The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-01-15
SILVER issue FIRST
But the Democratic Silver Leaders
Demand Preservation of
Their Party.
MUST ACT OUTSIDE THE PARTY
c. J. Hillyer in Silver knight

Inere is but one question of any con-
siderable importance to be decided at
the next presidential election BY al
most universal consent the silver issue
is not only at the front, but by it's over
shadowing importance has practically
driven all others from the political field.
The supremacy of the issue is concealed
by the leaders upon both sides of the con-
troversy. But there is a marked differ
ence in the method of it's treatment The
advocates of gold not only assert that it
is the dominant issue, but they back up
their assertion with corresponding con-
duct. When they say that it is supreme
they show that they mean 1T by boldly
declaring that in action they will sacri-
flee to it every other question. The silver
leaders, | regret to say. do not in the
same way demonstrate the sincerity Of
their professions. In prOclaimng the
overwhelming Importance of the Ques-
tion they are as vociferous and emphatic
as their adversaries, but when it comes
to action, present Or proposed, they fall
down and demonstrate either their in
capacity or want of good faith They are
friends of silver, but there is something
else in politics to which they are more at
tached. Anxious as they profess to be
for silver restoration, they are more anx-
ious to preserve party organization. Ad-
mitting that the prosperity of the coun-
try demands free silver, their own pros
perity in their view demands preserva-
tion of their party. They would like to
secure both, but if one must be given up
it is silver which is to be sacrificed In
the history of American politics there
has been no more pitiful exhibition of
o1rr,4 ~
ent attitude of the leaders of the silver
wing of the Democratic party They rep
resent large majority of It's voters, and
if they were patriots instead of ambi-
tious politicians they could lead to vic
tory for Democratic principles.
But 1T seems that it is not Democratic
principle but Democratic organization to
which they are loyal A short time ago
these Democratic silver leaders held
conference in Washington. They passed
resolutions which, in respect to the doc
trine enunciated, were all that any friend
of silver could ask. They asserted in the
most emphatic language that the present
business distress was due to the criminal
decentralization of silver; that no relief
could come until it was restored, and
that its American politics. But they also
announced that the restoration must be
accomplished within the lines of the
Democratic party. A few weeks ago
Senator Harris, who from his relation
to the conference may be credited as a
reliable exponent of its views, said in an
swer to direct question that whatever
the coming national convention should
decide with reference to silver should be
accepted by himself as authoritative,
and receive his support. Very recently
Senator Vest and Senator Daniel have
made similar declarations. That is to
say, if the delegates chosen to the Nation
al Democratic convention should make a
platform declaration in favor of single
gold standard Mr.. Harris and his asso-
ciate conferees pledged in advance their
support to the platform and candidates
selected to represent and execute it.
This can only mean that what these
Democratic leaders assert to be the vital
political issue, the one and comparative
ly the only one, which really concerns
the prosperity of the American people,
They propose to support or abandon ac-
cording to the decision of majority Of
delegates to party convention.
Now, let us turn to the other-the gold
wing of the party. We find them In
earnest. They do not fool away their
time or waste their energy about party
names and party organizations. Their
goal is gold standard, and they know
exactly where they want to go and how
they intend to get there Party with
them it is not an end but means. They
are nOminally Democrats, and as long as
they can use the party for their pur-
poses they will remain so, but if it gets
in their way they will trample it down
as readily as any other obstacle Mr.
Harris and his associates know perfectly
well that If at the national convention a
square, free coinage plank should be
placed in their platform neither Mr..
Cleveland, nor any member of his cabi-
net, nor any of his well disciplined corps
of Office holders, nor any newspaper
which now sustains the financial policy
Of the administration would support the
candidates which should be nominated.
They do not even pretend that they
would do SO. In whatever way they shall
think best adapted to secure the defeat
of such a platform and ticket, whether
by a separate Democratic organization
as now lately in Nebraska, or by more
or less open Endorsement of the Republic
an candidates as in Kentucky, in that
way their whole energy and influence
will be exerted. They are not bound by
party ties: they expressly repudiate any
such foolish sentimentality. They go for
things and not names. The only cOnstit-
uency to which they hold themselves re-
sponsible is located in Lombard street
and Wall street. They propose to con-
troll the Democratic convention not from
any hope or desire of Democratic sue
cess, but because it is the easiet and
surest way to prevent any formidable
opposition to the success of the Repub-
lican party which they know they can
trust implicitly to carry out their tinan-
cial policy.