The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-27
WHAT CAN DEMOCRACY CARRY

1t is difficult to see what Democrats
want conventions for this year. They
certainly do not expect to carry anything
at the polls, unless it be a few state and
local elections in the South. The Chica-
go convention will be grand farce. 1t
is certain to divide and multiply. the
weakness of the party and that is all it
can do. United the party will cut no
figure in the coming national election
and what can it do divided?
In the state elections of 1894. the DEM
ocratic party had lost 1900 900 votes as
compared with the vote of 1892 New
York, Indiana, Kentucky and several
states even of the historic "Solid South, >,
went over to the opposition. Between
Republican and Populist gains both
North and South, the Democratic party
ceased to be serious political factor In
Minnesota, the party was so demoralized
that it became a poor third party, and
would not have kept state ticket in the
field had not the Republican machine
furnished the gubernatorial candidate
and paid his campaign expenses. Dur
ing the past two years, the party has be-
come still more weak and demoralized
by two years of Democratic bond issues
and bankruptcy, and by bitter currency
agitation which has sundered the party
from the lakes to the gulf, and from Dew
j1'c Cato RI Do cifo &;dor,oAor
The recent controversy between Comp
troller Eckels and Governor Altgeld, the
one gold and the other silver Demo-
crat, exhibits the light in which Demo-
Gratis themselves view their hopeless con-
dition.
Comptroller Eckels looked upon the
prospects of the party, in case the Chi
cago convention favored free coinage, as
follows:
1T means at the outset the complete
abandonment of important states like
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
1t involves the loss of Maryland. Della
ware and Kentucky 1t could not save
Indiana. To make this loss good enough
thoroughly silver states would have to
be won to give majority in the electoral
college. Colorado, Montana, Utah, Ne
vada and Idaho would possibly be DEM
ocratic, but when those are named The
whole gain is enumerated. The electoral
vote Of all would not equal New York.
Mr.. Boies could not carry Iowa, Kansas
or Nebraska, and Mr.. Bland could not
win Missouri. I do not know that any
Democrat could be elected on any plat
form. I am certain there is an oppor-
tunity in sound money platform, while
there Is absolutely none or free silver
one."
Governor Altgeld has thus pictured the
prospects of the party in case the gold
standard was adopted:
"Mr. Eckles says that silver platform
means an abandonment of New York
New Jersey and Connecticut, and the loss
OF Maryland, Delaware and Kentucky
Now, he would have done us a service if
he would have indicated what there is
left for us to abandon in New York. New
Jersey and Connecticut, as l remember
an election was held there not long ago
involving gold platform. And when
the fight was over we had not enough left
to bury our dead. A similar fight on
similar platform was made in Maryland
and Kentucky, as we'll as a number of
other states, and if there is anything left
for us to lose in any of those states, it
certainly is not visible, or else the Re-
publicans would have loaded in into their
wagon, for when the fight was over they
found that the earth and the fulness
thereof was theirs"
Both Altgeld and Eckels are correct in
their representations. The Democratic
party will ANONYMOUSLY fail. whichever
way it goes as party. The people have
no use for it. The rank and file of the
party itself realize the condition and are
leaving daily. The remnants are those
that hold office, or seek office for self or
friends. The utmost the party con do
this year, is to split and denounce itself.
That it is doing with artistic effect.
F. NJ S.