Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-09-11
rha Political Situation.

The political situation has been very
appropriately termed linked" The
HERALD will endeavor to give its read
ers fair and unpreiudiced statement OF
the present condition. The republican
party has adopted a platform which,
while, in our opinion, it is inconsistent
with itself is fair republican platform
and pleases the adherents OF that party.
Its most prominent features are It's ad-
yocacv of a sound currency and protec-
tive tariff. Its nominees stand squarely
upon the platform. While the record OF
Mr.. Mckinley would seem to favor the
doctrine Of the free coinage OF silver
his letter Of acceptance is clearly III OPP
position to that theory.
The Democratic Convention al
Chicago adopted platform when
has been assailed by a considerable
number of that party as being un'
democratic and which has by adj
vocacy of "the populistic theory Of
free unlimited coinage of silver, l6to L.
deserted the time honored principles OF
the democratic party and allied Itself
with the popullsts.
The record of Mr.. Bryan, the cahdi-
date for the presidency, as democrat
has not as yet proved itself to be good.
Serious charges against his record have
been made. As yet they have not
been denied. but we shall not repeat
them until we are fully satisfied OF their
correctness.
The Prohibition party has adopted
platform setting forth their temperance
principles and have nominated MI
Joshua lowering, Of Baltimore, gem
tIeman who j. devoted to the principles
Of his party and is opposed to the free
unlimited coinage OF silver. Whlle
this party will poll considerable num-
Der OF votes. it is not strong enough 10
he factor in the contest
fourth element in this contest Is the
democratic party which is opposed TO the
platform adopted at Chicago, especially
tbose features which have been taken
from the platform Of the populist party
These democrats met in National con-
vention in indianapolis and adopted a
nlatform which reaffirms their faith in
the time honored principles ofthe demo-
cratic party, and repudistes the plat
form adopted at Chicago because
"thev attack individual freedom, the
rightof private contract, the indepen-
dence of the judiciary, and the authority
Of the President to enforce Federal laws
and because they advocate reckless
ATTEMPT to increase the price OF silver by
LEGISLATION to the debasems Mt OF our
monetary standard and threaten unlimi-
ted Tissue of paper money by the govern
ment; and because they abandon Tor
republican allies the democratic cause
of tariff reform to court the favor OF the
nrotectionists to their fiscal heresy."
The platform Of this party endorses the
democratic doctrines in favor OF tariff
reform, free shipping, sound currency
currency reform, civil service reform,
economy in appropriations and protests
against the efforts to degrade the Su-
preme court.
It's candidates Gems. Palmer & Buck
ner command the confidence and respect
of democrats everywhere. The strength
of this party has been estimated by the
New York Herald as commanding over
100000 votes, strong enough to be a
potential factor in the present contest
and nucleus around which in the fu-
ture may be expected to rally all wht are
attached to the principles OF democracy
as held by Jefferson and Jackson and
Tilden and Cleveland and host OF
other patriotic democratic leaders. This
seems to be the relative situation OF the
respective parties. Our readers can
Judge for themselves what will be the
probable result.