The San Francisco call., 1896-06-09
TROUBLES OF THE DEMOCRACY.

The pronunciamento of Chairman Har-
rity of the National Committee, COM
manding Democrats everywhere to get
ready to rally to the support of the Chi.
cago nominees without stopping to ask
who they are or what they stand tor, is
not meeting with the hearty and cheerful
obedience that was expected. The Phlla-
delphia Record says the Democracy "can-
not be spitted and held fast to the WALL
under any and all circumstances. The
Record admits that as to matters OF prin-
ciple" the majority should govern, but 1t
is quite different when it comes to mat
ters of fact" and then it clinches its
argument for a bolt if the silver men
control by saying that "there can be no
submission of judgment. When major
ity shall essay to convert the National
Convention into a Populist ratlhcation
meeting, true Democrats must be counted
out"
The Record points out the predeter-
mined course of the single standard wing
of the party if the silver wing shall control
the convention. The Record stands very
close to the administration, and therefore
we may conclude that it speaks by au-
thority when it says in effect that the will
of the majority is not always binding.
This is new Democratic doctrine, but 1t
appears to have a good many converts
already, and no doubt it will draw still
more to it after the Chicago convention.
The theory of the Cleveland following is
that while as a rule the will of the ma
jority should govern, there may be times
when the majority persists in departing
from the faith, and that at such times the
minority must take the bull by the horns,
so to speak, and rule or ruin. No doubt
Cleveland believes that the party, which
he delivered from its hiding, has fallen
under the baleful influence of such per-
sons as ex-Republican Boies and ex-
Democrat Bland, and that no self-respect-
ing Democrat would help them turn the
Chicago convention into Populist ratifi-
cation meeting, or be bound in any way to
submit his own sound Judgment to the
vagaries of such people.
This means that the only way to
prevent a bolt, and hence the destruc-
ton of the party, is for the major
ity to submit unconditionally to the will
of the minority. The withdrawal of the
gold standard minority would not mean a
coalition of silver Democrats and Popu-
lists. The Populists have already de-
clared that they will receive recruits from
other parties, but that In no event will
they form copartnership. OF course, the
Populists could not alone hope to carry
the country, nor could the silver Demo-
Gratis, hence to convert the Chicago con-
ventlon into a Popuiist ratification meet
ing would be the consistent thing to do.
No one sincerely believes that were the
Populists and silver Dem oorats to eonsoli.
date their forces they could elect their
candidate. But 1t so happens that the
leaders of the silver movement in the
Democratic party draw their inspiration
from desire for personal political prefer
ment, and that the doctrine of free silver
coinage is merely means to reach the
desired end and the same is true of the
leaders of the Populist organization.
Thus, it will be seen, there could be no
coalition.
But Notwithstanding the contemp lated
bolt of the single standard minority of the
Democratic party, and the impossibility
OF an offensive and defensive agreement
between the Democrats and Populists, the
Republican party should prepare for the
coming battla just as though all the oppo-
siton parties would be in the field and as
allies. 1t will not do to trust to anything
for victory but the party's own strength.
There may be one chance in ten thousand
that the Populists, the free silver Demo-
era is and the National Silver League will
join their forces under one banner. but if
there be only one chance in a million that
such com bine will be made, it matters
not. The Republican party should take
no chances at all.
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