The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-28


I Georgia 10 a position on the silver issue
different from that occupied by the ma
tionaI democracy? There are reasons
for thinking it is. Senator Bacon was quo
ted in a Washington dispatch. published
I'm the Atlanta Journal few days ago.
as saying that he had no doubt that the
national democratic convention would
take a position on the silver question diff
ferent from that occupied by himself.
What is the position which the senator
occupies? 1t is that which the populists
occupy. He favors the free. unlimited
and independent coinage of silver at the
ratio of Is TO ]. He is Of the opinion.
therefore. that the national democratic
convention will make a declaration
in favor OF sound money-that
is. against the 10 TO / idea. The conclu-
sion is that he and other silvcritcs in the
democratic party Of this state hope 10
commit the Georgia democracy TO the 16
10 1 idea before the meeting OF the ma
tional democratic convention. in other
words. they want to put the Georgia de-
mocracy in position antagonistic TO that
Of the national democracy.
Why do they want 10 get the democratic
party in Georgia out of harmony with tho
national democratic party? DO they
think the Georgia democrats would have
a better chance for carrying the state by
being I'm opposition TO the national demo-
cratic party than by being in harmony
with il? II they do not think so what
explanation have they to offer for the
course they are pursuing?
It seems TO us that if the Georgia dem
ocrats should adopt a platform calling
for the free unlimited and Independent
coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to /.
and the national democratic platform
should he squarely for sound money. as
it doubtless will he, thousands of Geor-
CLANS who are now democrats would cease
to vote with the democracy They would
decline 10 have anything to do with a
party that favored in a state convention
a policy different from that adopted by a
national convention. The effect of such
a condition of affairs would be, in all
probability, TO cause the democrats to
lose control of this state.
1t is true the silverites do not say their
purpose in insisting upon one convention
instead of two is TO commit the party in
the state to free silver coinage. but there
isn't one Of them that dares to say that
if under the one convention plan the sill
verites should succeed in getting control
Of the convention he would not insist
upon declaration in favor of free silver
coinage. They attempt to hide their real
purpose by pretending they want to save
money to the people and to insure har-
mony in the party. As to the first rea-
son, it is only necessary to say that never
before have they shown any such solicit
tude for the pockets Of the people. And,
as a matter of fact, does a convention
cost the masses of the people anything?
The delegates chosen to a convention are
at some expense, but the honor of being
delegates is thought by them to be worth
all it costs them. The second reason has
no foundation whatever. Why would
one convention be less productive of strife
than two? Every fair minded man cam
not help admitting that one convention
would much more likely cause strife than
allay it. In fact, the mere suggestion of
one convention is causing strife.
The truth is, as we see it, the silverites
are satisfied that unless they confuse the
people by mixing national politics with
state politics-the selection of candidates
for the state ofices-they viii have very
little chance of committing the Georgia
democracy to the 16 to l idea. They feel
confident that if the state platform should
not be made until after the national plat
form is announced they could not get an
Endorsement of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver. The one convention
movement, therefore, is not in the in
terest of harmony or economy. 1t is in
the interest of a debased currency.