,
but PRESIDENT of the United States.
He is our president and as such he
should command the respect of every
true American citizen.
WILLIAM H. Afford.