New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-23
fp WHITNEY AND HIS PARTY.


Mr. Whitney's proclamation 10 'he ne"'o
cratic marty that it is running Gown " -.
nloce into the sea. clearly Indicates Also '""' -
Mr. Whitney's opinion nothing can no" '"
# from drowning. But there Is l'''io 'oD
that Of course without his approval 'nc 'c'''
will he used by many Democrats Ill 'llc ''"''
nc an appcal to their Southern III"
hrothren TO be contcnted with hhahc''' P''n'
meaning all things to all men ana ho'hhs pan
,icular to anybody. Such platform "''''"''
would be in perfect accordance WIN ie'i'o', law
nrecedents, and would correspond accurately "
tho conception Of political inorality ""''n ~.
walls in the Democratic party. II Wo"in '''H'''
resemble in quality the tariff plank WHICH was
ORIGINALLY built four years ago Ior MI 'i'''
land TO stand on. and TO which nj the e''i"'
onnortuntv he eagerly transferred hiIhs'li
from the one on when HIS ch''i'''' ~ ~
ciously placed him.
Prior TO and during the recent h'puph'"h
Convention Democrats in this part Of the coun-
fry. and most of all in Ncw-lork, were III Il
state of dreadful anxiety lest their advcrSarles
should adopt a financial resolution when might
IN. intcrprc,ed AS meaning that they "felt kind
IL toward silver; and were preparing 10 he
shocked and rcvoted by such IA display Of
recovered from the genuine shock produced 10y
tho refutation of their dismal prophecies. not
n few of them may be confidently relied on to
embark in the "peridy" business themselves.
Already in certain quarters we observe an in
cinjcnt development Of tenderness for the white
metal. Indicated in this earliest stage by an
ortfu, avoidance of the word gold" which
only n few days ago was pushing all other
tbn cl.
New-York World" yesterday morning, in an
exceedingly solemn offer Of "Sncide or sue
cess 10 the Democratic party, made a large
draft upon It's vocabulary without turning up
gold" n single time though every line seemed
10 be set for it, For example, ii specified lSJ
electoral votes that are pretty certainly Re-
publican If the Democrats declare for free
silver. and pretty certainly Democratic If the
democrats declare against free coinage, ana
"oncbalf Of them added to the normal and
necessary Democratic vote would elect. with
canal skill throughout our contemporary misses
every opportunity To bring the yellow metal
into view. while catching the phrases free
coinage" and free silver in great profuSion
and making an immense haul Of trusts. mo
nopolles." excessive proteciionism force
bills" and "all forms Of injustice 10 the PEG
pie.
That Mr. Whitney could have intended his
mournfu cntrcaty 10 he employed as an argu
mcnt for Democratic straddlc on IN" financial
question would be- an intoltrablc thought. Had
such a suggestion entered his mind he would
have adopted different course In that case,
even under the stress Of a fearful alpr'h"n
sion lest his party should compel him 10 be IFS
! candidate he would never have coached his
| cnterprising young friend. Mr. Russell. OF Mas
| sachlIscttS. for the race. We refuse to believe
| that Mr.. Whltncy's sincerity is not beyond sus
picion. His long letter printed yesterday i
merely an amplihcation Of the interview IN
which more than year ago he said / am
mot and will not bc a Presidential candidate.
IF the silver men should carry the next Dem
"ocratic Convention II would split ia" party
..ln two. The Democrats must stand FOR sound
money In reality Mr. Whitney is eyincins
a superior quality OF moial courage. Il be
licvc you are afraid" said one soldier sn"er
ingly. to another just before the charge was
sounded. Il am was the rctort and II you
were half rs much So You would run away
! Mr. Whitney has not run away. though b" hnd
! his passage taken for Europe. but We haven't
! the slightest doubt that hr il afraid. II IL all
very well to say. Il viii not run II nominated.
| nor serve II elected. but MI Ifn'y T'liS'Hi
! bcrs what happened to David Is. lin two years
ago; nor though he was n very young man N
the time. can he have forgotten the pathetic
spectacle OF IIOralio seymour walking distract
eddy up and down the platform Of Iammany
| Hall AT the National Convention of ls,S and
vainly saying over and over again. Your can
didatc | cannot he" We do not mean that
| Mr.. Whitney really expects 10 receive from "A
| free silver convention at Chicago the nominal
! ton which his soul lOalhcs: but he knows that
there is no telling what "A party with an un
limited supply of policies and no principles Ia
speak If viii do and he is we'll aware that TIA"
toughest job he ever undertook would be child
play in comparison with the task Of success
fully refusing to be It's Pr, sdenta candidate
Nevertheless. Mr. Whitney stays in the coun
try and Is going to Chicago He will take lis
life in his hands, and we respect his valor
There Is just one prospect on which he can he
congratulated He is pretty sure N some stage
i'm the proceedings to find n suitable oppOr
tunity to rise in his place and express his opn
ion Of Eastern Democrats who are eager to
prove themselves hypocrItes Oh the financial
question.