The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-06
Or How the Silver Forces May
Win at Chicago.
IN NATIONAL CONVENTION
Simply by Refusing to Send any
Delegates.
FROM THE FREE SILVER STATES
Until the Basis of Representation There
in is Made Equitable Between
Northern and Southern
Democrats.


/ which you urge to the policy of nom
participation in the Chicago conven-
ton advocated by me are based wholly
upon the assumption that the friends
of silver can control that convention,
either positively, by nominating sill
yer candidate on a silver platform, or
negatively, by making it impossible
to nominate gold candidate.
We might well hope to do one or the
other if the basis of representation
therein was equitable as between
Northern and Southern Democrats.
| 1t may surprise some of your readers
| TO know that 14,07S North Carolina
| Democrats have no greater weight in
a national convention than s,765 Mas
sachusetts Democrats, and that 1905
Democrats from Texas are offset by
1923 from Vermont 1.-THE figures are
| averages taken from the congressional
vote of 1894) The Chicago convention
will be organized on the basis of sing
ular voting for Democrats in Demo-
cratic States and plural voting for De-
mocrats in Republican States-two or
three votes for Massachusetts or YER
mont Democrat and one for the fellow
whose misfortune it is to hail from
Democratic State from North Caro-
lima or Texas. And as the gold Demo-
Gratis live in Republican States, and
vice versa, it is easy to see how gold
minority can dominate silver major
ity.
Take the three States of North
Carolina. South Carolina and Ten
nessee, neither of which can possibly be
saved to Democracy this year except
on a silver platform. When the del
egates from those States go to Chicago
begging for such a platform. PennsyI-
yania alone, with its 100000 Republi-
can majority, has power to deny 1T TO
them and can any one doubt that she
will use that power? Such monstrous
inequality of representation is alone
sufficient warrant for Southern Dem
ocrats to refuse to go into national
convention until the Democrats who
furnish the electoral votes are put on
an equal footing with those who fur
nish none.
/ think YOU have fallen into error,
Mr.. Editor, in assuming the tWo-thirds
rule to be party law--it is simply party
usage. and has no binding force on
any convention until adopted By IT.
Can it be supposed that the astutely
led sound money forces viii drop
themselves into hole by reaffirming
tllat rule? not much! With a major
ity, however small, we may trust them
to adopt platform and nominate can
didates.
Can they get majority? They be
gin the fight with 302 delegates from
twelve New England and Middle
States theirs without an effort. With
the aid of the President, welding Fed
eraI patronage; of an almost unani-
NOUS press; of the banks and Chamber
of Commerce; of corporate monopoly
in all its forms; of perfect organi-
zation commanding almost unlimited
money, can they count on securing
the balance of a majority? TO ask the
question Is to answer 1t. They would
get two-thirds majority If it was me-
cessary for their purposes.
In the final analysis it resolves itself
| into this: The. Republican North is for
gold and all too ready 10 sacrifice the
| Democratic party on the altar OF the
/ single standard; the Democratic South
| is for silver, and without silver the
| South is lost to Democracy. BY the sys-
| tenn of plural voting pointed out-a
| system which, in a National Demo-
| cratic Convention, Yields against the
south the overwhelming Republican
majorities Of Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Vermontr-the Republican North will
surely dictate a gold platform and gold
candidates We may hug to our bos-
oms the delusion Of hope, but there is
no hope. We must either 60 to the con-
vention, abide its action and lose ALL
lose North Carolina to the forces of
misgovernment; or, having gone to the
| convention, we must bolt and conduct
a campaign as doubtful of success as
of honor, or we must pursue the policy
defensible alike on grounds of princi-
pie and of expediency, the policy of
non-participation, and in doing so we
will not only save ourselves but we viii
point out 10 our sister States in like
situation the only path Of salvation.
And those who cling, as / do, TO the
name and organization of the Demo
cratic party, need have no fear but
that we will, within twelve months, be
in undisputed possession of both, for
Republican goldocracy masquerading
in Democratic livery will make its last
fight this year. 1T cannot possibly
survive the damning reputation which
awaits it at the ballot-box. Shall we
suffer subservient leaders to betray us
into the universal wreck? or shall we,
by a refusal to enter the unequal con
test at Chicago, declare that we will
make no terms with the money power
that North Carolinians will neither sell
nor compromise their principles.
If the Democracy of the South has
but the wisdom and courage to cast
the dead skin of Republican goldoc-
racy, the party, rejnvcnated, reyivified,
will enter upon a career of untold
power and usefulness; but if we suffer
ourselves lured to Chicago by the false
lights held out 10 us, our struggle will
be for existence and not for victory,
and the issue will be involved in the
most dangerous doubt.
FRANK CARTER.
Asheyille, n. c., March 4.
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