Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-08-06

DEMOCRATS who have always voted
the ticket and have always been active
in party counsels should think twice
yes, more than twice before severing
the ties of a lifetime. Those gentle
men who have signed the sound money
address published in to-day's LEDGER
must either be i'll favor of Bryan or
Mckinley for President of the United
States. There is not the shadow of a
chance of electing third nominee.
Surely the Republican platform, as a
whole, must be more obnoxious to any
Democrat than the Democratic plat
form. 1t is not supposed that party
could make platform which will be
satisfactory to all of the individual
members. In making the platform
and nominating the ticket the majori-
ty of the party always has and always
will control. The minority should,
with as good grace as possible, abide
the result. Stay in the party and do
everything possible to elect the ticket
and to bring about sound and con-
servative administration. While many
Democrats disagree with the Demo-
cratic platform in one particular they
can endorse only one plank of the Re-
publican platform.
Let not the friends of sound money
deceive themselves about the strength
of the declaration of principles adopt
ed at Chicago. IA thoroughly Popu-
listic document" it is called by some.
Substitute popular" for "populistic"
and the description is better. The
platform favors revenue tariff. That
is popular. 1t favors the income tax.
That is popular. 1t objects to unnec-
essary federal interference in local
affairs. That is popular. 1t denounces
the scheme of extending the debts of
the Pacific railroads. That is popular.
1t opposes third term. That is pop
ular.
From time to time the LEDGER ex-
poets to publish what it thinks to be
good, sound and sufficient reasons why
every Democrat should vote the ticket
from President to constable. The fol-
lowing from the Columbia (Mo.)
Hercld is pertinent along this line:
1t is hardly probable that any con-
siderable number of Democrats who
do not concur in the money plank of
the Chicago platform, will go off with
the attempted movement to effect a
new organization and to nominate a
new ticket. The only possible effect
will be to cut down the Democratic
majority and render Republican sue
cess possible. In the large cities
where politics is largely matter of
commerce 1t may win some advocates,
but in the rural districts where party
fealty is held above personal interest
and the success of the party above an
incidental issue, the so-called sound
money advocates will rally but few
followers.
1t is very poor sort of Democracy
which would turn itself over to the
enemy because everything in plat
form. is not wholly satisfactory. Mr..
David Bennett Hill, who has become
good authority with this element of
the party, gave utterance to some
very sagaclous wisdom in the United
States Senate in his celebrated debate
with Tillman when he declared in op-
position to Tillman's threat to bolt the
Chicago convention if it declared for
gold, that no Democrat who loved his
party would bolt it because of its
views on the financial question. Shall
we turn Missouri over to Filley simply
because some do not believe in Is to 1?
In real fact the financial issue is not
involved in. our State politics, and to
give Missouri over to the mass of ig-
norance and demogoguery embraced in
the Republican party of this State be-
cause of the Chicago platform on sill
yer would be little less than crime.