New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-27
4 DEMOCRATIC UARk NORNL.

There appears to he no longer any dorh' That
the Democratic platform to be adopted M 'h.-
cago next month will either siraddle the hnah-
cial oucsi.o ON rs proposed Icy the New-l ork
Democrats under the lead Of Mr.. Whitney. or
come ont openly and squar"ly for fre"silVcr
coinage The one thing certain II that no
favor will be shown the existing gold stand
ard. about which our Democratic and Mug
vumn contcmporarics have cvlnced of late So
much anxiety lest the Republican National Con
vention should indulge In cquivocal and am
bi.,uous utterances on the subject. The most
important plank Of tho platform being thus dis
posed of so far ms the fundamental principle or
policy of the party is concerned. il now seems
TO be in order to discuss with some seriousness
the claims and qualifications Of candidates and
their prospects of success Remembering the
catholic temper. as well rs the carn"~tne>s.
which AT times seemed almost tragic, with
which our Democratic and Mugwump friends
engaged in the discussion Of Republican can
didates before the ST Louis Convention. and
the larcc-heartcd candor with which they cx-
pressed their opinions. The Tribune. in n sim
liar spirit OF fraternal regard we'll a. of reel
proclty. desires 10 repay the obligation by r'h-
dering the Democratic party such asslstanco rs
That party is confronted with political sit
uation which calls for the exercise OF the best
thought and highest wisdom Of it, abcst
statesmen. Not as 10 the platform Tor even
If that were not already practically settled, the
record Of tie party is in evidence that platforms
are of very small consequence anyway; n rather
ornamental than useful appcndage To the party
In campaign. The candidate is the main
thing And of candidates the party has an IN
usually large number. II has an cmbarraSs'
mcnt Of riches in this regard. But the siiua-
ton has this peculiar feature: that the candi-
dates whom the party wants do not want the
nomination. and the candidates who want the
nomination are not wanted by the party. We
do not need to go over the list Of either class.
Their names are familiar. But IL does not
seem to Ms probable and say This in all
frankness that any Of the statesmen who
have been named will be In the end selected
as the candidate Of the party. II may be said
of each one Of them perhaps, that he Is com
mended by his qualifications or his public rec
ord TO n considerable faction Of the party; but
none are satisfactory TO the whole. And the
great desdpratu:n in this campaign is n har-
monious party united in the support of can
didate. who will illustrate its principles in his
character and career
We are accordingly disposed to think that
when the convention settles down to business,
and takes a cool and dispassionate view Of the
field, it will set aside all the candidates who
now appear to be prominent and bring ont with
unanimity and enthusiasm as a dark horse
some one who will be n once recognized rs
the best possible exponent of the principles Of
the party the highest embodiment Of its teach
ings and its tendencies. Such a one we have
in mind II would be IN bad form and ont of
order to name him abruptly. After the man
ncr of the convention orators who nominate
candidates. we lead up to him, though only
briefly He l. a man who has been before the
public for many years man who has made
1t almost the sole aim of his life to gain the
confidence Of the public. and in many instances
has achieved successes so notable as To make
him famous throughout the country; a man of
such winning manners and fascinating personal
address that total strangers have been known
to ntrust large amounts Of money with him
without security a man who. though an ardent
believer in the gold standard. has still strong
attachment for silver, and in the most panicky
emergencies has never refused our greenLacll
currency: a man whose financial views are 80
liberal and broad that he has AT times. AT great
personal risk. sustained orr credit system by
accepting checks nj their face value from
casual acquaintances; a man whose whole ca
reer has been made successful by the conf
dence repOscd in him by his fellow-mcD, as n
small token Of which it may be mentioned that
the State Of Maryland bore for several years
the expense Of furnishing him a safe and not
uncomfortable home with food and raiment; a
man, in short. who has illustrated through a
long period Of years the principles and policy