The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-07


is ominous TO future trade and COM
merce. Can our party today VITA
any sincerity, or upon any Democratic
principle follow in those Republican
footsteps? Can it hope for any sue
cess in repudiating its own honorable
record? Can it even maintain its honor
and its life in this departure from its
own faith:''
The quotation is made full and CON-
plete and it is all practically true.
The reproach against the Republicans
that 'greenbacks, imitation, silver-lll
are the children Of Republican rule
is given with the rest, in which there
is nothing historically to deny.
On the other hand it is abundantly
true that what is said of the past
Democratic record and administrations
being against free coinage of silver is
a bit of incontrovertible history. 1t
will not be denied-it cannot be. Dem
Ocrats may howl, may appeal to "the
gold and silver Of the constitution" TO
their party traditions, to Jefferson and
Jackson. to prove their friendship for
silver, but they viii refer to no ma
tional Democratic platform, the letter
of acceptance Of no Democratic presi
dental nominee, TO the message Of no
Democratic president TO prove that
Democracy is for silver. Since 1873
the Democrats have been eight times
in the control of the popular branch
of congress, and in that sixteen years
of control no free silver bill as Demo
cratic measure was introduced. The
platform of 1884 was Sound money"
platform Cleyeland'S letter of accept
ance and his messages to congress
were all sound money" documents.
What followed? Cleveland was
elected in 1884. Endorsed and renomi-
mated in 1888 While in private life
after his defeat in 1888, Mr.. Cleveland
made his views publicly known more
than once. He was most thoroughly
committed against silver and for the
retirement of the ''greenbackS.
Knowing this, he was renominated in
1892 against the protest Of New York,
and mainly by western Democrats.
And Yet the Eagle is accused OF IN
fairness and partisanship in not &C
ceptfng the Democratic party as a
silver party!
Not only has the Democracy been
against silver but the country was as
sured that the tariff was the chief is
sue. In March, 1892, The Norh Amer
lean Review published symposium
of oninion upon the tissues of the Pres
idential Campaign from prominent
Democrats and Republicans. All were
agreed that the tariff was the chief
issue. 'Silver Dick" Bland said: I'm
doubtedly the question Of tariff reform
will be the most absorbing issue IN
the coming presidential election" He
suggested that the free coinage queS-
ton might be left "aS an issue IN the
various congressional districts; the ex-
ecutive not to interpoSe his individual
views as against the people as express
ed at the ballot box and cryStalllzed
into legislation by their representa-
tiyes in congress-" Here is 81 SOlnmn
avrement in 1892 that the tariff was
the issue and silver was not by the
most consistent Democratic silverlte.
If these things were true in 81; II the
chief question then was a battle Tor
markets and "a war upon the policy
of protection by the Democracy IS nor
that still the issue? We need not now
sion to INQUIRE what measure of pros
perity has been brought about by this
chief issue of the Democracy under
Democratic rule Be it sufficient TO
saw that the claims fer Democracy
friendship for silver are false in fact
and present free silver professions are
TO be taken with at least q grain of sus-
piciOn.
In the light of all this to expect
free silver man to support the Dem
ocracy before it ever makes even one
national declaration in favor of silver,
is q superlative evidence of gall Why
has this silver issue been delayed so
long? Why have five national cam
raigns been allowed TO go by since the
demonstration Of silver and the Demo-
crafts not made free silver a national
issue? Why has free silver not been
I
made a Democratic issue in any one
of the eight congresses controlled by
Democrats? Why has such 2 pro-
nounced gold man as Cleveland been
so repeatedly put to the fore by Dem
ocrats in the last twelve years! Who
hath believed their report? The Dem
ocracy of Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, ONO
and Kentucky at least has been on both
sides of the silver question in the last
two years. Who knows where Dem
ocracy will stand 4 year henceE The
Democratic platform of 1892 pledged
itself 10 the repeal Of the Sherman
law and the great mass of Democrats
elected TO congress that year, voted
against the pledge Of their platform
Defeated and discredited by the eI-
pertinent upon the tariff, the reYerSi-
| BILE Democraev seeks a new issue.
This reversibility is born Of inSincerity
and desire for place.
IRRIGATION NONSENSE.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune