Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-09
what WI, saund-moaey Democrat. pos


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What Will sound Money Democrats Do?
A question that has doubtless re-
reived the serious consideration of
sound money Democrats all over the
country, and certainly has been dis
cussed by those of Delaware, is thus
alluded to by the New York Evening
Post:
We have received number of letters
asking us whether, after the Chicago
fconvention adopts free-silver platform,
tho sound money Democrats ought 10 |
nominate ticket of their own or vote
the Republican ticket. This is ques-
tion which we should not attempt to
answer If we could. but which we can
not answer because we do not know
how the action of the convention will
be received by the persons most i'm
rnediately concerned. Perhaps they do
Z not themselves know at this moment.
thereof. There are several things to
be taken into consideration. One is
the question how many Democrats
would be likely to vote for the Chi
cago nominees il they had no alterna-
tive but to support Mckinley. How
many would vote a sound money Demo-
cratic ticket il it were offered to them,
but would vote for Mckinley IL it were
not offered to them? What will be the
effect on State and local officers and
members of the Legislature, if there is
no national ticket which they can con-
scientiously supportf These questions
must be duly weighed by whose de-
{ ciHion is binding. They must cast
their eyes beyond the present year
also, and see what will be the effect of
their present action on future cam
paigns. For these reasons' it is i'm
possible to make prediction or TO
4 give advice. The only thing absolutely
certain is that the sound money Demo
Gratis consider it dishonorable to stand
Il on a free- coinage platform. That was
the word used by Mr.. Whitney. OF
course no Democrat who agrees with
him will sacrifice his honor merely be-
cause majority of delegates at Chi
cago have invited him to do so.
Whatever else may result. it is GER
tain that large number OF Democrats
will not support a FREQ silver coinage
candidate, like Bland. or Boies, or
Blackburn. This is true of Delaware,
as Of other States Whether they will
vote for Mckinley is another question,
but the strong probabilities are that
they will not. He is as much of a
friend to free silver coinage, at heart,
as Bland, or Boies, or Blackburn,
despite the fact that he stands upon a
sound money platform, and from a
matter of policy is keeping his fnan-
cial views carefully to himself.
Doubtless great many sound money
Democrats who will not vote for free
coinage candidate, would like to have
an independent nomination of sound
money Democratic ticket, for the pur-
pose OF being able TO vote their honest
sentiments at the election. 1t is held
by some that this would, by keeping
up the interest Of this class of voters,
be of great assistance to the State and
local tickets of the Democratic party,
wherever that party stands chance of
winning a victory on a full vote.
This view of the situation applies
with especial force to Delaware The
Democrats of this State may divide
upon tho policy OF supporting sill
verite ticket for the Presidency, but
they are unit on State issues They
are determined TO defeat the RepubIl-
can party, under its present leadership,
and to prevent it from obtaining con-
troll OF the Legislature and the Const-
tutional Convention. Therefore, the
vote of Democrat who may not sup
port the Chicago nominees will be lust
as potent in eIecting the Democratic
State and county tickets, as the vote
Of Democrat vino determines to
accept whatever may be cut out for
the party at Chicago, free silver
coinage and all.
1t will be well to have this point in
view during tho coming campaign,
and to avoid any factional contention
over national issues. If two Demo-
cratic electoral tickets are placed in
the field, it ishould be borne in mind
that they will converge to one State
ticket, and one local ticket in each
county. For this State ticket and
these county tickets every vote possible
should be polled, in order to make the
Republican defeat sure and over.
Z whelming.
So, no matter what may he the out
come of the Chicago convention, there
will be no occasion for Delaware
Democrats TO get at loggerheads ovel
it. They will at least have one com
mon sentiment-the preservation o
their State. Here is common grount
for Democrats of various opinions with
respect to the national policy of the
party to meet cordially upon.
The wild insanity of the Westerl