Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-11-24
OUR CANDIDATE IN 1900
The Free silver Campaign Of 1896

The Free Silver Campaign Of 1896
While the democratic party under
its free silver flag did not win the
presidency in 1896, it did make gains
in single campaign unequalled in
the political history of the nation.
To fully comprehend the magni-
tude of what free silver accomplished
one must take into consideration the
condition of the party at the time
the Chicago platform was adopted.
At the last elections held in the sew
eral states prior to this year, the
democrats had lost in 36 and won in
but nine. Under the blighting influ-
ence of President Cleveland's gold
standard policy, the democratic party
had lost its majorities and pluralities
A in every state, except Alabama. Ar
kansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
! Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas
and Virginia. Up to THAI time the
i fear of negro domination had kept
these extreme southern states in the
democratic column, but even race
4 prejudice could not be safely relied
I upon to hold them there through an.
other campaign.
The party's magnificent representa-.
ton in congress, of 219 members
elected in 1892, was cut down to 1U4
members at the election in 1894.
That was the low ebb to which
y Clevelandism had brought the party
II That was the low level from which
s the organization had to commence
its work of construction.
When the Representatives of the
democratic party assembled il
in the Chicago convention, they had
choice between two policies. The
choice was alternative. One of the
two things had to be done. The
Cleveland administration had to b.
Endorsed or repudiated. To have in
dorsed it would have been the equiv
\ alent of saying to the chief execu
tive: Mr.. President, you and your re
publican allies have burned demo
cratic prospects at the stake for near
ly four years, now finish up you
work. The other course was to bold
ly declare for the principles of true
democracy, and rescue the organiza
ton from the management of those
who had led 1T to unparalleled dis
aster.
How we'll the, convention did it
work is now a matter of history. l
adopted a platform which in sub
stance declared: That the party hat
had quite enough of its Wall stree
president, quite enough Of its bone
syndicate secretary of the treasury
quite enough of its trust-protectinl
attorney general. That in thei
stead it wanted men who Womb
honestly interpret democratic plat
1 forms, and Loyalty carry into effec
Il democratic policies. 1t wanted mel
a who would strive to maintain al
American financial policy, and insis
upon the coinage and use of bot
gold and silver as standard money
men who wonld oblige the gigantic
corporations, syndicates and trusts t.
obey the laws and contribute to til,
support of the government the same
as the most humble and lowly of it
citizens.
1T The adoption of the platform was
courageous and patriotic act, and tn
Il fates were in a generous mood an,
gave to courageous democracy
young and wonderfully gifted leader
Around the Bryan standard the re
form elements of the country at one,
commenced to assemble. The PEG
ple's party came to him in body
and hundreds of thousands of tn
best informed republicans in the Ian
soon became his most ardent sur
& porters.
Once again the grand old democra
tic party, the republics most histori
party, was facing the rising sun.
8 Inspired by the justice of thei
cause, the hosts of democracy an,
their gallant allies, contested TO
supremacy. They found opposed t
them the we'll organized forces of til
republican party intrenched in powe
in four-fifths of the states. The
.ound in the ranks of the republican
party and fighting desperately O
chat side every moneyed interest tina
wanted to be legislator as we'll a
banker or broker; every trust tina
wanted the government to continu
o permit its unlawful existenc,
,veey corporation that wante
pecial legislation in its interests, an