Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-06
PRESS COM N ENTS.
Why Democrats Must Vote for Mckinley.

ON. Y. sun, Demo
An argument in behalf Of another
sound money ticket would be an argu-
meut az twofold strength for the cleo
tlun nf Mckinley If it produced con-
yict:un. no one who heard it would
have any doubt that there was no
other way Of fuzzy discharging the
patriotic obligation imposed by its
teaching than by voting for Mckinley
II Il Democrat is really in earnest in
his determination 70 sustain the honor
and credit of the republic against those
who would dehase and degrade them,
what else can he do?
Either Bryan or Mckinley is sure to
he elected. Every citizen who wants
his vote to exercise all the power of
which il is capable will east it next
November for the one or the other of
these two candidates. If he is half
hearted h might vote for third
ticket: but if he wants to crush out
Reputation and communism, and to
prevent business ruin and financial dis
aster. he must vote for the only ticket
representative of his principles which
has any possibility of election. If he
wants to hit his mark surely, he will
Nl ntCtSSlt \ Ntiit' lOI M Nliil'N. ii.NN
il 50 obvious to everybody that the
mere statement of the fact is all that
is requisite 1t does not need to be
proved by argument.
Why. too. should any Democrat have
any more scruple about voting for Nc
kinley than for such n third ticket as
is proposed? The only possible ground
on which a Democrat can vote for
BRYAN is either that he faVors the re-
pudiation of debts or that he regards
technical party regularity as more
binding on his conscience than the
preservation of national and individ-
ual honor and honesty. II he looks
upon the mere form as Of more i'm
portancc than the substance of Democ-
racy. is he likely to support an irreg-
ular and a boiling ticket against the
incontestahly regular Bryan ticket?
The Chicago conventions regularity
i'm its formal constitution was unqueS-
tionable and invincible. Its irregular
ity was only in its spirit and principle.
If ii had gone in for Imperialism in
stead of populism and communism it
would have been no less technically
regular and nofurther apart from gem
uine Democracy. Outwardly. it was
Democratic. and inwardly only did it
defy and insult the true Democracy
The body was sound. but the life Of
Democratic principle had gone from it.
tf.then.there are Democrats to whom
the mere form is more than the prin-
ciple which gives it validity, they will
support Bryan though they denouncc
the un- Democratic doctrines and pur-
poses he represents. They will assist
in the surrender of the party to popu-
lism ana in the striking of the flag of
Democracy because the treachery is
commanded in technically regular or
ders. What sort of an appeal can a
third ticket make to such martinets of
politics? 1t will have no quality of reg
uarity with which to overcome their
sub erViency TO mere form. 1t will be
no Fnore regular for such Sticklers for
show than the Mckinley ticket itself
is. IT will be put up by Il Self-ap-
pointed convention of Democrats, and
will have no other authority behind it
than their wishes as so many individ-
ual citizens. Democrats would have to
throw off the chains OF technical regu-
iarity in order to vote for either and
for the one just as much as for the
other. BY following the third ticket
movement they would be creating a
Democratic faction. BY voting out
right for Mckinley they would beck
erting their utmost strength to save
the Democratic party from the dis
grace put upon it by a Populstic us
urpation of its nominal authority
First of all, that disgrace must be
wiped out.and ii can only be wiped out
by Democrats themselves. The obli-
CATION to vote for Mckinley really
rests on honest Democrats even more
than on Republicans. Reputation and
diShOnor are parading under their
banner. All business and all values
are suffering because Of the assault
upon them of Democratic convention
nominally and technically regular.
The responsibility for it is upon Demo-
cratic shoulders. Democrats have a
burden of disgrace to bear from which
the Republicans are free. Instead Of