The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-04
THE INDIANAPOLIS FLANK MOVE
MENT.

lot of ex-colonels and eX-generals
and other ex-leaders of the Democratic
marty. who. smarting under repudia-
ton by the people who once trusted
them. met yesterday in Indianapolis
and with the help of some money-len-
ders in the party, named candidates
for President and Vice-President of
the United States. These gentlemen
have a perfect right to nominate can
didates for office, to organize new
party in order to carry out their VIEWS
but they have no right to call them
selves Democrats. If they are Demo-
Gratis. Jefferson and Jackson never be-
longed to the Democratic party. II
they had declared themselves Han
Mates. or Groverites, or Lombard and
Wall street supporters, or the Yellow
Fever party, or had simply called them
selves, ''The Anti-Silver" party, these
gentlemen would have been entitled
to serious consideration, but when they
claim to be the true and only Demo
Gratis, their assumption is as ridiculous
as it is preposterous.
Gen. Palmer, the nominee for PTesi-
dent. has been member of all the par
ties. He tried to carry Sound mon
ev'' delegation to the Chicago conven-
ton, but was defeated. He has been
a bolter from the day his county sent
silver delegates over his opposition.
He was a gallant soldier in the Federal
army. He is seventy-nine years old.
The nominee for Vice-President was a
prominent Confederate soldier, has
been Governor of Kentucky, and was
defeated in his desire to carry the
State for Sound money at the Chi
cago convention. Like Gen. Palmer,
he has been surly ever since. Both of
these gentlemen participated in the
convention, thus binding themselves to
support the party nominees.
The personnel of theticket is as good
as it could have been made, and if they
]. were actual candidates, instead of
-decoy ducks for Mckinley, they would
command the respect of the country.
As they are candidates with no pros
pect or expectation of election, the
people regard them as very .dignifed,
ancient, venerable and proper sort of
back numbers to be put on the out
side of Hanna's side-show to attract
the unwary into the real Dahomey cir
Gus of Mckinley. If the candidacy of
She boilers meant anything, young
and virile men would have been named
as the standard bearers instead of
men who count their lives by days.
But, knowing it is a sham, conceived
more in spleen than in genuine con-
Germ for Democracy, no young or vivile
man could be induced to des-
troy his future by taking nomination.
These two Generals are well yersed
in strategy, and they lead that part of
the Mckinley army that viii make the
flank movement on the Democratic
party.
1t may be safely predicted, however,
that history will repeat itself,an that
some day in the future a letter will
be written of this movement similar
to the following to Assistant Secretary
Hamlin by "a lifelong Republican"
expressing his fears of this drift of
1.-The real good Democrats to McKin-
ley:
II was up in your State in 1882
when you and all the cream of the
Democracy and all the good Demo
cratic papers bolted Ben Butler
and turned in tooth and nail to
elect the Republican candidate for
Governor, yet stayed there long
enough to hear that Ben, that bad
and wicked man, was elected, and
that all of the rest of the Demo
cratic ticket which you supported
was beaten! fear that Bryan will
Butlerize Massachusetts, and the
whole country, if you good and
s honest Democrats don't keep still"