The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-21
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT TT.

The Minneapolis Tribune, in common
with many other straight Republican
organs, lays to it's soul the flattering
JUNCTION that the division between the
two wings Of the Democratic party is
irremediable, and says:
The best thing that the gold Democrats
can do is to come into the Republican party.
With the passage Of the Dingley bill the tariff
question will be shelved for several years.
The great issue will be the currency ques-
tion and on that the men who believe in the
maintenance of the sold standard will be
compelled to pull together if they would de-
feat the renewed effort that will be made to
slump our finances to the silver standard.
The gold Democrats are not at this
moment discussing their future plans
or considering their future action with
any considerable anxiety. They will be
found in the future, as they have been
IN the past, wherever their consciences
lead them, doing the best that they
know for country first, and party after
ward. The only thing, however, which
1T has been made impossible for them
to do is to follow the advice offered by
the Tribune. Those Of them who were
in deep and deadly earnest voted last
year for Gen. Palmer. A great many
Of them, who were earnest also, but
too badly scared to be consistent, made
the tremendous mistake Of voting for
Mr.. Mckinley. That one lapse to Re
publicanism has, we feel convinced,
cured them for all time to come There
is hardly a man who refused to sup
port the Chicago ticket year ago who
does not resolve today that on no con-
dition and under no circumstances will
he ever give aid and comfort to the
Republican cause. The Establishments
of the Tribune have been discounted by
some intensely practical experience.
1t says that the great issue of the fu-
ture will be the currency question, and
that men who have right views on that
subject must pull together The great is
sue in 1896 was the currency question.
And, after men tried to pull together
on that, the reply Of the successful Re-
publican party was not merely a tariff
bill that is an outrage and an abomi-
nation, but such a slap IN the face with
regard to sound currency as Mr.. Bryan
himself could scarcely have admins
tered. The plain fact is, as far as cur
rency reform is concerned, there is not
particle more to be expected or hoped
from the Republicans than from the
Popocrats. Take the action of the par
ty on the tariff question itself. The
tariff bill had to be showed through
the senate. The Republicans had not
enough votes to pass 1t. They were
obliged to make an alliance with some
body, and they had their choice be-
tween the sound money Democrats and
the free silver Republicans Did they
hesitate for one instant? By making
any reasonable concession it is proba-
BILE that enough votes could have been
secured in the senate from the Demo-
Gratis who, we regret to say, are also
afflicted with protection ideas, to pass
the bill with ease The Republican
managers pTel0IIGu To IIldh6 CQ61T COn-
cession to free silver men. They gave
them their way on the senate commit
tees, they let them name the repre-
sentatiYes to the International none
tary conference, and Mr.. Hanna busted
himself in securing the return Of
enough cheap money senators to give
his party the necessary vote. We see
where the Republicans go when they
want help. 1t is a suggestion Of beau
tifui simplicity that now the sound
money Democrats could find a. congo.
NAL home in the ranks Of that party.
Let the Republicans make no mis-
take. They have lost for good and all
not merely the hope Of assistance from
sound money Democrats, but their re-
spect as well. A Democrat who does
not believe in free silver will not re-
sign his convictions hereafter, because
being founded upon natural facts and
laws. he can no more reverse them
than he can make himself believe that
the sun moves around the earth. But,
wherever the circumstances of the case
require that his influence shall be cast