The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-26
THE NEW YORK AND OTHER PLAT
FORMS.


Wednesday last was a fatefIl day for
tho Democratic party. Democratic con-
Yontons were held in four Of the greatest
statos-Now York Ohio. Indiana and
TcNas-and in three OF the four rosolu-
lions favor.ng the unconditional free coin
age Of silver by This nation alone at the
ratio Of is TO were adopted. The acdon
Of these three states, added 10 that Of
Illinois the day before, ends all question
as 10 the complexion Of the National
Democratic Convention. and makes it
certain that It Will be dominated ~ the
froe-silver element Of the party by a large
majority.
New York, a course, adopted Hat
form opposing free coinage by this ra-
ton alone but we are very sorry TO
see in it's platform a great zeal Of so
phistry and misleading argument. rnere
is no possible good to come from any
thing Of this sort while the opportunity
10 make a ringing declaration Of sounI
principles is thrown away me New
York platform contains these words.
1--WE favor the rigid maintenance 4 the
present gold standard as essenu1l 10
the preservation OF our national credit
the redemption Of our public pledges, and
the keeping inviolate Of our countrys
honor" This is a ringing and a grand
declaration. and II the New Aork Demo
cratic Convention hal said that and rot
another word upon the subject il would
have raised a beacon light in this nation
t1at would have become a rallylng 20 mt
for Democrats when the disastrous Novem-
her election is over, and the influence Of
such a declaration for good would have
been beyond the power OF estimation.
Politicians and trmmers held sway in
New YorNs contention, however and
they have loaded this grand ana heroic
declaration Of principle with edgincs and
trimmings that cut an Of its vitality out
of il and makes the platform. as a whole.
a sort Of Josephs coat. with an the
hues Of the rainbow represented in IT.
The regulation Democrats, like any
other regulation politician. thinks he
must never pass an opportunity TO abuse
his adversary. The New York committee
consequently fired a broadside 1870 the
Republican party by reminder that II
was a Republican Congress that Iasscd
the act Of 1873. prohibiting The coinage
Of any more silver dollars. 1t then de-
clares that the sap between the value
Of the silver dollar and the gold dollar has
been brought about by that act and the
Republican party. it says. is therefore
responsible for the present disturbance
in our financial condition.
But what an insufficient and snort
sighted method OF treat-ent FOR most
serious condition. All thinking men con-
cur in saying That the act Of 1913 vas
most fortunate piece Of legislation. Sill
yer. OWING TO the new and rich mines
then being opened was just about to be-
gin its decline I'm value. The law as il
then existed permitted free coinage OF
silver. All the new silver taken from the
mines would have been coined into silver
dollars if the law had remained as II
wss: the initiation OF the currency thus
produced would have made it impossible
20 get a repeal Of the existing law, ard
long before this gold would have retired
ANA We should have been a silver coan-
try Ike Mexico. with two or three -hcu-
sand millions Of dollars OF silver doubly
valued ass the money Of the country
The New York platform says that The
decline in the value Of silver was Cue
10 that act of 1913. How shameful IN the
men who framed this statement to have
made H. They knew better. or else they
have no business framing important
documents that large bodies Of mea are
to look 10 for guidance In puolic az
fairs They know. or ought 10 Know,
that the decline in the value o: sll,er
is due to the great increase I'm the Yield
Of silver mines within the past twenty
years and 10 the fact that the labor
winch would produce sixteen ounces OF
silver twenty years ago. viii now pro
auce more than thirty ounces. inns is
the reason silver has declined m v1lJe.
and DO legislation could have prevented
;he decline. as no legislation can Low
restore silver TO its former place.
We DO not ignore the fact that The de-
mand which would be created by the
free coinage OF silver by this country
would at once very much advance the
price Of silver bullion. But This ad-
vance would only be temporary, ana
when satisfied. silver would sink 10 its
rafn,qf labor Vafne
This IS the way in which ohe New
York Convention ought 10 have treafed
this subject because It is the truth and
the fact OF the case. and II II mad made
The splendid declaration which We have
quoted and then stated the true reasons
that apply 20 the case. and had stopped
there. it would have entitled itself 10 the
gratitude OF al good Democrats.
We have more than once had occasion