The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-02

Montreal or New York.
and controlled by It, do not want free
SILVER to win. They would rather see
| the Republicans successful, from a bust
ness standpoint, than 10 see the silver
people Of their own party successful
Therefore, from a business standpoint
alone, il would be better for them TO
contribute TO Democratic defeat and
temporary Republican success than to
consent to Democratic success with free
silver.
From political standpoint also they
| could afford to indirectly prevent sue
cess OF the free silver wing of the Dem
| ocratic party. If the free silver and
/ southern and western element win in
this campaign and elect a president, the
eastern and gold Democrats win be abb
suIuteFy eliminated from control of the
party They would be wiped out, and
will have no voice in its management,
or On the spofls of Office, and no oppor-
| tunity TO dictate a nomination four
! years hence. Therefore, for political and
personal reasons, it would be to their
| advantage to see this attempt Of the
southern and western Democrats to run
| things with high hand come 10 naught.
! Thus there are two strong reasons, rea-
sons which dominate in determining the
| course of most people in politics, why
| the gold Democrats would prefer tenn
porary success to the success of the
| Democratic party under silver leader
| ship and upon a silver basis; first, a
pocketbool1 reason; second, a selfish
and political reason.
There IS still another reason equally
important. Even with free silver sue
cess in the coming Democratic conven-
ton and in the presidential election, it
would not follow that the free silver ele-
ment would control congress, and IN
less they had control of the house as
well as the senate and presidency, they
could not, after all, get a free silver leg
islation which these gold Democrats and
business men so much dread. 1t is i'm
portant to them, If they cannot prevent
the nomination Of free silver man, TO
at least prevent his election, and If they
cannot prevent his election, the next
important thing is to prevent the silver
people controlling the house.
That the best way to accomplish these
two things, first the election of a free
silver president and second the election
Of a free silver house of Representatives, is
to nominate gold Democrat candidates
for the presidency and congress, is per-
fectly apparent. The only hope that the
silver people have of success in the pres
idential fight is TO carry certain Missis-
sippi Valley states which are nominally
Republican, and they admit il would be
a hard and close fight to do this. That
there are many gold Democrats in those
states, especially wherever the German
element is strong, goes without saying.
With a well known gold Democrat in
the field, nominated by that element of
the party which has heretofore been
the successful clement, the gold Demo-
Gratis of those close states would cast
their votes for him and thus reduce
by many thousands the votes which the
free silver nominees of the Chicago con-
vention would get if there were but one
Democratic ticket in the field. II goes
without saying that many Democrats
who doubt the wisdom of the extren>
free silver idea would vote the De-
cratic ticket, free silver and all. if they
had no choice between Democratic and
Republican tickets, but would gladly
vote for a gold Democrat instead OF the
silver Democrat if such a candida te
were in the field. Not only would this be
the case in the matter of the presidency.
but also in the election of members Of
the house of representatives, and mem
bers Of the state legislatures who should
vote for the United States sena tors. In
other words, bolt and a separate nom
nation by the gold Democrats, while il
could not be expected to result in imme-
date success for them, would reduce
materially the prospects of success by
the silver Democrats. which Mr. Whit
ney declares would disgrace every cit
izen, be not merely dishonest but dis
honOrabl, wreck hundreds Of thousands
Of homes, and disrupt the Democratic
party" Besides this il would prevent
the financial troubles which are expect |
ed 70 follow silver success and also pre-
vent the elmina ton from the affairs of
the party Of the eastern Democrats.
which would he sure 10 follow success OF
the western and southern free silver
men.
These are the plain. practical. bust |
ness and political reasons which lead
the thoughtful eastern Democrats and
those Of the west who oppose a free Sill |
Yer experiment at this time TO feel that |
il IS duty 10 assist in bringing about |
the defeat Of free silverism. even at the |
temporary defeat OF the party. In adii- |
ton, and high above all this. stands the |
higher principle, Il right and justice. Of 4
an unwlllngnesS 10 enforce or consent /
80 debasement Of the currency. which 4
they believe would be. 10 quote Mr..
Whitney again. more than nonstroue /
N effect. an abandonment OF the prin- /
c;ples Of honor and Of the Fundamental 1
principles Of Democracy"