The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-09
DID 1T PAYs

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a view to the possibilities Of the future
That question is whether it was worth
while to surrender Democratic princi-
pies and destroy Democratic organiza-
ton for what has been got out of it,
and whether the first duty Of loyal
Democrats of all shades Of opinion is
not to return to the old lines and to do
business hereafter as Democrats, and
not as gentlemen in waiting to some
other party or candidates of some other
political faith. We understand perfect
ly the spirit that moved Democrats this
year. When a man has been pound
ed sufficiently long upon one spot it
gets sore. The argument that appealed
to them most strongly was the ques-
ton why they should go on forever
making a losing fight? Why put them
selves up year after year, only to be
knocked down with certainty by a Re-
publican majority, which was more or
less as circumstances might decide, but
was always enough to do the business.
Restless Democrats, chatting under
this inability to have their share in the
conduct of the government, believing
sincerely that Republican rule meant
the prevalence Of great abuses, and
without the infinite patience that must
possess the soul of him who waits upon
results, said to themselves and to one
another: Let us have a new issue"
For years and years we have fought
and lost and there is no longer any
fun in it, There seems to be no longer
any advantage in it to the state Let
US have a new issue. Let US shake the
people out Of the ruts into which they
have fallen and have an overturning in
this state. 1t don't much matter wheth-
er it is free silver or something else
Once startle the public out of it's
apathy and make Minnesota doubtful
state, no matter by what means, and
you will have done public service.
With this notion, Democrats whose
revolted against the crime of currency
debasement and against the adoption Of
Populist doctrine, helped along the fu-
sion movement this year. They had
a good candidate, and they knew it,
Now, they argued, let us clean house
and start a new era Of things in Min
while Mr.. Lind came within an ace of
election, Mr.. Lind is Republican, and
the vote for him was personal. Not a
Democrat did it make. All the rest
elected by at least a normal Republi-
can majority, and the Mckinley vote
is a mighty one. Now, are not
these experiments sufficient? We
made a tentative trial at fusion
in the presidential election once
before. The only result was to dis
credit Democratic sincerity. We tried
fusion with one candidate two years
ago and got beaten $4,000 for ur-pains
This year the process was complete
and the defeat overwhelming, with the
single exception of the governorship,
where the result was not due to flu
sion at ALL
Is not this enough? Do we want
any more new issues?" Shall we
go out into the woods with
a gun and look for a new species of
animal that will rip the Democratic
party still more completely up with
it's fierce claws? Is not the old faith
a pretty good faith? Is it to be meas
ured by election returns? Even if it
is, did not those show up a good deal
better before we began these dickers
with outsiders than since? We are not
at all certain that if the Minnesota
Democracy had, to paraphrase the
Monroe doctrine, kept itself "cIear of
entangling alliances it might not by
this time have been much nearer a
majority than it is. We are
certain that for Populism and
fusion with Populism there is abso-
lutely no future in this commonwealth.
Is not this good time to give over
wandering and build strong and solid
the house Of Democracy for our home?
1t may be many a day before it be-
comes an executive mansion, but what
of that? It is good house, a COM
all Of us, and the flag that flies from
it's topmost tower is the banner of the
most sacred cause that ever engaged
mankind Let us have for the future
represents Democracy and nothing else.
and let us be ready to stand by
it, through success and through fail
ure, year after year, until the people
come to see, as they inevitably must
and will, if Democracy is true to itself
and blind to all lures and deaf to prom
ises by Others that this is truly the
party Of the people.
DECENTRALIZATION BY EVOLUTION.
In this fierce battle Of the standards
the question has not been discussed,
whether it is true or not that, in the
evolutionary process out of which
money has grown from barter, wam-
pun, cowrie shells, iron, copper brass
to silver and gold, the point has not
been reached and passed when silver
is 8, suitable metal for the money of
commerce, and when it must take its
place below gold and above copper or
nickel and do the work of making the
minor exchanges involved in feeding
and clothing people from day to day.