San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-08-27

fa:uity their sins are on them. They
have no excuse of ignorance; they
know better. They submit to this pol
icy blind. 1t is not the blind who
shall be led.
II hold in my hand copy Of the res
olutions in our legislature which gave
me by its trust my highest title of
honor, the first Democratic legislature
this state enjoyed for many years, it's
unfiinching and daring endorsement of
the party's policy for many years.
The resolutions had the unanimous
vote of the Democrats in the legisla-
ture as well as of many Republicans.
In it the legislature instructed its sem,
ators to use their utmost efforts to
prevent the passage Of the bill pend
ing in congress for the free and unlim-
tied coinage of silver. From that
hour, no less from fidelity than from
sincere conviction, my thoughts have
been obediently extended in Opposi-
ton to that measure. l cannot now
be told that because the vandals and
Goths of Populism have captured n
party conventions that the faith have
been taught and struggled for was
infidelity nor turn to the people |
have served with honesty to counsel
than that my service was aNfraud and
that our party was liar and a cheat.
But two months since in the face of
this very controversy we assembled
in convention in this very city. The
certainty of a hopeless fight against
Populism at Chicago was then as
plainly presented as the result has
been calamitious and the Apollo of
silver was here to wrestle with the
Democrats of Wisconsin. But they
maintained their ancient faith unfiinch-
ingly, declaring by two-thirds MAORI
ty and in explicit terms their opposi-
ton to the free and unlimited coinage
of silver and their adherance to the
existing gold standard, the highest
monetary standard of the world, that
then was Democratic principle in Wis
cOnsin and the true faith of Wisconsin
Democrats. What could make that
declaration a false heresy in three
weeks? The very enemies we then
so boldly confronted? What Demo-
crat in Wisconsin avowing the party
faith, not for lip service or time SER
vice, but for its eXcellency to its coun-
trymen can hereafter hold his head
up among them confessing he knew
not what he said or was not respon-
sible for what he said until he heard
at Chicago who was to drive the load
ed wagon? l cannot take up and lay
down at will the convictions of my
lifetime. They can be altered by no
force but that of reason. Year in and
fnr orlx INV
fellow citizens have given me audience
in political discussion. l have always
advocated what believe. Whatever
have been my mistakes they were never
the mistakes of dishonesty. shall
not begin now. If the free and unlim-
tied coinage of silver has been I'M
democratic for so many years, 1t is
not less Democratic when it becomes
greater menace and peril and more
unfinchingly should it now be encoun-
tered. Conscience can tolerate no
odiousness, no device, no shift for
such regeneration. l should not
dare to meet the citizens of this state
as have always met them in public
discussion with the confidence of sin
certify and the assurance of truth. 1
do not believe a party can stand or
or ought to stand which can so deal
with important public questions. The
principles of finance are not tickle, the
gusts of passion, they do not change
for human within or passion. They
are not the creations of frenzy, wheth-
er manifest at Bedlam or Chicago.
The American people only require
simple straightforwardness and hon
esty to these principles. They admire
and honor men who show honest
traits, despising the trimmer The
Democratic party with all its noble
foundation must abide this rule or pay
the penalty. In all the inconsistent
cies, all the heresies, in all their era
of sudden conversions nothing like
this was ever heard of before. Are
the great heart and brain of the Dem
ocracy, which in recent years has a
chieved high prominence in national
affairs by continual fidelity, to be
turned i'm three weeks from sanity to
madness by the mistrations of Till
man, Altgeld and men like them, who
threw the balance of power against
the old party in the Chicago conven-
ton? Yet protesting Democrats who
years confronted this destructive here
sy with clear conception and unbend-
ing front all at once surrender to and
contribute their efforts to fasten its
i'll consequences on their party. So
far as concerns those who during past
years have found their judgement
mastered by this false doctrine, I'M
sheltered by Democratic faith we may
neither wonder nor criticize. Theirs
is the gift of fortune. To them and
to all who share their opinions we owe
patience, charity, the sound reason of
confidence and prayer for their recov-
cry. But with what argument Dem
ocrats clothe themselves who have re-