The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-09-08
DEMOCRATS HAVE
A RACY TIME.
Old Fashioned free Fight at the
Reading Convention.
BRYANISM AND FREE
SILVER ARE ENDORSED.
Inthe Mix-up Delegates Are Pushed
Off the Stage, Thrown Out
Of Windows, and Revol-
vers Are Drawn.

The proceedings OF the Democratic
state convention, held at Reading last
week, have caused everyone calling
himself a Democrat to blush with
shame. Never before in the state were
such disgraceful scenes enacted by a
representative body Of men. The whole
proceeding indicates not only the de-
plorable lack Of leadership, but the
complete disintegration of the Demo-
cratic party in Pennsylvania. When
such grave differences Of opinion exist
in a political party that require a free
fight and general knockdown to settle,
it Is time for the self respecting and
conservative element Of that party to
seek guidance and acquire affiliation
elsewhere. This thousands of Demo
Gratis win do this fall, and 1t would not
be surprising to see the Republican
majority even greater than last year.
They feel outraged that their party
leaders cannot seat delegates and adopt
a platform without engaging In a free
fight and flourishing revolvers, the riot
only ceasing when a detachment Of
policemen appeared on the scene.
The platform adopted endorses Bryan
and free silver, and the gold Demo-
Gratis of the state are in a hun. They
are so incensed that they discussed the
advisabilty Of placing a separate ticket
in the field, but finally decided not to
make an expensive and hopeless fight
at this time This means that thou
sands of them will quietly vote the Re
publican ticket.
We print below from some leading
papers comments on the late Demo-
cratic, free silver, free fight, Bryan
Garman convention:
II Became Hopeless Lunacy.
From the Philadelphia Press
"There are Republicans who are in
clined to criticise their party, but their
! criticisms are silenced in the face of
such an exhibition as the Democratic
state convention gave on Tues
day Here met the leaders-the ac-
| credited spokesmen and representa-
! tives of the Democrats of Pennsylvania
and we have the result. A free fight
that would have disgraced a collection
| of roughs in the worst ward of the
| city. In fact, such disorderly and riot
| Gus meeting would not have been per-
mitted in Philadelphia. The police
! would have pulled the fighting dele
| gates out of the hall as soon as they
became riotous. The presence of an
| efficient police force in and around a
convention is much objected to by some
| people as an interference with the
rights of citizens. 1t does prevent free
fights such as characterized the Reading
convention. We have never seen that
the police interfered with free speech or
a free vote.
TT may be claimed that it was an un-
ruly minority which changed the con-
vention hall into a bedlam and the
delegates into a shouting, struggling
mob. It was the triumphant majority
however. that in this year Of grace re-
| affirmed the allegiance Of the Demo-
cratic party of Pennsylvania to the
broken and dlscredited idol of free sill
YER What was folly last year with hard
times and so cent silver dollars became
hopeless lunacy with the improving
times, dollar wheat and 40 cent dollars
We are firmly and unalterably op.
posed, says the platform, to the single
gold standard, which has been the di
rect cause of the financial distress tha-
has followed upon our people since IT.
adoption This rot and falsehood de
ceived some voters last year 1t ha'
been disproved by events. We had sup
|
put 1t forth seriously this year We haC
not yet heard from the Garman-Guf
fey wing of the Democratic party o
Pennsylvania.
"The Democratic party has been Otter
compared to a man riding backward
in the cars and seeing nothing until 1
is past. This comparison does not ap
ply to the Democratic party Of Penn
sylvania, as 1t implies some progress
but the Reading platform shows tn
party standing hopelessly still with 1t
face set to the everlasting night, onl!
+ solicitous to drive out OF the party al
who appear to be less blind and stupit
than the rest
"It is unfortunate In some respect
for the Republican party in Pennsyl
vania that 1t is denied the stimulus an,
discipline which an intelligent and wei
directed opposition party would give II
The Republican majority has beel
steadily increasing year by year unit
II has reached 300 600. There are som
Republicans who think that this is BIZ
enough and that any more would b.
superfuous The Reading Democrats
convention did what 1t could to max
the Republican majority go beyon,
even the super6uous."