The herald., 1897-05-24
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Democratic unity?" Mr.. Bryan replied
as follows:
might reply to your inquiry by saying
that there is now entire harmony within
the Democratic party The members Of
the party were never more united in puI-
pose nor more jealous than al the pres
ent time. Neither is there lack of har-
mony among the boiling Democrats.
They seem just as determined to carry
out Republican policies as they were dur
ing the campaign. If, however. you
mean by your question to ask whether
there is any common ground upon which
the two Democratic organizations can
meet, answer No.
Webster defines a party as a number
of persons, united in opinion and acting
to influence or control the action Of the
community. Agreement in opinion is the
essential thing in a party. No lexicog-
rapher has yet defined a party to be
a union of two hostile factions, each de-
termined by the question which Is para
mount in the minds of the people.
The regular Democrats in their last
national convention declared the money
question to be the paramount issue. The
bolting Democrats. in their minority re-
POtl dt SulCd6O, anu thSAh PhoeAoi Aii eA =
Indianapolis, recognized the money
question as being the paramount issue.
The regular Democrats announced
their unalterable opposition to monomet-
allism. describing it as an un-American
and nti-American financial policy. They
demanded the restoration of free and
unlimited coinage of silver and gold at
the present legal ratio of 16 to l, without
waiting for the aid or consent of any
other nation. They declared that the
silver dollar should be legal tender
equally with gold for all debts, public
and private and insisted that the gov
ernment should retain the right to re-
deem coin obligations in either gold or
silver. They also expressed themselves
as emphatically opposed to national bank
currency.
The gold Democrats indorsed the gold
standard, declared against the restora-
ton of bime tallism by the Independent
action of this nation and demanded the
retirement of the greenbacks and treas
ury notes.
The Democrats who supported the
Chicago platform are now as firmly
in favor of the position taken upon the
money question as they were during the
campaign. If any change has taken place
their devotion has been increased rather
than diminished. The adoption of gold
standard by Japan and Peru has in
creased the strain upon gold and en-
phasized the warnings uttered by the
advocates of free silver during the cam
paign.
There is nothing to indicate that the
i 90 Co.
any more kindly towards the regular
organization than they did six months
ago; in fact, it is only few days since
the most conspicuous boilers met at i
Waldorf dinner. mad not only paid hon.
age to the golden image which they have
set up but breathed threatenings and
slaughter against greenbacks and treas
ury notes.
An attempt has been made in some
quarters to push the tariff question to
the front, but 1 do not think that this
effort can be successful. The tariff
question is no more important now than
it was during the campaign, and 1t was
not important enough then to keep the
gold Democrats in the fold. To be sure,
the gold Democrats are criticising the
Dingley bill, but the moment the Re-
publicans turn their attention to the
money question all complaining will
cease, and the gold Democrats will be
found in the front ranks, fighting shoul-
der to shoulder with the Republican lead
ers. If the Republicans attempt any
further degradation of silver the gold
Democrats will be their allies. If they
attempt to retire greenbacks and treas
ury notes, directly or indirectly. they
can rely upon the earnest cooperation
of gold Democrats
Both the regular Democrats and the
gold Democrats know that the money
question will be the paramount issue of
1900, and it is folly to expect that either
branch of the party will give any materi-
al assistance to the represen tatives of
the other branch while this great con-
test continues.
Knowing that they will fight each 9TH
er three years hence, is II reasonable to
suppose that they can be political
friends in the meantime?
When that gallant Democrat, Colonel
Watt Hardin, was candidate for gov
ernor Of Kentucky two years ago, many
gold Democrats would not support him
because they feared that his election
would strengthen the silver cause, and
there is no evidence that the gold Demo-
Gratis have lost any of their sensitiveness
on this subject.
Is it proba bic that the silver Democrats
will exert themselves to give political
position and influence to the men who
use their position and influence against
bimetallism in the next great battle?
When l say that political friendship is
impossible between regular Democrats
and bolters l do not mean to say that
there is or ought to be any personal hos
tility between the members of the two
organizations. On the other hand, af-
firm that there should be the broadest
charity and tolerance. Republicans ard
Democrats have in the past mingled to-
gether in society and in business circles,
although they have voted against each
other a the polls! In like manner, there
can be the friendliest personal relations
between regular Democrats and boilers,
but there can be no harmonious political
association between them.
The regular Democrats and boilers
now have separate and distinct party or
ganizations. No matter which is re-
garded as God and which as Mammon,
no one can serve both. 1t Isl as impossi-
BILE for person to belong to both Demo-
cratic organizations as it is for person
to be both a Democrat and a Republican
at the same time. No Democrat who be-
lieves that the gold standard is con-