The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-24
WHITNEY SAYS
Crisis Too Serious to Be
Trifled With.
Duty Of Republican Party--It
Must Hustle.
Situation Viewed From Gold DEM
ocrat's Standpoint.

there would be third ticket nominated
by sound money Democrats. He re-
piled: Il think events. and the course Of
the Republican leaders are making il
inevitable. The general situation Is far
worse today. In my opinion, than IL was
10 days ago. The Republican managers
and candidates have shown no realizing
sense OF the situation. They have failed
TO avail of "A great opportunity for bene-
fitting the country. Ii the present con-
dition Of affairs continues for any length
Of time, sound money Democrats are
bound to organize, and II cannot be pre-
vented. The truth is there does not seem
to be In the east a realizing sense OF the
seriousness and sincerity OF the free sill
yer movement. You may call 1t a craze,
but II has captured the imaginations OF
the great mass OF people throughout the
entire west and south, and 1t has a much
stronger following in the east, not close
~ allied to large commercial centers,
than IL generally supposed.
There never has been in any party
convention such a vigorous declaration
OF independence as was exhibited at
Chicago. when 254 delegates refused TO
participate In the selection Of candi-
dates.
What should have been the next step
IN the fight for the preservation OF ma
tiOnal honor and sound finance? We had
suddenly come upon a new and very
great crisis, one that called for the sink
ing OF partisanship and the union of
sound money 10 rescue the country from
disaster. Hundreds Of thousands OF
Democrats stood ready to subordinate
everything, even to voting for the Re-
publican candidate. What was the duty
OF the hour? Clearly 1t was one that de-
volved upon the Republican party and
Its candidates. There should have been
an immediate recognition of a new situ-
alton, and the Republicans should have
been the first TO welcome sound money
Democrats to a non-partisan union
subordinating all other things to this
question OF national honor. 1t was a
new issue. Ii dwarfed all others-An
opportunity was offered 10 fight for the
established institutions OF the country
the fundamental things that underlie
party differences-law and order. na-
tional honor common honesty, the in
tegrity OF the courts-all such things
without which we do not exist as a ma
tion ut all A single glimpse at the Chi
caSo platform, and at the spectacle of
one-third OF the Democratic party in
open revolt, should have been enough to
have shown them instantly the necessity
of new alignment of parties upon nom
partisan lines. No greater opportunity
for patriotic action was ever offered a
party, and ii has all been thrown away.
What has been the course Of the Re-
publican leaders and the Republican
press? They have insisted upon put
ting the free silver enthusiasts and the
sound money Democrats in one class
and denouncing all together under the
name OF national Democracy. Mr. Nc
Kinley continues to discuss the tariff,
which has ceased to be an actual issue
In this campaign as completely as
slavery; and the Republican press and
leaders persist in deriding all Demo-
Gratis en- masse. They jeer at Democ-
racy, and yet admit that the doubtful
states are those where Republicanism
has been dominant for 30 years. Such
n policy, persisted in, can have but one
effect 1t will arouse the innate party
loyalty OF patriotic Democrats, IL will
make them angry, and will result in
drawing sharp party lines. 1t is diff
cult enough for a Democrat to contem-
plate the possibility of voting for Nc
Kinley, or TO look upon him as the leader
OF any great cause, and the present
course of the Republicans is tending to
make ii impossible. If they continue
in this line one thing will certainly
happen-the sound money Democrats
will nominate a third ticket, and thus
divide the sound money vote in the great
battle-ground of the middle west, to save
the vote from drifting back to the Chi
cago ticket. The Republicans will need
in November all the aid they can obtain
from sound money Democrats. If they
think they can hold their natural
strength through the middle west, or
even in some parts OF the east. by the
single tendency to party allegiance. they
are mistaken. A free silver enthusiasm
has obtained hold upon Republicans
throughout the west and farming COM
munities of the east, quite as strong as
upon Democrats. and they cannot be
diverted from their purpose by either
appeals to party loyalty or discussion OF
q dead issue.
1T is evident that the free silver vote
IS TO be united. They are only differing
at st. Louis as 10 whether they shall
unite on the candidates now. or with diff
by states In either case the vote will
be united on election day. 1t should be
opposed by a solid and united sound
money vote. 1t never can be IL. in addi-
tlon TO Mckinley, Democrats must vote
for McKinleyism, and all that IL repre-
scnts The issues OF the past should be
buried until the country has been res
cucd by patriotic action from its present
peril
1T ought 10 be plain to all thoughtful
and patriotic Republicans that the time
has come when II is absolutely neces-
sary for ali good citizens to drop. for
the time being. partisanship. and work
together earnestly. and intelllgently. for
the common good. To tri1e with crisis
so serious az this, or TO attempt TO ig-
more or belittle IL, would be both blum
der and a crime.