Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-23

WHTVtEt'S NAkNlNNs
When q man desires TO let it be known
ihat he is not n candidate for given
office be can always find words in which
10 express his desire. Read, for example
MIR. Whitney's clear declarations:
New York. June Civilian c. whitney
to-day made public a statement In when
he defines the political situation, max IS I
his position clear as regards his DECISION
10 remain in this country instead OF gong
10 Europe and concludes by saying mat
ne is not presidential possibility; that
ne would not run If nominated, ana
would not serve II elected
Having established his own position,
MIR. whitney proceeds to describe the
situation as follows:
'The great question 10 my mind is whe-
ther or not the party meets in convention
now as I'm 1860 with issues and differences
that are for the moment irreconcilable.
For the past fifteen years the leaders OF
public opinion in the South and west
have been advocating as the great re-
1nedy for existing MS the free coinase OF
silver al i6 10 J. with or without the CO.
operation OF other nations.
at has come 20 be believed IN there
dhat is. i'm the South and WesO quite
generally and conscieniiously. a large
majority of the delegates to the coming
Democratic convention have been elected
by the people for tho purpose Of incorpo-
rating that doctrine into the platform
Of the Democratic party.
"Our morthern) people, on the other
hand. entirely disagree with these views,
and believe almost universally that il
will hiring general ruin 10 tho business
and prosperity of the country. IL IS deem
cd n new doctrine when proposed TO be
Incorporated into the platform of the ma
t 40 fhnf an M
previous platform of the party can II
specifically be found. Consequently no
marty OBLIGATIONS heretofore assumed
oblige them TO subscribe to II. Uncer
these circumstances, II the results or the
Democratic convention should be to es-
tablish as tho ISSUE of this campaign tho
free coinage Of silver at ratio of 10 to ],
independent OF other nations, in the in
tensty of feeling likely to arise it is to
be seriously apprehended that disruption
Of the Democratic party might occur.
Certainly no substantial following could
be secured for the declaration among
eastern Democrats They might not vote
the Republican ticket for other reasons
a,elieying that the Republican party
stands for other issues that are detri-
mental 10 the country, but the Demo
Gratis in the East would not, I'm my opin-
ion. vote for It,"
Mr. Whitney IS too good a Democrat
and too shrewd a politician TO threaten
that If the Chicago convention adopts
free-sllver platform eastern Democrats
will bolt Nevertheless this is to be in
ferred from what he says.
What else can he mean when he de-
clares that II "the delegates from this
locality tNew York; should 20 TO that
convention. and represent that the rank
and file Of the party WOULD FOLLOW
THE LEAD or OUR SOUTHERN
BRETHREN and vote for free coinage
they would be disappearing the State
of public opinion here?''
IL IS hardly ingenious for Mr. Whitney
10 put IL before the northern public that
the free-snver movement is a movement
led" by southern brethren" when the
West is demanding free coinage as strenu-
ously as the South is. This looks as IL
MIR. Whitney were trying to prejudice
the movement by suggesting that it is
of southern origin. else why did he not
use the words western and southern
Brethren" where he has used only the
words southern brethren?
In further suggestion OF the idea that
tho Democrats OF the East viii not sup
port free-silver candidates, but will bolt
MIR. whitney says "the same indispositon
10 compromise with the matter for votes
or anything else Is as active and doni-
nant in our party as it was found in the
Republican party when il bore down and
oyerpowered the Mckinley machine" at
ST Louis.
Down here I'm the South the opponents
OF free silver lament the infatuation of
the people who seem determined 20 force
q free-silver platform and candidates on
the party. but, as a rule. they do not
mean to bolt They would rather stay I'm
the party. despite its error in this re-
tspect, and when occasion offers help TO
bring It back 10 the true line. Not so
the eastern Democrats. We have Mr.
Whitney's word for ii that they are
''lndisposed to compromise with the mat
ter for votes. or anything else" And
the movement VIII. IN his opinion. "over-
whelm the persons who undertake H."
Mr.. Whitney's statement makes plain
the peril OF our party. but will II rause
the free-silyerites to change their course
or abandon their designs Hardly
Nearly every delegation is padlocked
20 free silver by the unit rule, making
compromise impossible, Even should
there be in each delegation a minority
inclined 20 conciliate the eastern men.
that minority would have no vote. and
no power TO act. This befns the state OF
the case. we should rot be surprised IL
Mr.. Whitney's warning failed OF effect.
We expect that there VIII be a heated
controversy at Chicago over the two
isx'sis rule. II the convention fails to