The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-25
w. C. Whitney Dwells on tn
Prevalence Of 1T
In the East About Western
Modes of Thought.
THE EASTERN PEOPLE
Do Not Yet Comprehend the
Full Extent
OF the Free Silver Sentiment
West and South

new was asked today if in his 5udg-
uaent, there would be a third ticket nom
mated by sound money Democrats He
replied: Il think events and the
course of the Republican leaders are
making it inevitable. The general sit
uation is far worse today, in my opin-
fon, than 1t was ten days ago. The
Republican candidates and managers
have shown no realizing sense OF the
situation. They have failed to avail
themselves of a great opportunity Tor
benefting the country. If the present
condition of affairs continues for any
length of time, sound money Demo-
Gratis are bound to organize, and 1t can
not be prevented.
The truth is, there does not seem to
be IN the east a realizing sense of the
seriousness and sincerity Of the free
silver movement. You may Gail II a
craze but 1t has captured the magma
lions OF the great mass of people
throughout the entire west and south,
and it has a much stronger following
In some portions Of the east, not close
" allied to large commercial centers,
than is generally supposed It is the
result of reading and agitation 1t has
become a fixed opinion, and an unrea-
soning one. I think it may be accept
ed as fact that the vast majority OF
free silver believers at this time are not
open to conviction Their mlndS are
made up, and they are quite as little
inclined to reason upon the subject as
We're the delegates whom they sent to
Chicago.
7 was satisfied before we went to
Chicago that nothing could be accomp-
lished in the direction Of changing OF
modifying the free silver idea, and
said so. Nevertheless, it was our duty
to go there and emphasize the strength
of the convictions of the eastern Dem
ocrats. and, further, to afford the coun-
try an object lesson, showing so PLAIN
" that it could not be misunderstood,
the un-Democratic and revolutionary
spirit which dominated the movement
Il
ocratic mask was pretty efectually
removed from the face of POpulism
which has forced itself for the time be-
ing into position of control. That
was all that sound money Democrats
could hope to accomplish, and that they
did effectually and unselhshly-
There has never 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 national honor and sound finance?
We had suddenly come upon a new
and a very great crisis-One that called
for the sinking of craftsmanship and the
IInionN of sound money to rescue the
country from disaster. Hundreds of
thousands Of Democrats stood ready to
subordinate everything. even to voting
for the Republican candidate.
What was the duty of the hour?
Clearly it was one that devolvGd upon
the Republican party and its candi-
dates. There should have been an
immediate recognition Of a new situa-
ton, 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-it dWarfed all others. An
opportunity was offered to fight for the
established institutions of the country,
the fundamental things that underlie
party differences-law and order, ma
tional honor, common honesty, the in
fegrlty of the cOurtS-au such things
without which we do not exist as a
nation at all A single glimpse at the
Chicago platform and at the spectacle
of one-third of the Democratic party in
open revolt should have been enough
to have shown to them instantly the
necessity of 6 new alignment upon
non-partisan lines. No greater oppor-
tunity for patriotic action was ever Of
fered a party, and it has all been
thrown away.
What has been the course of the Re
publican leaders and the Republican
press2 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 slav-
cry; and the Republican press and
leaders persist in deriding all Demo-
Gratis en- maSSe. They jeer at DemOcra-
CN. ana YET LneY ADMIT TDaL the QOuDE-
full states are those where Republican,
ism has been dominant for 80 years.
Such policy persisted in can have but
one effect. Il will arouse the innate
party loyalty of patriotic Democrats, it
will make them angry and viii result
in drawing sharp party lines.
1T is difficult enough for a Democrat
to contemplate the possibility of voting
for Mckinley, or to look upon him as
the leader of any great cause. and the
present course of the Republicans is
tending to make 1t impossible. If they
continue in this line one thing will GER
tainly happen-the sound money Dem
ocrats 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 Chicago ticket. The Re
pubncanS 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 par
~ allegiance they are mistaken. A free
silver enthusiasm has obtained a hold
upon Republicans throughout the west,
and farming communities of the east
quite as strong as upon Democrats, and
they cannot be diverted from their pur-
pose by either appeals to party loyalty
OF discussion of dead issue.
1T is evident that the free silver vote
is to be united. They are only differing
at St. Louis as to whether they shall
unite on the candidates now or with
Q1uerenL cand1QaIeS divide up the cleo
tors by states In either case the vote
viii be united on election day.It should
be opposed by a solid and united sound
money vote. It never can be if, in ad-
dition to Mckinley, Democrats mist
vote for McKinleyism and all il repre-
sents. The issues of the past should
be buried until the country has been
rescued by patriotic action from it's
present peril.
ct ought to be plain to all thought
ful and patriotic Republicans that the
time has come when it is absolutely
Reeessary for all good citizens to drop