New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-25
DENOCPiTTC CONVENTIONS.

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS.
Thank Heaven. there is a Republican party.
4 million practical business men had the feel
ing. if some did not utter it, when they saw the
work of the Democratic conventions in the
great States yesterday and Tuesday. If there
were not another party. TO which all good men
could turn with entire confidence. TO save the
country from that marvellous aggregation OF
ignorance. prejudice and dishonest greed which
was represented in those conventions. what
would be the wages of labor. the hope of enter
prise. the worth of savings or investments
In truth the record Of the conventions was most
diShcartcning. Ncw-Y York and Wisconsin stood
against silver coinage as WAS expected. but the
utterancc of New York. bcseeching and pitiful,
was not such as became the Empire State and
the majority in Wisconsin for sound platform
was not large-only 21l TO 90. The Illinois
Convention on Tuesday went crazy over the
widest uttcranccs of Altgeld, and made him
leader Of solid silver delegation instructed 10
vote as unit. Indiana saw a little more rcso-
Lutte resistance, hut fully three quarters of the
convention was frantic for silver and delegates
inclined the other way were sOlemnly pledged
upon honor to abide by the resolutions. which
in both States explicitly demanded the free and
| lnQpDpnuelll cO1ldgc OF SlINfT III lH' ldto w
Ii to l. without awaiting the cooperation of
Great Britain or any foreign Power. say In
diana Democrats Yet in these two great States
It was seriously supposed by sound money lead
crs only a day or two ago that the Democratic
silver craze was waning, and might possibly
be beaten In both the silver majority Of three
to one, or even more, was so large that no test
vote was asked.
Ohio ought to show more sense, but did not.
General A. j. Warner. the apostle of soft money
and silver made permanent chairman. and
urged all bimctallists to sink differences on all
other subjects and unite everywhere for the
single purpose of securing free silver coinage.
The platform-fnally adopted by a vote Of i24
to 12S, over four to declared that Ohio
Democrats "arc unalterably opposed to the
gold standard. ana demand 1.-THE restoration by
this Government, Independent Of other nations,
'of the unrestricted coinage of both silver and
gold into standard money AT the ratio Of Ii
"to l. and upon the terms Of exact equality cx-
listing prior to 1873: such silver coin to be n
full legal tender equally with gold coin, for
"all debts and dues, public and private The
last clause is particularly vicious, being plainly
intended to rcpuda:e every obligation Of the
United States to pay either principal or interest
Oh any vi llS DOHuS III SoI' ht IIiii'i III hiHo
killed ten district delegates, who were for sound
money, by requiring all the delegates from the
State to Cast the votes from the State Of Ohio
as a unit, as majority may determine
These people know what they mean to do at
Chicago, and say so fatty. With Ohio. Indiana
and Illinois the silver men have nearly. If not
quite COO ont of the 800 delegates and there are
some contests which might be so decided as to
tlt ,r. l,,,,
painful the contrast when the greatest CONNER
cial and manufacturing State in the Union lifts
up its pantive petition for postpOnement Of
free coinage in order the more speedily to get
other nations to join them? 1t is hardly pos
sible that business men Of New-York can be
found who did not feel profound dlsappoint-
ment ut the Democratic platform. SO much
was expected from this State, President Cleve-
lands own, and the financial centre Of the con
tinent; so much from ex-Secretary Whitney
whose consent to stay and lead the fight for
sound money was so rejoicingly heralded; so
much from the Senators and other leaders who
had been talking stiifiy Of the solemn duty
of resisting free coinage at all hazards. But
the platform is, in effect, pteous exposula-
ton by the Democracy Of NewYork because
it has had mo opportunity for fair and de
| llberate consideration of the free-coinage pol
! Icy and platform--as if 1t had not been de-
| bated for twenty years-and because 1t would
'retard, perhaps destroy forever, the success
| 'of the movement general throughout
'civilzed nations for the restoration of free
''blmetalllc coinage In the principal minis Of
1.-THE world Much in the platform is worthy
| of praise 1t does not shrink at last from me
qulvocal opposition to separate free coinage Of
| mil In artl how t,..I H.
Republican National platform says that until
international bmetalsm can be secured. 1--WE
flavor the rigid maintenance Of the present
gold standard" But II is lamentabe that
these few plain words should be preceded by
ptiful and despalriDg appeal, in the name Of
bimetallism. for delaying separate action by
this country. The men who criticisc Mr. Whit
ney's labored expostulation with the silver
States childish are scarcely just. though ii
is not possible that man Of his large expert
encc expects anything better than a lame and
weak compromise. but it is most melancholy
that the Democratic party of this great State
should stoop to suggest the idea that compro.
mise is possible.
one other part of the platform calls for much
more emphatic censure 1t demands that 'thc
United States notes and Treasury notes being
"in fact debts Of the Government should be
gradually paid off, retired and cancelled This
should and must be done in such manner
"as to cause no contraction Of the circulating
money of the country most remarkable
proposal. this. which is intended to he under.
stood by Western and Southern Democrats as
n proposal TO coin 47S.OOO.OO0 more fiftycent
silver dollars and to issue like amount Of sill
yer notes redeemable only In such coin The
men who propose this thing know that their