Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-06-22
ALEXANDRIA, VA. MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 22 1896

1t is funny that Tom Plat, of all
meD, should compel an ORio politician
to be candid and honest. L. is not less
strange that democratic uprising for
silver should utterly displace the rarif
issue at St. Louis and make the money
question the grand topic of debate and
struggle in that body of vire-pullers,
demago and boodiers. In point of
fact, il is the victorious silver demncra-
CIV rather than Platt who have taken
the republican national conve ntion by
the throat. and said to them, You
gang of knaves For once in your life
be honest and tell the people exactly
what you mean. Come out for silver
like men, or come out squarely for
gold. No strsddles."
The American democracy have shown
themselves the modern Joshua and like
him they will win. The people now
have their grand opportunity for de-
liverance aud for return TO prosperity,
with rising prices, industrial activity
and hope for all honest endesvor.
There will be square stand up fight
between the people and the plutocracy
between the representatives OF the
British gold standard and the American
masses. 1t will he severe contest, but
the people will win.
There is one class of men-a small
body at ST. Louis, who command my re-
spect. They are the free coinage men,
headed by Henry M. Teller. Heis the
great leader of the free coinage party
in the Senate and throughout this coun-
try. He is a man of great intellect,
with a thorough knowledge of the
money question, and is strong man
on every SUBJECT. He is pain, blunt
man in speec with none of the graces
of orstory, buL strong in his facts ana
magnetic in his perfect truth and cah-
dor. In listening to him, and L have
done so many times, You feel that he
could not possibly say anything else or
in another sense if ne were to try. The
descent of the average politician is to
him an absolute impossibility. He has
the enthusiasm of Oliver Cromwell and
the infexible courage ard truth of An
drew Jackson. There has been no such
man in the Presidential chair in forty
years.
Most men who fill the chair now-a-
days are bonored by it. Teller, how
ever, would confer honor on The Office
itself as did our earlier Presidents in
the better days of the republic. If the
democrats were to nominate him at
Chicago, my belief is that he would Sc
cure two-thirds of the electoral college
and win by popular majority without
example in modern history.
Compared with the utterances of this
good and great mantle nero of the
hour-boldly confronting multitude
gathered at 81. Louis to do evil, the
late manifesto oi Grover Cleveland
sounds like the squeak OF a mouse. In
les; than nine months he will retire
with his great veal h to private life;
and honest, plain, working people will
once more have the opportunity to
earn bread with The lgnt Of hope on
their faces and JOY in their hearts. Teller
will remain on the public stage
grand figure, as honest and true as
when in the Senate champe,. Sur
rounded by party bigots and with only
FIVE free silver republicans to back him
up he denounced the force bill as "the
most damnable proposition that ever
crossed the Threshold of the Senate"
He did not wait to know how public
sentiment on the measure would be.
He took his stand in the breach and
helped to crush sentiment. Some peo-
pie say he is not democrat. Perhaps
not, altogether. He is certainly not
rannhIican. for with fine force hill and
the gold star dard in their hands, John
Sherman and VIM. Mckinley would
rather face the devil than this cross of
Old Ironsides and Andrew Jackson.
l.. @. W.