The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1896-05-02
FREE SILVER COINAGE
Why OLD PARTYITES SHOULD
JOIN HANDS.
Even to the Extent OF Going Into the
roPuiIst Party Through the Chance
offered st ST. Louis-Goid'ses are
Always TraitorA

has Just completed a careful analysl
Of the probable silver strength In I'M
rext democratic national convention
lie estimates that the free coinage VIM
will have at least 100 majority. Tnii
would enable the silver men to frame
the platform, but they would lack tn
requisite strength to name the candi
Gates. In the democratic convention
II takes two-thirds to nominate, and Il
the estimates OF Mr.. Dodge are correct
and the gold men stand firm, they car
absolutely block a nomination. That
they will stand firm Is almost certain
The influences behind goldite politi-
clans are OF such a character that they
seldom weaken. The power which
makes them. absolutely controls their
actions. The gold power is one that Is
thoroughly Organized, 1t knows no
party fealty, and In the eastern states,
particularly. very few public men care
to defy It.
Should the silver men absolutely
dominate the convention there Is
scarcely doubt that the gold standard
democrats would refuse to support the
ticket.
The action of the cuckoo democrats
in the Kentucky legislature is conclu-
sive evidence that when the master
speaks they obey.
Kentucky democracy has always been
true to the silver cause. Until within
the last year there has never been a
shadow OF doubt that Kentucky was
O free silver state. But the malign in
fluence Of Cleveland and Carlisle.
backed by the money power Of Wall
street, has. done its work. We now
ind small contingent Of that party In
the legislature, masquerading as sound
money" men, and stubbornly refusing
to support the regular nominee, Senator
Blackburn. That gentleman's demoe-
racy has never been questioned, md
he has guarded the interests Of his con-
stituents with rare fidelity. Up to the
very moment Of Mr. Cleveland's cleo
ton. Blackburn and Carlisle were ap-
parently perfectly agreed on the silver
question, and their votes were cast on
the same side. Now we find few DEM
ocrats 90 In the legislature oposing his
reelection, because, forsooth, he stands
on the morey question precisely where
he has always stood, and where Mr..
Carlisle seemed to stand. until certain
occult Influences caused him to change.
IL goldite democrats In Kentucky will
thus stultlfy themselves, II is safe to |
conclude that the same class OF men in |
the national convention Of that party |
will do likewise, and refuse to support |
a silver candidate On a silver platform.
But Mr.. Dodge suggests a compro-
mise, the silver men taking the plat
form, and the gold men the candidate.
This would substantially be the case
OF 1892 right over. More aptly, the
situation would be expressed By the old
gag, the law to the north and the mig
ger to the south"
A silver platform with a gold candi-
date would be the worst thing that
could happen.
Hundreds of thousands of silver DEM
ocrats would be deluded into support
Ing the ticket, and even II successful.
no legislation In the interest OF silver
could possibly be had.
But such a combination could mt
win. Not a silver man outside the
democTatic party would support Il. large
numbers Of silver democrats would re-
'use to be duped, and the party wouid
be buried out Of sight.
Nothing would please republican
eaders better than for the democrats
% name gold candidate on a silver
platform.
Such a combination, though, is hard
y probable.
The incongruity is too great. No gold
'tandardist with any self respect
ould accept nomination on a straight
nut silver platform. Some QUALIFYING
'hrase would have to go In. and that
would mean gold.
Silver Democrats will do we'll TO view
he situation with the closest care. II |
as pain as light itself that they cam
lot carry the country for free trade
II tariff reform in 1896, but they can
make combinations by which they can
nm on the great question Of monetary
eform. VIII they be wise?