The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-25
THE HOPE FOR SILVER.

,,,alree another gift to the boil1 ~
1880 j oiyen i fresh impetus 70
M go silver cause everywhere eN-
800. i, the Republican House oil hepre-
sl,+a4;yes Conservative silver men,
Who had hoped for a solution Of the
money problem by some mutual Goa
cessions. have been converted into rad
ical advocates of free coinage by the
practical evidences of the ruinous pol
lev inaugurated by John Sherman ana
continued by John q. Carlisle. The
utter failure of the policy OF the goid
men, after practical experiment fof
many years, has convinced nearly al
the people OF the necessity OF a radical
change of the financial policy when
has cursed the country.
1t is now not only probable but GER
tain that the silver element IN the
Democratic party, fortified by the pub
lie failure of the gold policy either 20
protect the Treasury or bring good
times to the people, can control the
money utteranoe in the next platform
of the National Democratic Conven-
tion. provided they are aggressive and
united. Every State that the Demo
Gratis have a chance of carrying, ex-
cept New York, New Jersey, Connect
cut and Maryland, and possibly West
Virginia, win send silver delegation
TO the National convention. From
Ohio to Maine the gold men have ev-
erything that can find expression.
South and West of Ohio the silver SEN
timent will control the delegations to
the National convention, and will be
enabled to make the party write a de-
claration true to its past and its prin-
ciples. without dictation from the
spectators in gold or the idle hoard
ers of idle wealth.
The gold votes in that convention
viii come mainly from Maine, Massa
chusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Penn
sylyania, Rhode Island Vermont
from none OF which is it probable the
Democratic candidate can secure an
electoral vote. The silver votes will
come mainly from States that the
Democrats have usually carried, and
which they will surely carry with a
silver candidate and silver platform.
The condition of the party is critical.
The magnificent victory of 1892 has
been worse than wasted by persis
tent continuation of the same finan-
cial policy that was inaugurated by
the Republican party. The gold men
in the party have no hope Of success
in the November election, and yet they
are anxious to commit the party to
the policy that has shattered it's for
tunes in North Carolina, Kentucky,
West Virginia, and many other States.
With persistence in an undemocraaic
policy that results ought to have de-
monstrated to be suicidal, the gold men
are fighting to control the next Ma
tiona1 convention. If they succeed, the
party will walk this year through
slaughter house to an open grave. But
defeat will not kill the party. Its prin
ciples are so interviewer with the chart
of government that it cannot die. It
will win this year If it is true to its
traditions, and there is every reason
to believe that the masses Of the party
will send men to Chicago men who will
write a silver platform SO plain that 10
gold advocate in the country can con-
strue IL into a declaration for CON
tinuance of the bond breeding policy
that has prevailed for many years.
The silver Democrats of North Caro-
lima have no hope Of securing the re-
Mobilization Of silver except by send
ing twenty-five delegates to the Ma
tionaI convention who are known TO
be true to the white metal The other
silver States are moving. Let the sill
yer Democrats in every district see to
it that none but silver men are sent to
the National convention from North
Carolina. They have the power, and. it
is their high duty to exert it to the
end that the National Democracy shall
not be carried away from its old moor
ings, and made an echo Of Republican
financial views.
The immediate work IN hand for
Democrats who believe in silver is to
leave no stone untnrned to prevent for
eign and alien doctrines supplatiIg
Democratic bi-metallism in the Nation
al convention. Let them be up and
doing to stop the undemocratic teach
ings that have already found lodg
ment in too many minds. II on the
Democratic altar there comes no inn
purity and no Injustice, oil trne be
levers in bi-metallism viii he found