The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-23
MEETING THE DILEMMA.

The question asked by the G l o e
few days ago, why, if party regular
-ity be the main thing, and why, if it
consist in standing by the candidates
and the platform Of the regular orga-
nization, the supporters Of Henry
George, of New York city, are not
guilty Of precisely the same offense
charged against the National Demo-
Gratis last year, is a difficult nut to
crack. Most of our contemporaries do
not reply to it at all. Those who are
not willing to confess their difficulty
so plainly are all at sea. The Helena
Independent does not hesitate to stuI-
tify itself. 1t states the situation ac-
curately as follows:
1t is said that Van Wyck is the regular"
Democratic candidate in New York and that
Henry George is the irregular candidate An
irregular is a bolter from the regular or
ganization. But this irregular stands on
the Chicago platform, while the regular can
didate does not, but is the candidate of the
boilers from the party platform.
Now, If there are two contesting delegations
from New York to the next national Demo-
cratic convention, should the convention seat
the one sent by the Democrats who reaf-
frmed the national platform and fought
under the Chicago banner or the delega-
ton sent by those who boited the platform
and refused to carry the flag? II deserters
are regular what is the final test of regu-
larity? If Democrats should stand by Van
Wyck in New York, when he does not stand
on the Chicago platform, should they not
be against George Fred Williams in Massaehu-
setts, for he does stand for and on the Chi
cago platform?
This it calls conundrum, but it's
own answer is made explicit by saying
that every Republican, silver Republ-
can and Populist paper in the United
States is rejoicing because Tammany
has bolted the Chicago platform. Let
us now indorse the Tammany voters"
This may be good place for the doc
trine of tit for tat, but it is a pretty
severe strain on logic. If the men
who did not support Mr.. Bryan and
the Chicago platform have no right
to the name of Democrat; if they are
traitors and renegades and should be
barred from all future counsel with the
party, then the Democrats who are
supporting, Mr.. Henry George, and who
are almost solidly supporters of and
believers in Mr.. Bryan and the Chi
cago platform, are in the same fix,
Tammany did not bolt and has never
bolted. 1t is the regular Democratic
organization, and it's candidate is Judge
Van Wyck. We ourselves would a
thousand times sooner see George elect
ed than Van Wyck. We have a right
to take that position. But no man and
no newspaper which has abused the
Palmer Democrats Of last year has
right to do anything but stand for Van
Wyck and regularity, although the
financial policy approved by Tammany
The Atlanta Constitution, which is
another thorough going free silver pa
per, deserves at least the credit of con-
sistency. 1t does not deny it's princi-
pies for the sake of what it would like
to see happen. 1t says:
The fact that Henry George is being used
by the gold men of New York city as a
dummy to aid the Republicans and the anti
Democrats is conclusively shown by the ac-
ton of the men who have his campaign in
Charge. 1HSy nave pIdCSu LIS CdluludCy IN
the same boat with Lows, and have thus
made their campaign farce.
This action, in view of the efforts Of
some of the gold organs to have the can
| didacy of Mr. George indorsed by the ma
tional Democratic committee, is somewhat
| singular to say the least. OF course it Is
! giving entertainment to the widest nonsense
| to suppose that the Democratic national COM
! mittee would pass by the regular organiza-
| ton, which has nominated Judge Van Wyck
| who is a regular organized Democrat, and
| who supported Bryan, to indorse Mr.. George
| but the fact that the attempt has been made
| together with the further fact that few
of the national committeeman have fallen into
| the trap set for them, shows how cleverly laid
| the scheme
All of this goes to show how far the
| idea of regularity is affected and
even determined by the circumstances
! of the particular case. The Henry
George men are in exactly the same at