Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-07-22
National Democracy.

l
At Louisville, Kentucky, on the 18th
nst., convention met styling itself
he National Democracy. This is what
he country knows as gold bugs"
Democrats of by gone days, whose high /!
moral sense, or personal interest, madet
it impossible for them to longer affili-
ate with the great Democratic party
Of the nation, hence they have gone
away. This remarkable assembly has
taken a name which is a travesty on
words and is as amusing as 1T is mis-
leading. The name National is all
there is national about it. The party
is no larger than in November last,
when it polled 10000 votes in the ma
ton, and as we'll might Brigham
Young's followers declare their religion
the National Religion, as for this rem
nant of a great party to declare them
selves the National Democracy. But
to declare themselves the National
Democracy simply gives imitation
to the frog. They bolted the
party that nomins ted in due form and
at a convention attended by many OF
them, Democratic candidates for pres
ident and vice president last year.
There was little Democracy in that.
They then nominated candidates as
decoys for the purpose of assisting in
the election of the Republican ticket.
There WAS not much Democracy IN
that. They claim now that thousands
of those who constitute the present
party bolted the ticket their own par
| ty nominated and voted straight for
Mckinley. There is not much Democ-
racy in that. They supported directly
and indirectly the Republican noml
nees who did not promise and did not
advocate a change in the mon etary
system, which Democrats everywhere
had for years declared needed radical
change and improvement. There was
not much Democracy in that They
supported directly and indirectly can
didates pledged to the highest and
most odious tariff measure that could
be passed. There was not much De-
mocracy about that; and they did
everything else which from the cradle
) upward Democrats had been taught
: not to do. Wherein then does thei1
/ right to the name exist? We are told
In their honesty, in their great love fol-
the nation, and in their patriotism anc
1 IT. foir inc
to government. We are not told eX
cept by those they call hostile to gooo
government, that their belief was
brought about by their connection
: with corporations, trusts, monopolles
I banks, shaving shops, and the thou
y sand and one institutions and scheme
y to grind the farmer and laborer. Blu
when we find a member of this Ken
lucky convention who rejoices in tn
d name of National Democrat, we tint
o Just that kind of person.
ell Great stress is laid on the speech o
70 Mr.. Carlisle when he declared that
Chinese currency begat Chinese tarl1
wall, and as proof of the accusation
d he cited that many of the silver leader
II are assisting the Republicans to pas
r the Dingley bill. This accusation ma
70 be true as to silver men who have bee
life long protectionists, but with whs
poor grace does it come from men VII
g. declare openly that they made possib
er the election of Mckinley. There is Z
OF turning away from principle in tt
r case of the silver protectionist, but the
S. must have been lack of it in a Den
ocrat who voted 10 elect men pledge
IS to a protective tariff. The culminatio
al Of this great gathering was reache
le when Mr.. Henry Watterson of tt
s. Louisville Courier Journal dramat
70 cally declared that the silver issue ws
as dead as the institution Of Africa
slavery.
~ Really when such statements al
- made by men who ought to know be
y ter, it shows either gross ignorance I
conditions or determination to pc
=, = vert facts. If Mr.. Watterson's stat
" ment, which is only re utterance I
- the one made by Mrs. Lease a wee
~ before, could kill the silver issue
surely would be dead, but Mr.. Waite
If son nor his Courier Journal, nor tn
it combine convention can strike ha
" from its head. 1t is growing evel
day and the defeat Of Mark Hanna
-. Ohio this fall will mark the first defe,
q = in the great overthrow the Repub
cans, and their faithful allies" tt
ha National Democracy, will receive
al 1900.