The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-16
DEMocRATs IN CIRCUS.

system.
DEMOcRATs IN CIRCUS.
John Adams. who died within . few
hours of Thomas Jefferson. once wrote .
passage which should be OF special interest
to Hugh Wallace. He wrote:
''Brutus and Cassius were conquered and
slain. Hampden died In the field. Sidney
on the scaffoid, Harrington in jail. etc.
This is cold comfort. Politics are an or
deal path among red-hot plowshares.
Who. then, would be a politician for the
pleasure of running about barefoot among
them? Yet somebody must"
Hugh Wallace was compelled to run
about barefoot among the red-hottest kind
of plowshares. and In his efforts to escape
them badly studied his toe. He was al
lowed to head the delegation from Tacoma
to Chicago. but he leads a sorry-iooking.
piebald mule which looks as II 1t would
take two steps backward for every one 1t
took forward.
The platforms adopted at some Of the
state Republican conventions have come
= for a good deal of criticism, but they
we're all deserving of earnest considera-
ton. The Democratic platform Is so funny
that 1t can no more be commented upon
seriously than the rules OF dramatic art
can be applied TO the Rag Baby" or
''Chsriey's Aunt" 1t consists of two parts
tafYy. one part Republicanism and one
part Populism. 1t took the best part Of the
day TO persuade the Democrats. in circus
assembled. to say q good word for the dis
tinguished American citizen at the head
of the government. and II was only after
sharp wrangie that they were induced
to afiirm confidence in the integrity.
Americanism and patriotism of the great
chief magistrate" ON the ground that this
saccharine plank would be very agreeable
to Mr.. Cleveland and wouldn't hurt the
Democrats. They took particular care.
surance that they differed from the great
chief on the only pending national issue
they condescended to take notice Of.
Having done this, they declare belief In
the Monroe doctrine. which is common to
all Americans. and then with a wild whoop
they went clean over into the Populistic
camp with a demand for the free and I'M
limited coinage OF silver at the ratio of
is to 1. without waiting for the interven-
ton OF any other nation.
The money plank Is taken over bodily
from the Populist platform OF the state Of
Washington of 1894. which demands "free
and unlimited coinage OF silver at the ratio
nation on earth"
Thus the issue IL narrowing: Republi-
eanism. protection, bi-metallisfn, on the
one hand: fopuiAsm. free trade and silver
mono-mes allism on the other. 1t Is better
so. because 1t only makes Republican sue
cess more assured. The Democrats OF the
Populist stripe will find themselves entire
iy at variance with the Democrats OF the
main body unless the Chicago convention
recedes from the position II took In 1892,
when II declared In favor OF holding TO the
use of both gold and silver as the standard
money of the country. without discrimi-
mating against either metal or charge for
miniage. but the dollar unit OF coinage
OF both metals must be Of equal intrinsic
and exchangeable value or be adjusted
through international agreement. or by
such safeguards OF legislation as shall
insure the maintenance OF the parity of
the two metals"
The application of these 'safeguards''
upon the desire TO make the ratio Of is toll
is more briefly and clearly set forth In the
following:
Mother. may so Ia 10 swimY.
Yes. you may. my daughter:
Hang your clothes on a hickory limb
But don't go near the water"
The Alabama Democrats put the propo-
si'ion with considerable frankness when
they said IN their platform OF 1896:
While there are differences OF opinion
among us in matters Of detail. we all be-
heve IN the free coinage OF silver whenever
~ can - done consistently with TIE main
tenance Of a sound and safe currency"
Some free sllverites have been calling
themselves bi-metsiiists and have been de-
laeing themselves into the belief tha, they
were deludlng others by Juggling with
words. The action OF Republican eonven-
tons like tina, Of Massachusetts,. and Of
Democratic conventions Ike that at Tn
coma makes the distinction clear. BIZ
ms'siiists want sold and silver kept al
parity Of value. but ohjec, 10 any legts
lation which viii not insure rreseryatio,
Of that parity Of value: the free silver.,es
DO not care wha; becomes OF the parstv
and insist upon the ratio OF IS TO under
any circumstances. even though they
should lead 90 silver rncno-netailisra.
WHEN fHE TIDE WENT orr.