Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-18
rr,roDAy MAY Is, 1897
r,,xE POT LUCK WITH Us.

Tho Richmond Times is engaged IN
o,h,shing extracts from the editorial
columns of the Dispatch of 1895. upon
the policy Of "departyizing' Democrats
ON the silver ouesucr.
These extracts exhibit conciiatorF
d;sposition, and an earnest ehort upon
our mart TO sidetrack that issue IL pos
chile in the election of members OF the
1eeis,ature. They also show that the
Dispatch had n9 purpose to bolt II 'he
time should ever come-as 1t ala come III
1SG-when It was outvoted.
when. at last, free silver was mace
nm issue in our city primary, the Times
and Dispatch both urged Democrats 10
80 =, and take pot luck with the party.
The result is known. Our state anu
national conventions both declared Tor
free silver. The Dispatch observed IT'S
nledce and took pot luck with us party
The Times. however, insisted that the
Chicago convention had gone to unauiho-
rized lengths. and hence argued that II
was released from its obligation 10 sup
,ort our nominees. And when Bryan
WAS defeated and Mckinley was elected
the Times came out in leader iauolhs
Renublican-C Chairman Mark hanna lor
his fine work. Yet the Times now
coorv compares its record with ours, ana
:. nreaching against the policy OF de-
partyizing the gold Democrats
The Dispatch doesn't wish to departy-
,ze the gold Democrats. Some OF theih
denartvized themselves last year, but we
have good reason TO believe that most
90 them will fall into line with us ms
vear We like the spirit Of Captain John
A curtis's resolution. adopted at the re-
cent conference of delegates from the
democratic clubs of this city, ana we
hone that our City Democratic Commit
4aa viii make the usual conditions, and
,ons other. as prerequisites to voting
an our next primary.
Hundreds of gold Democrats VIII theh
vote with us. Many Of these were COM
ne,led last year. by pressure 'hey
dared not resist, to vote against Bryan
md will be glad to return to our RANKS
Others will come back TO u.s. because
thew were juggled into the false pehel
.,at oil that was necessary to give pros
,,.ritv IN the country was to win a VIC
.orv over free silver. Others still-good'
,oval loving, Virginia Democrats-"lii
come back 10 us. not because they are
thoroughly converted, but because they
would rather vote for old comrades upon
free-silver platform than for old enc
mics upon n high protective tariff and
rold-standard platform.
These are men who hold to the faith
chat blood is thicker than water. And
Ar they have need TO seek for prece-
dent for such a course, they may mo
one in the conduct Of the Union men oil
old Virginia. who. when the critical mo-
,,ant came. went with their secession
brethren. and were afterwards among
The foremost everywhere that fightine
was 10 be done Still another notable
nrececent they may find In the conduct
of those Virginia Democrats who in lSS
were very much opposed 10 our accept
ing readjustmcnt as a party policy, ye
oreferred 10 take pot luck with thei
,xub and kin, rather than consort with
the enemy.
with such examples before them. WI
do not believe that the gold Democrats
NJ this State Will find 1t difficult to come
into our primaries and support our Stat
and Legislative tickets 1t would b
folly for them 10 disfranchise themselves
and 10 vote for Republican or semi
Republican ticket, we know the grca
majority OF them will never consent Z
do we well remember with what sur
prise some OF them read. few day
after the election. the Times's editoria
laudation Of Mark Hanna. and we don
believe they care to join any movemen
that will give pleasure to that distin
guished boss.
On the other hand, Hanna spent
vast sum OF money In Virginia last year
and the results Of that expenditure wer
80 mcagre and unsatisfactory, 1t canno
be expected OF him that he VIII s
readily open his partys purse this year
even though he may be told that 1t
possible 10 ''down" Daniel.
But II every other expedient shout
rail- us. we might confidently call upo
me gold Democrats In the name Of oil
or~ssadsship. and might be sure the grea