The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-07-02
DILEMMA OF THE DEMOCRATS.
Troubled and Anxious Over the Coming | Conflict.

Troubled and Anxious Over the Coming l. Conflict.
 A good deal of interest has attached to the expressions of the leaders of the sound money wing of the democratic party since the free silver men have ob- tained practical control of the party or ganization. It is apparent that good many of them are troubled and anx- ious, not only as to the party future. but as to their own course of action. What shall they do in the event of the nomination of a free-silver candidate for the presidency upon a free-coinage platform: Shall they violate all con sistency, abandon their principles, and support candidate and policy which they believe to be full of danger to the country? Some of the leaders, we mo- tice, arc already talking of a compro- mise, and suggesting that, after all, it may. be possible to support candidate in favor of free coinage on the basis of | sixteen to one. hese gentlemen have, obviously, no real regard for principle, and are prepared to swallow the whole | free-silver abomination rather than CO., operate with republicans to secure it's | overthrow. Others argue that it is the duty of the sound money men to enter a determined protest at Chicago, and then, failing to make any impression upon the convention, to let the national election go by default. But this, too. is really surrender of principle. Postmaster-General Wilson, who ranks among the more conscientious leaders, declares unqualifiedly that if the de- mocracy shall embark upon a crusade against the financial credit, prosperity and progress of the union they will cease to be a great national party, and become small and powerless section al party wholly unworthy of the pub lie confidence. But what will MT. Will son do personally in the event that his party puts free-silver man at the head from telling us. And what will Messrs. Whitney, Fairchild, Flower, Hill, Villas, Dickinson and all the rest of the repre- sentative sound monsy men do, actual ly. if compelled to choose between a free-silver man and a sOundmoney re- publican who is also protectionist?
 It is quite clear that democrats who have some. remnants of conscience are not likely to have pleasant time of it during the next few months. Some of those who profess overmastering solicitude for a sound financial policy will. we suspect, compromise away their principles when they come to act. stand by their guns and even brace themselves to the point of voting for a republican,. There is one point, how ever, in connection with this dilemma of the democracy which should not be for gotten. The leaders have brought all the trouble upon themselves by their coquetting with the populist and free silver delusions in the canvass of 1892. It will be remembered that in that campaign. when the question of alli- ances with the popullsts in the western states was presented to the considera- ton of the party leaders in the east. practically all of them acquiesced in the proposition to fuse with this faction if necessary to carry certain states. It is even said that Mir. Cleveland con sented to this policy. 1t was inevitable that the discordant forces thus brought into temporary relations would event. usually dissolve, and that even for the time being genuine coherence would be improbable. Presuming upon the con- sessions made to them, the populists have ever since that canvass demanded more and more at the hands of the dem- ocratic leaders, and the result is that | to-day, in remote Oregon, as well as in | some more eastern states, the democ- racy has been practically absorbed by the populists, who themselves are in full sympathy with the free silver | heresy. The discord and confusion and utter indifference to principle which now menace the party with overwhelm- ing overthrow are largely the result of these conditions. It is impossible to feel any real pity for the men who, in their eagerness for success in the can vass of 1892, made these conditions pos | sibie. If MT. Cleveland and the man. agers of his last canvass are now per- suaded that they were guilty of a fatal mistake, as we'll as of disregard of prin- ciple, when they entered into their dis reputable bargains with the populists of the western states, they are vastly more dull of apprehension than they are generally supposed to 5e. - Leslie's | Weekly.
 | No Wounds Left.
 Now that the battle is over, the vic- | .e.. ..l tlo ..o.,on;chnI ,,.n olo