The sun., 1897-05-27
The Duty of Democrats.

1t is natural and commendable that Dem
ocrats who stood out last year in resist
ance to the movement to turn their party
into revolutionary conspiracy should de-
sire and labor strenuously to unite the
Democracy upon some other issue than
that made by the Chicago platform. Ac-
cordingly, here in New York and generally
elsewhere, propositions to ignore that dec
laration of destructive principles as if it
had never been made, are exceedingly
tempting to the Democratic loyalty which
was so flagrantly insulted and outraged
by the Chicago alliance of the Democracy
with Populism, Socialism, and the other
political forces now engaged in a warfare
upon social order and security.
On the other hand, the Chicago combina-
tion is holding together with a continuing
cohesiveness which Is almost unexampled
in the history of such political fusions. It's
heterogeneous political elements are chiefly
Democrats, Populists, and silver Republi-
cans, but to them is added miscellaneous
collection of the eccentric and cranky who
are always ready to assist in any disturb
ing social and political enterprise. To-
gether they cast in November a vote for
>'AA' DAN nav SANSSuihe V,oOo,ooo, do uBdlubU
the vote of about 5,5OO,OOO for Mr..
CLEVELAND in 1892. How the great
aggregate of 1896 was made up be-
comes apparent when VIC find that
In 1892 Mr.. WEAVER, the Populist candi.
date, received over /. .OOO. 900 votes. Those
were transferred to Mr.. BRYAN in 1896,
together with many votes drawn from
socialistic and eccentric factions, and
they supplied the deficiency caused by the
revolt Of the old Democracy against the
revolutionary Democracy of the Chicago
platform; very remarkable increase In
the total vote, due to the unprecedented ex-
oitement of the campaign, helping also
% account for BRYAS'S gain of about
1000, 900 votes over CLEVELAND in 1892.
This combination Of political elements,
which had seemed before last year to he
absolutely and Inherently discordant and
incapable OF assimilation, was effected with
astonishing success. The Democrats and
the Populists had been bitter enemies and
rivals. more especially at the South, and
both were intolerant of the Republicans; !;
yet they made common cause in the repudi-
alton enterprise. This extraordinary alli-
ance was so far complete, even as early as
opiih6b 'haV SiiNcT HtudtOTS az
Washington had picked ont Senator TELLER,
asilver Republican Of previously unbroken
end even bigotcd allegiance TO the Republi.
cnn party, AS the candidate for President to
be nominated by the Chicago Convention.
Democratic, Populistic. and Republican
Senators Of this silver coteric were ready
TO sacrifice partisan prejudiccs to accom-.
plish the end they had in view, which was
to split both the Democratic and Renub-
lican parties, and TO absorb the Populist
party, which had made so ominous a
demonstration in 1902. They expected TO
bring about fusion which would sweep
the country. The alliance failed of its pur,
pose last year, but the election proved that
the heterogene GUS political clements were
actually capable of assimilation. The sil.
yer party worked together, forgetting and
burying all past animosites and dissen.
sions, ard the alliance was compacted and
strengthened under the ordeal of the fire of
the election. 1t was only beaten last No
vember by combination of the forces of
honesty against 1t, which was equally firm.
Since the election, the revolutionary ele-
Inents have continued In their menacing
unity, and the coheslveness Of the combi-