The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-20

No campaign that We can now recall
! excepting possibly that OF llgJ, certainly
/ none VI recent years, has given JlllA 10
moro intolerance ana has tu5tAuel co
mere bad blood and lil-te-lln5 tutn enc
/ one through which the country mas just
passed. since tic smoke CT battle has
cleared away, Excitement has suDslucd
and calm and Olslua1lOLate reason mas
resumed lts sway IL is seen that there
are Two sides TO tne great question inFOlF-
cd IN the contest, either one OF MAicA men
could espOuso without being justly sus-
MatlZed AS Tie case might De, as Slyiochs
and sOullc-s plltDcrAt5 or aa auar Is
and regulators. That there were lnalu-
cere men Oh both sides VIC nave 10 reason
To doubt. On the sound money side
were those VINO SAW IN the sOld standard
"a ready means or depressing the prices
Of property ana OF causing Il ruiuous APP
probation in the value or purchasing
power OF money aud who Ter that reason
cspOusel the cause OF gold. On ttc side
OF free coinage there were some VINO
thought they saw in silver the tide which
taken at It's flood leads on TO political
fortune. and VINO hoped 90 De waited on
that tide 10 the goal Of their ambition.
These constituted tho exceptions. vast
majority Of those who aligned themselves
in opposition to each other IN the late
contest We're honest and sincere and were
governed in the course they pursued sole
-
policy that would prove most conducive
to the best interests oil tie country IL
was an abstruse and complicated question
on which honest and earnest men might
well differ and on which some Ct the Wis
est and best men OF the world Go diner
radically. That these differences should
have led TO the yitupcratiOn and abuse
so freely INDUCED in by both sides dur
ing the late campaign Is a disgrace 10 the
civilization and enlightenment or the age
That mere difference or opinion on
purely economic question should be per-
mtted 70 invade the social cirCle-tO sun
der the ties OF friendship and breed os-
tiacism social or political, evidences 4
spiJt OF intolerance that BODIES no good
20 our institutions. 10 prcclalms the bru-
tai and tyrannical sway Of party than
which no despot IL more inimical ana
more dangerous TO tree and popular gov
ernment In this respect the skirts or
neither Of the great political parties are
clear one Is about as deep I'm the mud
as the other Is IN the mire Nor can eitn-
or section point 10 the other as the BIRTH
place and home or intolerance. IL is in
dlgenOus TO the soil OF both sections ana
fiOurishes equally as well In the inhOs-
pitable climate OF the North as I'm the |
more genial one OF the South. Even here
in Virginia II attained rank and vicious !
growth as Is clearly attestcd IN the case |
OF Governor O'Feirall than whom no man |
occupying high official position I'm this !
State has ever been more Dersiste ally and |
cruelty villihrd. traduced and abused by |
the press and people. And for what? be- |
cause he dared 10 differ with the majority /
OF the party 70 which he belongs as 70 /
the wisdom ana policy OF It's position with /
refererce 70 the FREQ coinage 81 silver
and 20 exercise his right as an American J
citizen. TO openly advocate the Views ap-
proved by hts conscientious Judgment.
Was there anything In this 70 invoke the |
anathemas that have been hurled AT him |
so fast and thick? Was he when he ae-
cepted the Goverrcrship or the State az
the lands the Democratic party expected
or required ~ condition precedent u
sacrifice his Independence OF thought and |
aGtian-to bllndly obey the party iash Aak