Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-11-13

late the extent of the disastrous defeat OF
the Free Silver cause. Four years ago
the Democratic party swept the country
nv the then unprecedented majority OF
1884, 900 of the popular vote. This year
the regular" Democratic party aided
by the populists who in 1892 cast over
| | ZOO, 900 votes, by the Free Silver party,
whose strength We dc not know, and by
the free silver element OF the Republican
party, was defeated by the unprecedented
majority of about l 900, 900 votes, and a
majority for the Republicans OF over one
hundred in the electoral college.
After an election, all are prone to seek
the causes Of the defeat of party. In
our opinion, the prime cause Of the de-
feat of the Democratic party was the ae-
ton of cOrrup. politicians. When
Grover Cleveland was nominated, four
years ago, it was done by the people
against the wishes of the politicians. So
soon as he was inaugurated President,
these same politicians attempted to mako
his administration failure. Had Mr..
Cleveland been an ordinary man, they
would have succeeded. He, however,
nv the conscientious, faithful and patri-
otic discharge Of the duties of his office,
lowered far above the lilliputian politi-
clans, who attempted to wreck his adj
ministrGtion.
They were powerless to in1ure the
President, but they wrought untold mis-
chief to the Democratic party.
The secondary cause Of the defeat OF
the Democratic party is found In the ae-
ton Of these same Pedagogical leaders
at Chicago. They abandoned the princi-
pies which had been the guiding star OF
Democracy, in the severe contests
through which she had heretofore passed
and substituted for them those OF the
populist party.
The result Of this action was the trad
ing of of the almost continuously Demo-
cratic States Of New York, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana,
Connecticut, West Virginia and the re-
Gently Democ ratio states of Illinois and
Wisconsin, with their 1872 electoral votes,
for the pspulist states Of Colorado,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada. Utah, and Washington, with
their 50 electoral votes-states that will
desert the Democratic party at anytime,
on twenty-four hours "etice from their
popuist leaders.
What has the management OF these
leaders left to the regular" Democratic
party? They cannot depend upon their
Western populistic allies. They have
driven off every state, north OF the Potc-
mac and Kentucky and West Virginia
south of it. and have only now remain
ing as Irregular" Democratic states, the
Southern States OF Virginia, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Ala
bama. Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and
Missouri, with their 1919 electoral votes
and several Of these states, 1t is openly
charged, were held in the Democratic
column by partisan election laws OF
gross election frauds.
Such is the position of the regular"
Democratic party under the leadership
OF Bryan, Daniel, German, Altgsld
TIllman and Othhers.
They threaten to keep up the silver
agitation, Their threa scare no one.
Defeated and routed it will require the
best Of generalship to keep up even the
semblance Of party organization. They
must abandon the leadership OF men who
have destroyed their party. Thousands
of the rank and file, supposing that
party loyalty required them to follow
the party name, voted the ticket aga nst
their own conscientious convictions.
Men, who would privately acknowledge
that they ware opposed to the free and
unlimited coinage Of silver at 10 to /,
went upon the stump and persuaded the
people to vote the ticket. Such things
may last through one compaign, but the
Democratic party cannot afford to go
before the people again upon such
platform as the Chicago Convention
adopted.
The Republican party, while in control
Of the'governmcnt will as all parties have
heretofore done. make mistakes. Should
the Democratic party abandon its un-
democratic doctrines and unite upon
such principles as were adopted by the
indianapolis Conventional may speedily
regain the confidence Of the public and
once more give to the American people
a government which will not only be q
blessing to our own people but bright
and shining light among the republics
of the world, a government based upon
the cardinal doctrines OF prosperity
which are a sound currency and a tariff
for re venue only.
Mt. Bryan has Issued au address