The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-17
NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR FAIRY
TALES

ternesS inside party RANKS, uh0 9i1'Oi
Democrats have won the fight and VIII
control the National convention of their
marty. For two years and more there
have been thirty or forty Thousand men
in North Carolina who have loudly pro-
claimed that the only issue an American
nolitics is the free coinage of silver
They have decned party and taken
Ground that all real advocates of free
coinage would vote with whatever
marty could best break the power OF the
rold standard. These men declared
that they left the old parties because
they did not favor free coinage. Dur
;nn. the past six months of struggle
in the Democratic ranks, to determine
whether the people or money controll'
ed the party, these men have SAID all
a1ono, that money would control, but It
the silver men should win, the success
of the Democratic party would be as
sured because all honest free coinage
men would gladly lend their help 10
elect the candidates thus nominated.
Now that the issue is to be clearly
drawn. the Democrats for free coinage
and the Rpul5liceans against it, what do
we hear from some Populists who nave
been talking silver? Most of them are
silent. but resolved now as always 10
vote for silver. but some of the leaders
are beginning to say: You can't TRUST
the Democrats. They are declaring
for free coinage because Wall street IS
willing TO it. The goldbugs are De
hind IT. 1t ifs not genuine, and sooner
than cast their votes with the Demo
Gratis. the PopuIists would go over bag
adj baggage TO the Republican party
A short history of the contest for sil'
YER within the Democrbic party will
disprove these idle assertions. After
tbe administration Democrats basely
repudiated their official pledge that
silver legislation would follow the re-
peal of the Sherman act, there came
seeming stupefaction upon the Demo
cratic party. When this betrayal OF
the party pledges was followed by
veto of the seigniorage act, there was
aroused all the spirit of fight tnat had
lain dormant during THE days OF fair
promises that characterized the early
months of the new administration. Inc
Democracy of the country was thor
4 -, ffNr Nf
pudiating the financial policy of the
administI a'tion it had elected. There
we're not wanting Democrats who be-
lieved that the only hope for free com
age was in going outside the party.
They felt that the power of patronage
Joined to wealth would dominate the
Democratic party, and had lost cour-
age for the fight Of wrestling the party
from the gold men and the otlicehoid-
ers. But the bulk of the silver men
said I'VE have enough in numbers
to control party action. Shell we SUR
render the cause by permitting the
minority to make the old Democratic
party an instrument for the undoing
of the people? Are the silver Demo
Gratis more incapable Of leading a ma
icrity to victory, than the gold men
of converting minority into major
ity?" This trend of reasoning led to
the calling of the conference OF silver
Democrats in Washington ID. G., in
August of last year. 1t was attended
BY prominent silver Democrats from
most of the States in the South and
West. This conference blazed out the
way, and Senators Harris and Jones,
with modest headquarters in Washing
ton, have organized the forces in all
the States. In North Carolina and Ar
kansas and some other States the work
mapped out by this conference was not
difficult, because these States were GER
tain to voice their silver sentiments
whether Others gave a clear ring or not,
but it inspirited the silver men in llli-
nois. Indiana. Ohio, Iowa, West Nir-
ginia, Kentucky, and other doubtful
States, and helped them by wise sug-
gestions and practical advice so effect
ually THAT every one of them has de-
clared for silver. In all this work,
not dollar was expended except for
postage and paper. There was
knowledge that the people did not need
conversion, but only needed to be con-
vinced that earnest effort would save
the party from the ruts of goldbugism.
Once convinced that free silver was pos
sible, it was felt the people would not
faIter. Events have shown that this
confderce was not misplaced.
Then came the struggle for control
in the several States and Territories.
The first to act was the District Of Co
lumbfa Nobody expected it to go for
silver, and there was great surprise and
tai