The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-05
mo Fate OF the Democratic Party.

Tho ate OF h Democratic Party.
The letter below Is from an old.time Dem.
ocrat, \ much esteemed reader OF The SuN,
whose friendship and confidence It has
long enjoyed. Accordingly, the questions
he asks and the misg!vings he expresses
20 frankly deserve from us and shall re-
eefve an equally frank and sincere response:
-ro rar Enrrca oy TIVE srS-SSr: And ~ SCI IN
S-vvtaod TVS sxx correctly, l. . tifeicas Democrat,
must identity ray~elt with tie RepahiAc&a parry ard
vcas for ell Repunltean candidates for POLITICAL oacs
vutn the year 1900, or unttl the DcupHrAtfc party AZ
M mkt National CNnventica rerudiatrs the Ceieaeo
~r,ntfnrn Of isse. n matters 10, how narrow and
ncoal the issue may Re o. which I am called TO cote
q what the cAaraete- O. the candidate may Be. there
can BE- no ehcace as between voting for TIE Republican
nnd the Democrats candidates a. aVote for the Latter
voaia mean the acceptance and indorserent Of the
chicero platform. and consequently would encourage
end promote Bryantsm ana all that 10 implies
That seems 20 be tie Idea OF THx scS IN IT'S treaf
meat Of the coming Mayoralty campaign. No matter
how exalted the character OF the candidate, CT how
preenfnentiy Quaiined he may be - MI the once OF
Mayor for eSaser New York. the fact that he 81
Democrat nominated by the Democratic party %
New York. Is surnctent IN TER sCSS opinion. 70 CON
denim his candid ICY. for It's Endorsement and advocacy.
% long a. the Chicago platform Was not reprdiaied.
woah mean tSe Endorsement and advocacy 81 TN
sound money and the h~opeifor triumph 81 Rry aniSrn-
-wsn, I fan 70 sce the situation in the same LIGHT
that THR srx does IL seems to me like sIng over 10
TIE Republican party and TO NeKin'eytsrn- Rather
than have = good. sound. wise. economical and psr
fcoly satisfactory Democratic municipal aiEitnisTTa.
ton IHR SUI would prefer for MAYOR anybody the
Republican party might nominate: ecca1se. forscoth.
~ Democratic party will not mix MP national issues
WITH municipal afatrN G.B"
THK SuN stands for genuine Democracy,
not merely for one campaign. but also for
all campaigns; not in Federal elections
merely, but in every election, Federal,
State, or municipal. The one dangerous
foe TO that Democracy now Is the Demo
cratic party as organized upon the Chicago
platform. II is the malignant foe of true
Democracy, and to hold any association, to
have any dealings with It, Is eontamina-
tion, IL treachery TO Democracy.
The Chicago platform was the price Of
h betrayal of the Democratic party to its
Interest enemy, Populism- As the result
Of that treachery an entirely new Demo-
cratic party was generated. q party diamet-
really opposed in principle and purpose to
the old-time Democracy. Into this trans
formed and utterly perverted Democratic
party there was introduced also an element
taken from the Republican party. the Popu-
liEed silver element. The heterogeneous
political mixture was dubbed the Demo
cratic party. the right to which name WAS
held only In trust for true Democratic uses
by the Chicago Convention. II the name
had been bestowed by that convention on a
free love party, the perversion would not
have been more complete than was that
involved In its transfer to the un-Demo-
cratic and anti Democratic combination
made at Chicago.
Everywhere, and at all times without a
single exception, our exhortation to Demo.
crats, accordingly, is to vote against every
candidate nominated by the political organ.
ixation which nov obtains outward Demo
cratic regularity through support Of the
Chicago platform. How can Az! Democrat
instilled In him by JEFFERSON. JACKSON,
MARCY, and TILpES do othcrwisei
THR Sun frankly declares its preference
% associate itself for the time being with
the sane and sober element of the Repub,
lican party rather han with the rcvolu.
ttonary combination of the uominal Demo.
cratic party with Populism and the wild
and dangerous elements Of the Republican
party. Our friend must so into one or the
other fusion; he has no other recourse, l;
he allies himself with the Chicago Democ,
gacy, he enters into a fusion with his
natural and essential political advcr<aries
he enlfsts in a new and radically trans
formed Democratic party, he turns a com
plete political somersault- As compared
with hat mixture of forbidden political
and social elements, and Of vicious and per
nIcious social and political h~ercsjes, tht
Republican party is now the very ark OF TIT
covenant wherein is contained the true Is
esnce Of Democracy.
1t Ia useless for any Democrat 10 shut hi
eyes to the plain and obvious facts Of tn,
Political situation which stare him in tn
AcA The combination which gave BRYA.
last November more than $500 600 vote
has now absolute control Of the organize
ton Of the Democratic party; is PRACTICAL,
the only Democratic party with tire an
tAoraty Of technical regularity. 1t is holiin4
together closely e~very~he-n Populists An,
silver Republicans remaining in firm ALI
NAce with Democrats. The political allie
move rs one body in Congress- and are unite.
and aggressive in every State and distr!c;
They are controlling the State convention
q the Democratic party as they occu
UaccessivelE there is no other organize
Democracy; nor Is any other possible 4
- ahsence OF any common opposing ide
OF distinguishing principle Ahout wAie
% e~rystallize
The Democracy Of the Chicago plAtforz
has distinct idea to unity ii and iusyir
u with enthusiasm. II is a false and per.
eaous idea, bat it is an idea; and IL is iaea
that hold great bodies Of men together;
conmon idea a common sentiment and
ccnmon purposA- The Chicago De-aosrae
knows exactly what it is driving AL Nor,
ever, snch movements 40 not so backward
they go forward. Instead Of h next qla
eorm Of the political revalaiioaists heiasles
radical than the Chicago platform there
reason for expecting that il viii go q sic
ahead in its radicAlisn. If free coinage If ST
vor ~ is to ! passes oat Of usefulness as
means Of holding tocether the cnmbinl
tion- something else, perhaps even moa