Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-02-25


enough TO desire what is for the best
interest OF our country, and we trust
them. Not only do we confide In their
wisdom and in their patriotism, but
we Know that they continue the main
strength OF the Democratic party, and
are the chief reliance for Democratic
success We know, too. that when
Their Will is defled by pretended Demo-
Gratis who scoff at the plain people as
hayseeds' and 'plebeinns Democratic
success VIII be impossible and Demo-
cratic dislntegration viii be certain"
DO you anticipate a division in the
ranks OF the Democratic party In Tex
as this Year,"
Il shall not be greatly surprised at a
repetition OF our experience In 1892,
when those who are now claiming TO
pc administration Democrats bolted
the Democratic nomination for COVER
nor and other state officers, In some
respects l would regard a division this
year as unfortunate, because II Will
allenate from our regular organization
men who agree with us on every ques-
Ton except that of finance. In other
respects the division would be rather
fortunate than otherwise. There are
IN Texas, as in all OF the other South
opinion within the Democratic party
on nenrly every important issue. There
are thousands OF excellent men and
good citizens Who have never cm-
braced the basic principles VI the
Democratic party, and who have af-
Inflated with IL largely ION account Of
the condition which Immediately fol-
lowed the war. Eight-tenths Of these
men advocate the single gold standard
and they constitute eight-tenths OF the
advocates OF the gold standard in the
Southern states. 1t need occasion no
great surprise II they resist the deois-
ion of our party In Texas, nor will II
excite any great regret among the old
fashioned Democrats OF that state II
they do,
Indeed, consider It merely ques-
tion OF time when men like them and
men like myself must separate. We
do not disagree ON the coinage quos-
ton alone. They believe that the DEM
ocratic party has been wrong for u
century In its opposition 10 national
banks, and they would now reverse ita
entire history and commit II TO pol
icy which. beginning with Mr.. Jeffer-
son, 1t has steadily denounced. And
more than this. Nearly all Of these
men have forsaken the Democratic pol
Icy In reference to the tariff. and are
now advocating that abomlnatlon In
the sight OF a Democrat--a tarim with
free raw materials and taxed finished
products. In other words, after we
have denounced the Republicans for
their favoritism to the manufacturers,
these men now desire us to exceed the
Republican fayoritism by allowing tho
manufacturer to buy whatever he
wants free and add u tax to whatever
he sells.
Again these men do not believe In
the time-honored doctrine Of states
rights. but they openly doubt both the
ability and the disposition OF tie
states to protect life and property, ana
Justify federal interference In matters
which are purely local. They advo-
cate standing armies, the extension OF
the federal judiciary, and favor eN-
trayagances which would have APP
palled our Democratic fathers.
"They are constantly giving evil
dence of never having been Democrats
by accusing the friends of silver OF be-
ing Populists, and they make this ac-
cusation in the face of the fact that
Southern representatives sy.d senators
wien now ana then rsl,f exception,
have been voting for the free and I'M
limited coinage of silver long before
the Populist party was ever heard OF
or thought of. They probably were
opposed to the Democratic position on
the question all the lime, but they did
not imperil their party standing by
uritlcising what the party almost uni
verBally approved.
at is not an agreeable thing to say,
and perhaps Il might be better to
leave IL unsaid, but l am sure that
do not miss the truth In saying that
II President Cleveland had been at
agreement with his party on the silver
question, and had advocated the free
coinage of both gold and silver as the
Democratic party has done throughout
Its history up TO this time. there would
not have been fifty men in Georgia or
Texas, with reputation and favor
enough among the people to have
elected them to the legislature, who
would today be advocating the single
gold standard. In fact, no man, in
elmer pnrty had ever dared to un-
qualifedly indorse the English system
OF finance until Mr.. Cleveland commit
ted the great wrong OF advocating IL
as the chosen representative OF the
Democratic party. His departure IN
this respect has involved us In many
mistakes and Inconsistencies
Nobody would have believed ten
years ago that any Democrat would
ever advocate the election of any man
to the presidency for the third time;
and yet, SO thoroughly has tina presl-
dent dominated many men In our party
that cabinet officers join with senator's
ing his nomination for third term;
Some have gone further than ms.
/ remember reading In the newspapers
last summer of an incident which &C.
CURED In Atlanta during meeting OF
the wholesale grocery dealers OF the
South. The president Of that associa-
ton, of II not the president, some gen
tieman who was participating In It's
proceedings, declared that Mr. cleve-
land ought to be elected president Ior
life with salary Of noOooO year,
aud that convention of business men
receiyed the declaration with bolster
Gus approval. Nine-tenths OF the men
who applauded that scntimnet are IN
the habit OF calling free silver Demo
Gratis 'Populists,' and arrogating 10
themselves the character OF true DEM
ocrats. They do not seem TO under
stand that a man who viii applaud
proposition that anybody ought TO pc
elertad president OF the republic Tor
life is incapable Of being DeinocIa.
for the man who proposes TO eject a
nresldent for life is as dangerous 10 ,ne
peace and institutions OF the country
a. the anarchists who do not want
10 elect any president at all.