Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-03
PIT Us RIGHT.

The Lynchburg News calls attention 10
the fact that the Pennsylvania Demo-
Gratis, led by Mr.. Harrity, chairman of
the National Democratic Committee in
structed I'm their State convention for
the gold standard, and adopted the unit
rule, and then asks this question:
as the Dispatch willing for the Demo
Gratis Of Virginia to follow Harrity on
the unit rule? or, is Il the programme
Of the gold crowd to adopt the unit rule
only IN the gold-standard rotten-bor-
roughs OF the North, and fight its adop-
ton only in the free-silyer States of the
South and Vest
The News, it should be said, in sense
explains the putting Of these categorical
questions to us by the statement that
"our highly-respected friend Of the
Richmond Dispatch said the other day
it would not be prudent for the Virginia
Democracy to declare for frec-siver coin
age, inasmuch as William L. Harrity
chairman OF the National Democratic
Committee, had declared that the Chi
cago convention would be certain 10 de-
clare for the gold standard" We as
sumo that our contemporary quotes
from memory" from an article that aD-
peared in the Dispatch just month
ago. in which we commented upon two
utterances Of Chairman Harrity. One OF
these was as follows:
Everything points TO the adoption OF
a sound-monoy platform and a candidate
who is absolutely committed 10 that
cause"
The other was:
THE great business interests OF the
United states will not support any party
il either the platform or the nominee IS
not strictly In accord with the dominant
sentiment OF the solid business class.
Not only the party declaration must be
unequivocal. but the candidate must
stand before the country as a believer IN
and advocate of honest money. The two
must so together"
We corrected the news at the time. and
in our comments deprecated the fact
that Mr.. Harrity should have made
these utterances. and sought TO
impress upon our readers the unwisdom
of making party test of the currency
question at Stanton, and propounded
the query What good can the Demo
Gratis Of Virginia hope to accomplish by
committing their party in advance, either
to sound money or TO free silverY If
our assumption is correct as to the arti-
Gle our friend the News refers to, we
were no less pronounced against declaring
for gold than for silver at stanton, and
we respectfully submit that our contem-
porary, unintentionally, Of course, has
placed rs in a false light. 1t would ap-
pear from its article that we had been
antagonizing solely a declaration at
stanton for silver. whereas we were
arguing for the principle and wisdom in
volved in not declaring for either silver
or gold.
To our contemporary question, wheth-
or the Dispatch is willing for the Nir-
ginia Democrats TO follow Mr.. Harrity
on the unit rule. we answer distinctly in
the NEGATIVE. We are unalterably op-
posed 10 the enforcement OF the unit rule
at stanton, no matter whether the sill
yerites or the sound-money men shall be
I'm the majority. We believe that the en-
forcement of that rule would be a dan
eerous experiment and we would soon
have occasion to regret It. We adhere 10
our position: Better divided delegation
at Chicago than divided party at home