Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-17
Third District Democrats for Free Silver.

OF good reSultS
Third District Democrats for Free Silver.
We admit some disappointment at
the action of the third district Demo-
Gratis in relation to the currency. Since
the honest, courageous stand taken by
party in Connecticut and Mary
in favor of the existing standard.
we had expected the sound money
element in the Maine Democracy to
dominate the councils of the party, al
though we appreciated the we'll known
that currency fallacies have al
been received with favor among
in this State. This very fact influenced
the action of sound money men in the
councils at Waterville yesterday. They
political ambitions. Those are
by the circumstances. so
chiefest of their hopes is to
get out as large a vote as possible. and
they have concluded that it is safe to
surrender their convictions in order to
gain that end. We don't believe they
will gain it. There are Democrats in
this district who believe in maintain
ing the existing standard, and who
haven't personal ambitions in the
political line to serve. The platform
adopted at Waterville is squarely OPP
posed to their firm and unalterable
conviction. 1t is for free coinage, with
mental reservation as to the ratio.
They might just as well have pro-
nounced for the ratio of 16 to l. Every
Populist and fiat money man in the
district will be told that this is what
the platform means and every sound
money man realizes that is what it
must mean if success should crown
the efforts of the Democracy.
The politicians who framed thai
plank evidently reckoned the sound
money contingent in this district to be
in the decided minority, for in attempt
ing to straddle they have placed them
three fourths over toward the
side of free silver. The sop thrown to
the sound money element can have no
attraction for the mar who is ac-
Guainted with the existing conditions.
III Esd - 49, H.
chosen two men to go to Chicago and
commit hari-kari, is enough to dis
gust every man not infected with the
16 to l bacillus. What effect it will
have upon the State convention at
Portland, today, remains to be seen.
but whatever action that State organ
iZation as a whole may take, the in
tect the country from the unparalleled
disaster which must result from the
the conclusion that his only remain
ing alternative is to vote the Republi-
can ticket.
AS one reads over those resolutions
adopted at Waterville, yesterday, the
wonder grows that nothing is said
about the terrible protective tariff,
threatening the country. Four years
ago the Democrats of this State could
not say enough against any form of
by tariff. Does their silence
at Waterville imply that they are
perfectly satisfied with what their
party has achieved in this respect? If
why do they not endorse. it? Grover
Cleveland said the tariff reform had
just begun. Have the Democrats in
this district nothing to say about con-
tinuing it? Have they nothing to say
about Grover Cleveland and his ad-
n.inistration? Do they point with
pride or with the finger of scOrn at the
four years record of their party in the
national councils? Why do they not
speak of prohibition as a criminal
farce as did their State convention in
'92 and o cOnfine their u%tterances to
a euphemistic objection to "sumptuary
legislation" DO they leave mention
OF these important things to the con-
vcntion at Portland today, contenting
themselves with a declaration for free
coinage? And in making that declara-
ton they apparently overlooked the
neat way in which the Democratic
State convention four years e de-
clared for International bimetalism
and contented itself with that.
The election Of nopulist