New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-18
A HARMONY or DEGRA ia TION.

odopted a silver platform and Endorsed Bryan
and Scwall and under the direction of Senator
Hill nominated for Governor John Boyd Thacher.
of Albany He Is the same John Boyd Thatcher
who under Senator HIS direction. presided
over the State Convention at Saratoga last June
which sent delegates TO Chicago to fight against
! free silver coinage His convictions and moral
carnestness are apparently On level with those
of the master of both the Saratoga and Buffalo
conventions. who one month was gold man,
the next a dumb man. and the third the wire
puer of a Bryan ratification meeting. The
whole proceeding has been characterized by A
| remarkable fitness of things The organization
within three months adopts two platforms OF
exactly opposite meaning dominates Il candl-
date for Governor who changes his opinions 10
suit the platform and is willing 10 run for office
on any old collection Of principles. and then ap-
proprlately rounds out IT'S record by accepting
as it's leading spirit n defauer who few years
ago went away in disgrace from the town where
the Convention was held.
1t is all very lovely for Republicans and other
sound money men. The POpocrats could have
done nothing to please them better They have
furnished the best arguments against them
selves that could be wished for. Yesterday they
adopted these resolutions:
The Democratic party of the State OF New
York in convention assembled. unreservedly in
dOrses the platform adopted by the Democratic
party at the National Convention held IN chicago
on July I, 1896 cordially approves the n0mina-
lions there made; pledges to William j. Bryan
and Arthur Sewall its hearty and active sup
port. and declares as its deliberate Judgment
that never in the history Of the Democratic
Iarty has a platform been written which en-
bodied more completely the interests OF the
whole people as distinguished from those who
I OH oi=lo ttnta fnr nri q
given to the country by the National Democratic
Convention of 1896
! On June "a, facing the same question. under
the same leadership, the same organization de-
clared:
Free coinage Of silver by the United States
alone can have no other effect than to change
| our present standard to one of siver-now DC
preciated COMMAND to retard perhaps destroy
forever the success of the movement now gen
eral throughout civilized countries for the res
toration of free bimetallic coinage In the prin>
cipal minis of the world. The proposition TO
separate ourselves from the great nations OF the
world and adopt the monetary standard of Mex
leo and China does not comport with the prlne
and financial dignity of the State OF New-Iork
or the United States. 1t should be resisted with
the fervor Of both craftsmanship and patriotism
by Democrats everywhere. when the adoption OF
such course threatens. AS 1t does. untold evils
to our Nations commerce and Industry.
We believe that such bimetallism. to which
the Nation is solemnly pledged can only be
through the concurrent action or the ieaolhe
nations OF the world. Neither this country nor
any other country, independent and alone, is
able to maintain il, and 1t would be folly TO at
tempt It, Being Convinced. we are opposed
to the free and unlimited coinage of silver In
the absence of the cooperation or other great
nations We declare our BELIEF that any at
tempt upon the part of the United States alone
10 enter upon the experiment of free-silver coin
age would not only prove disastrous to our
finances but would retard. or entirely prevent.
the establishment of international bimetalllsni
Until international cooperation for Dimetaliism
can be secured-to which end all our efforts as
q Government and as a people should be In good
faith drected-we favor the rigid maintenance
Of the present gold standard as essential to tho
preservation Of our National credit, the Tedemp-
ton of our public pledges. and the Keeping IN
violate Of our countrys honor We insist that
all our paper and silver currency shall he kept
absolutely at parity with gold
Then. as if such cowardly reversal such an
ATTEMPT to force on the American people policy
which those who advocate it say threatens ''un
told evils to our Nations commerce and indus
try was not SYNONYMOUS enough. the COnven-
ton accented as It's candidate for Governor
man with so little sense OF the dignity of his own
character as to stand for nomination on Il plat
form which cOmmends the demand for THE free
"and unlimited coinage Of silver and gold at
'the present legal ratio Of IL 10 l. without wait
ling for the aid or consent Of any other nation.
as the most complete embodiment OF the inter
es.s Of the whole people after having in Dem
ocratic state Convention last June IN a deliberate
speech declared
The stamp Of the Government on piece Of
silver can never make IL worth much more than
the world Is willing to give for il. II is passing
strange that the very men who have such mar
veous faith in the power OF their Government
should seem to have so little sentiment as To III
honor They reverence It's seal. but appear 10
he
false view of finance Is worse than false
views on such a question az the tarin. II affects
the National credit and touches with coarse
hand the National honor. Ii is the duty Of the
Democracy in the present crisis TO speak clearly
on the financial question. The party Of Jcner-
son and Jackson. OF Benton and rilden. has al
ways favored the best money In use-the lnoncJ
adopt ed az the standard by the most enlightened
nations of the earth. Neither CONSIDERATION OF
expedlency nor the selfish interest OF those who
own silver bullion should LEAD us 10 depart from
the safe and secure path.
That heroic speech made Oh lie eve Of the
Chicago Convention when the NewYOrk Dem
ocrats plainly forcsaw the adoption Of a free
silver platform. They were playing for the
favor of sound money sentiment. and Mr. Thach-
or talked sound money just AZ If he meant il.
and senator Hill was a. bold he has since
been cowardly Now Senator Hill plays free
silver Convention over n long distance telephone
and Mr. Thatcher runs OH a free silver pa form.
If does not make much difference what either
of Them does The people are In no danger Of
treating them with anything but contempt But
~ IL NOT a gratifying thing even for an opponent
N see n party sunk 80 low as to put forward for
Covernor a man so small as 10 take nomina-
tIon when II involves his own qualification and
his urging Oh the people what he himself says
,l,nir -u In
play the d,magosuc by any Impulse OF aihp'''oh