The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-06-14

| question. In so far as they had any
< bias il was in favor Of the Ohio plat
form. which Mckinley himself drew, or
| at all events approved. This was a
straddle OF the most puerile kind It
| was an attempt 10 do exactly what the
| party IN Oregon attempted and failed 10
accomplishing prevent a direct issue TO
| the money question and 70 make the
| campaign on something else. How this
plan worked in practice the Oregonian
| tells US:
'sThe efforts OF large numbers of gold
| men. both Republicans and Democrats
was TO avoid direct issue IN the Or
egon election. The Oregonian thought
this a mistake; and II leaves il 20 the
Judgment Of the gold standard men 70
say now, after the election. and in view
Of all the facts. whether it would not
have been better 70 meet openly and
fairly an issue like this. that cannot pos
sIbly be evaded. For the silver man
were sure 70 force II. and now Il seems
that they actually did force IL. II new
er is possible 10 compromise with
frantic deiusion; seldom possible 10 iulI
1t TO sleep. a fanaticism Ike this Is
driven by tireless enthusiasm toward
its objects, and the only way 70 check
IL is TO meet IT with resolution and firm
ness
These truths are making their way al
St. Louis. and are likely 10 become more
effective from day TO day. irrespective Of
candidates. If the Oregon election had
taken place somewhat earlier. showing
how small a place the tariff holds in the
minds OF the people as compared with
the money questionable result would
have been disastrous 10 Mckinley. since
It would have shown him TO be an iIlOg-
ical candidate In a Campaign where
the money question is the upDermost
issue he viii bring weakness 10 the tick
ct But is now too late TO change the
drift OF delegates. which always sets TO-
ward the one who seems 70 be the win
ming candidate.
If the st. Louis convention adopts q
unequivocal gold platform, the Demo
Gratis at Chicago will adopt an unequiv-
Ocai silver one. Free coinage al I6 10
! means the silver standard as a matter
Of course. There will be a bolt from
both parties, either open or eovert-it
makes no matter which. The delegates
Of the siiver-produsing states will Sc
cede from the Republican convention.
They may be accompanied by q few
from the Pacific coast and the Missouri
river states, but not many. Il is de-
sirable that this withdrawal should take
place in open session, in the eyes OF the
whole country, since the effect Of IL
would be to confirm the party in its
adherence TO the gold standard, and TO
emphasize the real issue Of the cam
pa1gn. The bolt from the Chicago
nomination may not be so dramatic, but
it Will be even more pronounced; pro-
vided always that the St. Louis plat
form is not a straddle but unequivocaliy
for the present gold standard. On this'
point the latest circular at Hamblet0D
& Co, the Baltimore bankers, speaks
with force and authority when ii says:
The thoughtful business men. OF the
country, who represent its wealth, COM
merce, trade. manufacturing and other
interests, have been or are being forced
TO the conclusion that, as at present
constituted, the men VINO control the
Democratic party are not 1T TO govern
the country. We say this with the most
sincere regret, as we OF the south have.
been nourished and reared 10 revere
and respect the true principles OF DEM
ocracy. The men who now dominatai
our great party represent an element
whose hand is against any man who
possesses anything. They are in oppo-
sftion 10 the national banks. are down
on ali corporations, condemn capital.
and. IN act, are against any one who
owns a dollar in money or in value.
This is communistic."
The consequences Of a split fn both
parties will be beneficial in proportion
as they cause voters TO line up" on
living issues. instead OF moribund or
dead ones. One of the issues that
ought to be dead but still fingers
in the south is the race issue. or. more
properly speaking. that Of negroe
supremacy. Everything is in readi-
ness for a heavy and decisive bolt from
the Democratic party there but for the
fear OF a return OF carpet-bag govern
ment. But for this fear the present op-
portunity to come out for the gold stan
dard would be eagerly seized in several
southern states. As a matter of fact
the Republican party has abandoned
all idea Of enacting a force bill II all
branches Of the government were placed
in its hands, to do as IL pleased, IL
would no more think OF passing such a
bill than of establishing a state church.
Yet the terror of such a bill has hung
over the south so long. and the memory
OF the carpet-bag governments IS still
so keen, that the Democratic party can
play any prank and commit any crime
with impunity in states where the black
are a majority or nearly a majority OF
the population. II is this fear and this
memory that prevent the sound money
Democrats of the south from abandon
ing the party now. II the fight over the
money question continues Il few years
longer, 80 that the fear OF the negro
domination wears away. the division in
- he ~ ~ f-H L
most ready to show itself there. will
surely come. All who are not Commun-
lists will leave II. aud the remainder viii
f,a NaIlnr-s.f hr The Pnnrlii.fs