The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-04-22
WEy NOT ALL The WAY?

Wzs IVA s.@4s 49, :" "-A-
We are glad that Hon. G, NJ. Ehrd
has spoken with no uncertain sound
on the subject he discusses elsewhere
in this issue. His reflections on the
situation which confront the Demo
cratic party N this State today
are in the main timely and bis
position is we'll taken. His rea-
sons for making the fight Tor sli-
YER within the party lines are un
auestionably strong and will be very
hard for the advocates Of q bolt to
succe 8 'nIly conttoyert- They are
convincing in their logic and his
arguments glitter and sparkle with
truths so patent that even he who
runneth cannot fail to see and un
aers.and. As far as he went SeDa-
tor Eird has placed himself upon
record as being opposed to boiling
the party, or at least until the noml
nation is made for President at Chi
cago, and even then, should the NOM
ination be adverse to silver, he has
doubts about the wisdom of boiling,
for he says, in substance that, should
the silver interest fail at Chicago, 1t
viii be tine enough to consider what
to do under the circumstances, and
right here he breaks somewhat the
force OF his argument and diverts
from the plain and well trodden path
Of duty to his party.
IF man participates In the ac-
ton of q Democratic club, and assists
by his influence and his vote, through
party organizations, in sending dele
gates to Chicago, he is morally bound
to support the action Of that con-
vention whether his views are adopted
or not. To do otherwise would Ee
in plain unvarnished language, poiiti-
cal treachery and nothing else can
be made out of such action. In this
matter there never was nor never will
be time to think about it" after
action is taken by the National
convention. Somewhere We have
read that he who hesitates is lost,
and as the truths contained in the
sentence sre so appropriate in this
,nnection they convey an addl
tional emphasis. Democrats, do not
rause even to hesitate. The path
of duty lays plain before you. 1t has
been blazed out by your fathers and
fathers farshers. Go into the patty
organization with the purpose OF
committing the party to silver, and
having made the fight, be- firm and
immosable in your determination to
support the action of the convention.
But what is the use of talking
about q bolt when we have the cool,
calm end deliberate opinion of Sena-
tor Efrd ard other CONSPICUOUS silver
lights that free silver vii! control the
National convention? If this be true,
and we do net doubt the correctness
of the assertion, why not come out
fearlessly in urging Democrats to
turn out to their club meetings and
advising them to be faithful in their
allegiance to the party 10 matter
what the result of its action might
be at Chicago?
This paper has never knowingly
misrepresented Senator Tillman on
any position he has taken in reference
to public affairs. His positions are
clearly defined and expressed in such
unmistskabie language that only his
bitteress political enemies can mis-
represent him. So when he advised
his friends to bolt the party in the
event the Chicago convention refused
silver platform and a nominee in
sympathy with silver, we thought
he meant exactly what he said, and
not being in the inner circle OF bis
confidence, our ignorance is, there
fore pardonable. Being by educa-
tion, inclination and principle op-
posed to his advice to bolt the party,
we attacked his position as being nm
tenable, unwise and franght with
grave danger to the silver interest.
The News and Courier editorily
says. s'The table OF "eomparative
LII ,,,,rohacoc &c ,,artic,,iarly interes