Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-27
rHIs cAMPAFaN oPENEp.

cago platform shall, in the next cam paign, be the test. of democracy, and his posEion has the hearty indorsemend of ehe entire congres sioral delegation fIom Georgia, the two United States senators from that state and the chairman of the national democratic cemmit ee, and of all true democrats. Appropos of the sound money cortlngen;'s dinner in New York Saturday night, by which they intend to inaugurate the campaign aneW, she Constitution os Sunday contains the following able editorial:
 The Reform club dinner, as "$l2 plate, Including wine" has taken place, and, as was anticipated, the $6,OO0 spent on the five hundred p.0minefJs" smash ional "demoerats, was not dlsbursed s.mply for the purpose of providing Ieed "including wine"
 line dinner was simply caucus or convention of all the prominent smash ional democrars of the cou1iry. It was intended that this great feed, including wine" should be the beginning of cam paign on the part of she bolters similar to that which they carried on last year. It is their purpose, if the speecheS ue- Iivered last night over the SIP plates, including wine,'' are to be regarded as "keynotes," to make an effort to convince the voters of the republic that the ln- dianapo1is gold standard platform IS worthy Ot their support.
 The fiddler3 Cf the Reform cIuD, the mpraotlcables and the mugwumps seem to be impressed with the idea that py mere talk they can convince the people thatsthe plan of the money power IS good thing inlthe face of the evils which it has brought on the country. They seem to have va gue idea that the hon- est masses can be deceived into accepting as democratic doctrines things which are opposed to every suggestion of democ- racy-.
 In other-words. the mole-hill intends to order the meun. ain about, and If the mountain refuses to be ordered about, why the mole-liill will set up as a moral: 'T am the mountain" says the mole-hili, and the fellow ovep wonder with his head in the clouds Is a sham. He would not know a mountain if he was to see one" 5.
 We understand from the tone of the speeches that there is to be no compro- mise with democracy by the iddlers of the Reform club, the .1mpracticables, the mugwumps and the cuckoos. Such hints and intimations are altogether unneces- sary. The democratic party will tolerate no compromises that do not include the acceptance of the Chicago platform. It invites the cooperation only of those who are able to accept the prlnclpleS therein set forth.
 one of the most remarkable charac- teristics of the bolters is the stress they lay on "convictions' and conscientious ness" It is remarkable for the reason that the very men who employ these terms so freely deserted their own prin- ciples, sunk away from their own plat form and candidates and voted for Me Kinley, international bimetallism and high protection. Is it any wonder that menswho performed this amazing caper cannot accept ta4~ Chicago platform? But even il they could indorse the Chi cago platform, who could expect them to vote for democracy when they desert ed their own candidates?
 They declared for the single gold standard and voted for international bi- metallism while they condemned 1t. They denounced protection for protectlons sake and voted for McKinleyism. Could political folly have any more legs than that or make ncore discreditable eX- hibition of itself? The democratic par ty is in a far healthier condition with such men as Bynum, Patterson and Car lisle fighting it on the outside than It would be if they were able to attack 1t from the inside. Twelve months ago they were dangerous; today they are merely ridiculous.
 For they stand in this peculiar atti- tude: That no matter what sort of platorIn they put forth, no matter what principles they declare for, the public can have no reasonable assurance that they mean ! 1t they say-no satisfac- tory evidence that they really believe in their platform or that they really mean to support their candidates They start ed out at Indianapolis with brave four ish of trumpets. They were the genuine democrats; they would nail the old flag to the mast and fight under it's folds. no matter what others might do; they had consciences: they had convictions; give them principle or give them death. MT WattersOn was not on this slde the water to give dogberrian flavor to the eat, hut h~1C and fast. This was the beginning of that grand campaign. The next news the people heard was that the great leader of the smashional democracy, w. D. Bynum, was cIoseted with Hanna. Then came the rlews leG he was again in the closet with Hanna. Every fortnight closet visit to Hanna was announced d. And then came the tcnr eff the candidates, in which they advised their supporters 70 vote for Mckinley, ir'ternat tional bimetallism and high prClseOtIon.
 This. is what i9 called supporting dem- ocratic prineiples." and these bolte.'s who deserted two par ies and two platforms in order to promote Dingley.sm are now preparing Tor a. new campaign-the pre- motion of republican doctrines, the main- tenance of the gold standard, with all it's distressing results, and he levying of hi8hcr taxes on the people. In short, the campaign TOW begun over feed at '$l2 q pl2Ee, jnCludlnB W1ne, mas TOT 1ts SOle object the sacrifice of every principle Of horsst governments t1 the main euanca of ths demand Of the money power-the yncrfce of every principle and cczvic- ton. and the proro -'..en of the ranllest republica nisp 'po tn md
 As for the damcer2 $, they will con- tirue to stand by the Chicago platform and the principles therein set fctth. It will take ni1 backward step; it will r=sort 10 no bubble, equivocaltion or evasion. Instead of disgusting its purposes, 1t will advertise them to the four wtrds. These purposes are the promotion of the in. teresis of all the people-the greates: good to ali injustice ta none. There is no evasion in the Chicago platform Every word in it has a clear and unmis- takable meaning.
 In anothsr place we pririt messag ge from Hon. William J. Bryan, congratu- la ing the Co.ttitri-ion for making clear the fact that the test of democratic 1oy- ally is acceptance of the Chicago p.-ls- farm in the campaigns that are 10 come Mir. Bryan says that on the principles of that platform the democrats will elect. congress. They will do rlcre than thet On f11 principles snu.cia'ted in that pat