The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-07
A Hopeless Democratic Movement.

a. AAoPNhOoo DChtoCEothS uAONCtuCht
1t is undeniable that the spring elections
afford much encouragement to the men who
led away the Democracy into support.
ing Bryanism. They indicate that the
spirit of unreasoning discomfort created by
Clevelandism. and to which the BRYAN
campaign appealed last year, still remains
and that it's attachment to the principles OF
the Chicago platform continues, even II il
does not gather new strength.
The announcement is made that the Re.
form Club of this city is to give a dinner
toward the close of the present month, at
which a vigorous and concerted effort will
be made to bring together the leaders of the
Democratic party in opposition to Organism
and in favor of sound money" Among the
crowd on that occasion, 1t is expected, will
be Mr.. CLEVELAND. Mr.. CARLISLE, and Mr..
WILSON, the supposititious author of the
disastrous tariff bearing his name. Stimuli.
taneously, too, we are told, there is to be
at a Fifth avenue hall a conference of Demo.
Gratis for the purpose of agreeing on an issue
or a rallying cry to replace the issues raised
by the Chicago platform Of last year.
The Democrats engaged in this movement
belong more especially to the faction known
last year as the National Democracy, which
made directly only n limited show in the
campaign and at the election. They will
now make an effort, it is understood, to
divert attention from Organism by intro
ducing the issue of currency REFORM"
according to the principles put forward in
the indianapolis platform of the National
Democrats; but 1t will be a futile effort.
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philosophers is the retirement of the green
backs, an utterly impracticable and wholly
indefensiblo proposition, obnoxious to both
popular sentiment and sound financial
Judgment. 1t cannot be made to go down
at all unless accompanied by a scheme of
dangerous initiation by the substitution of
insecure ban currency for the ~greenbacks,
which is no better than tho Bryan device,
and is even worse.
Moreover, the National Democrats are
handicapped by Clevelandisn. The Bryan
Democracy undoubtedly secured their un.
expected strength with the great body of
the Democracy by openly and completely
throwing overheard Clevelandism and all
that it implies. Thus they relieved them.
selves Of a responsibility which would
have made their campaign ~lifeless and
hopeless. On the issue of the last Admin
istration the defeat of the Democratic
party was foredoomed the party could
have made no more than n pretence of a
contest. for 1t would have undertaken to
defend the absolutely defenccless. BY
bringing into this Reform Club movement
Mr.. CLEVELAND, Mr.. CARLISLE, and Mr..
WILSON as it's foremost representatives, the
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together the advantage enjoyed by the
Bryan Democracy, as n consequence Of the
new departure which was made at Chicago
for the distinct purpose OF throwing of the
CLEVELAND load. Hence the Reform Gu
movement is likely t. be without signif-
canoe as n means of withstanding the en-
thusiasm Of the Bryan Democracy. 1t will
start with n load upon its back that will
prevent Its progress.
1t seems probable that the municipal
elections which have just occurred will
tend to consolidate and stimulate the
forces of Organism II to keep them in the
field as the aggressive element of the So
called Democratic party.
Democrats must look forward to that con.
sequence as possible, II not inevitable.
The very respectable gentlemen who will
fall INTO line behind Mr.. CLEVELAND, Mr..
CARLISLE, and Mr.. WILSON will nave little
else besides their Owl standardization to
sustain them In the effort to obtain domi-
nance in the Democratic party which they
are about to make. They will be engaged
In an effort to bolster up an absolutely
lost and utterly discredited cause.
The time for a reorganization of the Dem
ocratic party has not yet come; nor will it
ever come II the proposed reorganization
involves a restoration Of Clevelandism.
A movement akin to the Reform Club
undertaking Is to r%eorganizc Tammany
Hall, or rather to bring about its political
reformation, by inducing 1t TO ignore its
Bryanite record of last year and nomi.
nate a gold Democrat as its candidate for
Mayor of the Greater New York at the
election of next November. The spring
municipal elections do not suggest that
such a movement will be successful. The
question before Tammany Hall will be
whether 1t would lose or gain by abandon
ing Organism. In order to get back the
gold Democrats 1t would invite a revolt of
the Bryan Democrats, which, according to
present indications, would be bitter, II not
extensive; and in order to win possible
votes next November it is not likely to neg
lect measures for the Cancellation of the
1875, 900 votes 1t actually obtained last
November In the face of the opposition of
the gold Democracy.
Clevelandism brought about Democratic
Reorganization and disintegration, and its
baleful influence is not yet exhausted.
C~levelandism also stirred up popular dis
content, which has not yet been quieted to
any degree. 1t has been destroyed by q
monster Of its own creation.
Accordingly. We are free to say. we have