The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-13

been done for the last thirty years. but
+he nssople in the South and West, DoUh |
the Democrats and Republicans had
been too thoroughly educated oy the
Farmers Alliance and the People
Marty. on the financial question, to
longer tamely submit to financial
policy dictated by Lombard and wall
streets.which is robbing ninety-tive per
cent of the American people of half
their earnings.
AS was expected, the Republican
convention adopted a single standard
platform and nominated single
standard candidate without even a con-
test. Led by Senator Teller and Du-
bois. the ablest financial reformers in
the Republican party, large body
! of silver Republicans bolted the con-
vention.
| After that the Democratic coaven-
4 ton met at Chicago, and, contrary to
I our expectations and even 20 the
| expectations of the leading Demo rats
1 both North and South, the silver advo
Gates captured the convention iNy a
/ two-thirds majority and made Popu-
1 listic platform embodying almosi ev-
/ cry principle of the Populist party
and placed upon that platform the
4 ideal Populistic Democrat in the Uni
/ ted States, a man absolutely satisfac-
tory to every Populist in the country
except Tom Watson, of Georgia, and
would have been to him if he had been
! placed upon the same ticket by the
! same convention.
Now in all candor and fairness, what
more could the Democrats have done
than they did do at Chicago to have
satisfied the Peoples party?
Well. they could have put upon the
ticket Tom Watson instead of Sewall,
but not only Cleveland and his worship
pers and advocates would have bolted.
the ticket as they have done but hun
| dreds of thousands of undecided Dem
ocrats and all boiling silver Republ-
| cans would have declined to support
the ticket, because they do not en-
| dorse the extreme views of Mr.. Wat
son.
We all admit, that they ought not
to have nominated Mr.. Sewall. No-one
doubts but the ticket would have been
stronger with all financial reformers,
with an anti-National bank and an
anti-eoFporation man ON it, and the
ticket would have been more logical
and consistent and more acceptable to
Popullsts proper.
But it may be we ought to remove
The beams from our own eyes before
we attempt to get the NOTES from the
eyes OF others. We are not perfect by
any means, nor have we been as consis-
tent as we might to have been.
Now it II. clear to all honest think
ing men, that only two reasons exist
ed for the meeting of our convention
J and the Silver convention, and the
: Bimetallic League. after the St. Louis
and Chicago conventions, on the same
I day, at the same place.
! The first reason was to gather m
: the boilers from both conventions, and
make a united effort and a desperate
: pull with all the silver forces from
= all the parties, to establish unlimited
= coinage in this country without wait
ing for the impossible consent Of Eng
2 land The other reason was, it thu
= first contingency did not arise, to co
I operate with which ever of the twt
, old parties should declare for the un
limited coinage of both silver and golt
Al and a graduated incor2r 4a~- ~o1eT
l. ~e 2 coli olIClOn and the Silver con
"a vention until the other convention
= had met and adjourned, then the Pop
y ulists have been deceived, misled
= hoodwinked and kidnapped.
Since the first contingency did no
: arise to the extent contemplated. anf
: the second did, to an extent far bevon{
: the most sanguine expectations of The
{ most hopeful, what was the duty of The
Z convention which met at st. Iouis ar
! 22nd day of July, 1896? And what Il
! the duty to-dayof all Populists whose
! great object in leaving the old par
ties was to secure financial reform
These are serious, all important ques-
tons for each Popu1ist voter to de-
eide upon. his own responsibility to
himself, his family, his country, and
! his God.
The Timetable League and Silver
convention did exactly what its pur-
pose and intention was to do, under
the circumstances and conditions
which faced it on the appointed day
of its meeting. Tt endorsed the Chi
eago platform and candidates.
According to the general under
standing, the course events had taken
and in view of the action of the Demo-
cratic and Republican conventions, it
conld not have done otherwise and
been honest and consistent.
1t was conceded then aud is con
ceded now Ghab the only way possible
for financial reform, was the union
Of all the silver forces under enc lead
ership, all voting one and the same
ticket.
IT was conceded then and is now,
that the defeat OF Bryan is the defeat
of silver, and the success of Mckinley
is the downfall of Popnlism.
1T is admitted by all that the success
of McKinleyism is the extension a2d
prolongation of Clevelandism.
The question stripped of all varnish,
Is either Bryan and SewaH with free
| liver, a graduated income tax, opposi-
| ii on to National banks. tariff for rev.
en- ue, a restoration of the prices of
VIII eat, cotton, labor, and the pro-
| ducts of labor in all the departments
| of industry, and long promised re-
turn Of prosperity with all its attend
| 80 ,.ae,1I4c 0r M0Kfu3av-iSrn and