St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-07-31

thDle.-A 0reat CriSiS.-N0 lime Tor Phr-
tisanship. Does not Realize Serious
ness Of Silver Movement.
William c. Whitney in a recent in
terview, was asked if there would be
a third ticket nominated by the
sound money democrats. He made
the following reply:
| think the events and the course of
the republican leaders are making it
inevitable. The general situation is
far worse today, in my opinion,
than it was 10 days ago. The re-
publican managers and candidates
have shown no realizing sense Of the
situation. They have failed to avail
themselves of great opportunity
for bene6ting the country.
If the present condition of affairs
continues for any length of time,
sound money democrats are bound
to organize, and it cannot be pre-
vented. 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 call it a craze, but it has cap
tured the imagination Of the great
mass of people throughout the entire
West and South, and it has much
stronger following in some portions
OF the East not closely allied to large
commercial centers than is generally
supposed
1t is the result of reading and agi-
tation. 1t has become a fixed opin-
ion and an unreasoning one. | think
it may be accepted as fact that the
vast majority of free silver believers
at this time are not open to convic-
ton. Their minds are made up aud
they are quite as little inclined to
reason upon the subject as were the
delegates whom they sent to
Chicago.
was satisfied before we went to
Chicago that nothing could be ac-
complished in the direction of chang
ing or modifying the free silver idea,
and said so. Nevertheless, it was
our duty to 60 there and emphasize
the strength of the convictions Of
the eastern democrats, and further
to afford the country an object les
son, showing so plainly that it coulc
not be misunderstood by the undem
ocratic and revolutionary spirl
which dominated the movement. Ii
this we were successful. The demo
cratic mask was pretty effectuall,
removed from the face Of populism
which had forced itself for the tim
being into position of control.
That was all that the SCUM
money democrats could hope to az
complish, and that they did effec
ually and unsel6shly.
There never has been in any part
convention such a vigorous declare
tion of Importance as was exhibite
at Chicago, when the 254 delegate
refused to participate in the selectio
of candidates.
What should have been the mex
step in the fight for the preservatio
of national honor and sound
nance? We had suddenly come upo
a very great crisis, one that Gale
for the sinking of partisanship an
the union of sound money men t
rescue the country from disaste
Hundreds of thousands of democrat
stood ready to declare themselv'
upon that issue, and were ready t
subordinate everything, even
voting for the republican candidate
, What was the duty of the hour
!, Clearly it was one that devolve
: upon the republican party and il
candidates. There should have bee
an immediate recognition of ne
, situation, and the republicans shou
have been the first to welcome sour
h money democrats to a non-partiza
. union, subordinating all other thing
) to this question of national honor.
1t was a new issue. 1t DWARF
all Others. An opportunity WI
= offered to fight for the establish'
institutions of the country; the fu
damental things that underlie par
differences-law and order, nation
! honor, common honesty, the int
}. ritv of the courts-all such thing
without which we do not exist as
nation at all.
A single glimpse at the Chicai
platform and at the spectacle OF OF
third of the democratic party in OPP
7 revolt should have been enough
show them the instant necessity o
new alignment OF parties upon nc
partisan lines. No greater oppor'
nifty for patriotic action was eN
z offered a party and it has all be
thrown away.
What has been the course OF
n publican leaders and the republic
press? They haveinsisted upon p'
ting the free silver enthusiasts a
al the sound money democrats into c
class and denouncing all togetl
under the name of national dem
racy.
MIR. Mckinley continues to discl