Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-23

rily an earnest advocate of the single gold standard, is displaying signs of great uneasiness over the probable out come of the contest now under way in Kentucky. The Globe-Democrat adheres to the opinion that has been expressed
 by a great many, that Kentucky is the pivotal state in the great contest inside the democratic party. It is by no means pleased with the efforts being put forth in Kentucky by the democrats who de- sire to commit the democratic party to the single gold standard doctrine at the Chicago convention. In an editorial on the fight In Kentucky" 1t has this to say of the part the free coinage men are play ing:
 The free coinerS are making an active canvass, and are impressing many speak CTS from other states into their service. Governor Stone of Missouri has already thrown himself into the breach, and Senator Vest and Ex-Representative Bland, 1t is reported, are soon to join him. Virginia and one or two other states are also expected to be represented on the stump by some of their best ora tors. It is safe, of course, to ascribe much of the airy confidence of the 16 to 1 men to the exaltation and general extrav- agance common to extremists in any cause, but it is only just to say at the same time that they are conducting their campaign with rare earnestness and in- telligence."
 Having thus sounded the alarm as to what the advocates of free coinage are doing in Kentucky the Globe-Democrat proceeds in the following manner:
 "Unhappily, the same cannot thus far truthfully be said of the gold standard democrats in Kentucky. The inactiv- 1tV pf the friends of Snl1n6 mOnpV' the Courier-Journal, has greatly en- couraged the silver democrats both in Kentucky and some other states. In the same paper an Indiana dispatch Is mentioned which says the sound money democrats seem to be in dazed and demoralized condition. Things have gone against them so thick and fast during
 the past week that they seem unable to recover themselves and make any or ganized effort to stem the silver tide. Most of them question whether 1t is any use. and go about their business leaving politics to others. These words have an ominous sound. The leaders of the gold wing of the Missouri democracy in the recent campaign for control of the state convention to choose delegates to Chicago questioned whether it was any use,' and went about their business, leaving poli- tics to others. As a consequence, in- stead of getting 150 or 175 of the 300 dele gates to that body. which would be about their true proportion of their party's vote, they got only five or six.
 Somebody has called Kentucky the key of the democratic contest for the con trol of the Chicago convention. The char
 acteriZation is correct. Kentucky, as the home of Secretary Carlisle, the head of the financial arm of the government, is decidedly important strategic point in the democratic line. The president and the secretary are the sources of in- spiration of the democratic sound money forces and they made their influence felt in the campaign in the secretary's state in 1895. They dictated the platform of that convention, but their aspirant for governor was less popular personally than his opponent, Hardin, and he was beaten for the nomination. If the silver
 men carry the Kentucky convention this year it will be defeat of Carlisle in his own home, and will be considered by the 16 to 1 men as the capture of the gold democrats citadel. This might have tre- mendous consequences. It could hardly | fail to break the sound money line In the west and south. and would be likely to have decisive effect in the Chicago con- vention. This might, and probably would, mean a bolt of the gold standard wing of the democracy, which holds the | brains, wealth and character of the par [ ty. Is the fateful Charleston convention rupture of 1860 to have a counterpart in 1S96?"
 
 journal in the west displaying great anx- iety over the possibility of declaration for free coinage by the democratic na- tiona1 convention. This republican jour- nal reassures it's readers daily that the national republican convention will de- clare against free coinage. In the east are leading journals claiming to be dem ocratic daily exercising themselves vio- lently in an effort to have both the re- publican and democratic national con ventions declare for the single gold standard. What are we to understand from this? It is remarkable and evil dently has significance. Can it mean anything else than that the advocates of the gold standard in both parties are desperately afraid of a reference of the question of national finances to the peo- pie? Being republican paper. the St. Louis Globe-Democrat should naturally desire to see the action which will be ta- ken by the St. Louis convention indorsed by the people at the ballot box. Then may we not ask why this solicitude about the probable outcome of the Chicago convention? If the Globe-Democrat hon estly believes the people favor and will indorse at the polls the single gold stand ard why does it not encourage as far as E it could consistently do so the adoption of a free coinage platform at Chicago? That
 would be serving it's party.
 Being a democratic paper, it is but nat ural that the New York World should de- sire to see the people ratify the action that will be taken by the Chicago conven- ton. The World assures it's readers that the democratic convention will declare for the single gold standard: yet it has gone almost raving mad because Mckinley does not speak out promptly for the sin gle gold standard. If the World believes the people favor and will ratfy by their