The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-11

The final betrayal Of the Democratic
party was consummated yesterday in
the nomination of W. J. Bryan, of Ne
braska, for president; and, like an
other and greater crime, the price was
paid il silver. To the overthrow of
Democratic precedent that had already
been sanctioned in the admission Of
outsiders as delegates was added the
practical subversion of the two-thirds
rule. By allowing delegates to vote in
contradiction to the instructions of
their states, and by ruling that only
two-thirds Of those voting instead of
two-thirds of the whole convention
would be required to nominate. the re-
suit was reached. The great body of
those who held fast to Democratic faith
and precedent sat silent while the
tragedy that overwhelmed the party of
their love and loyalty went with swift
footsteps to it's appointed end. Like
those upon the western plains who
gaze, horrorsmitten, upon the Internal
majesty of the tornado that sweeps by
were impotent spectators of the looting
of Democracy's temple, and the pollu-
ton of it's sacred shrines
And now, from millions of Demo-
cratic threats comes the cry, watch
man, what of the night?" Delivered
over to the hands of men who have
clothed the statue of liberty in the
flaming red Of anarchy, and placed in
her hand the sword, the torch and the
bomb, what is the present duty of a
man who is a Democrat because he is
a patriot? For the time being we say
to these forces of the beaten but I'M
dismayed, to rally about the bright
standard that is never dearer or holier
than in defeat and danger, and to wait
for the event. The Democratic party
or thes United States has no regularly
authorized candidate in the field TODAY.
and cannot stand on aLy common plat
FORM No Democrat Is bound by the
Chicago denial and reputation Of
Democracy. No Democrat Is bound hv
a convention whose irregularities and
oenance of rule and precedent were.
next after its avowal of sectionaIism
and the gospel of hate, its own partic-
ular pride. Today every man whose
democracy is craven on his heart and
stored among the ideals dearer to him
than all save honor, Is absoIved from
party ties There rests on him no obH-
CATION to vote for a Republican candi-
date whose action on the financial is
sue is uncertain, and whose one idea
OF the enrichment of the few at the cost
OF the many by protective thefts his
very soul loathes. There rests on him
no obligation to support a platform
that makes for calamity and dishoror
and a candidate whose title to q n1ooa
upon the so-ealled Democratic ticket is
rounded on the destruction Of the
rights of the minority and the ruthless
shattering OF all party usage. Each
man is referred to his own conscience
and his seLse Of duty, shaped by the
course OF events from this time forth.
For, that the ancient and true Democ-
racy Of the nation is to remain through
this great crisis without voice or
a leader, compelled to bow the knee to
the Baal Of free silver or the Moloch
of protection, we do not and will not
believe.
Not in anger, but in sadness too deep
for words do we see the fair places of
Democracy the spoil of the invader,
and Its glorious name overwritten
with prophecies in smoke and blood
To these men who have dedicated to
ruin, in a frenzy of emotional exaIta-
ton that led them to world of phes,-
tasms, the party that is the beEs
expression of the hopes and neea4
of the complaining millions of naof
is due the great catastrophe Yet s,s
them we believe it also may be WHY
ten that they knew not what they dc
For us who win not taste the sor-