The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-04
rHAr 1opDERYuL PLATFORM
Constructed by ssnstoF German for 'hs
MaryianI Democracy.

ron,true,sd by ssnstoF German for 'he
MarylanI Democracy.
baltimore News lind. pem.); We are
amused while we confess to being also
,nrnrised at the solemn way In which
NJ Gorfn4n's dust-throwlng platform
tas been hailed by some OF tie ilGats OF
,,,str5polltnn journalism The New YORK
T,mes. FOR example welcomes the deiiV'
erance In this fashion,;
asTbe regular organization has cast of
prvnnlsm and returned to those famil-
a. deelafations OF principle with which
a, ms won countless victories, II has
bsen Numbering In painless bog; II
comes back to the true path. It Is DEM
oc,atic once more,
Tbe doctrine OF International blmetal-
,.ro Is a deluslon, but It is "a Bryanism
what the dreamy Socialism OF William
Ntnrrls IS TO the Anarchlsm of John
SIost The one Is an academic yearn'
,ng for the moon. The other Is an overt
BEGINNING OF preparations TO commit
,,onstrous crime right here on earth
n Is almost incredible that any person
,ybo has got beyond his teens should
t,Ik as II the words put Into this state
n,tform for the sole purpose OF get
,,ng all the votes possible in the COM
,"g election were a sacramental and IT.
rsvocable dedication OF the Democratic
norty In Maryland to "the doctrine OF
International bimetalllsm" or to any
Amer doctrine. The able editor knows
MAI the platform was written by the
man who. some thirteen months ago
"nt his state convention 20 make a plat
Hkr.N gtNHa 1AmVmnn
maintenance OF the existing gold STAND
ard OF value" and that I'VE therefore
TegoIutely oppose the free and unfmit-
ed coinage OF silver at the ratio OF 10 10
l." and who, nevertheless Just one
month later, gave his active and ener-
Cetlc support TO the declaration OF inc
Chicago platform that I'VE demand the
free aud unlimited coinage OF both Sill
YER and gold at the present legal ratio
Of lG TO /, without waiting for the aid or
consent OF any other nation When
he now orders his convention to get
somewhere ln the middle, between these
two solemn declarations, Is II not tri'
fe childish to look upon It's deliverancs
us an Important political event?
The New York World and the Brook
Ivn Eagle take a somewhat similar
view OF the significance Of the thing.
The World, for instance, says
'"Thls is the FIRST ray OF light, the first
glcam OF sense, the first sign OF change,
The first recognition by tho old Demo-
cratic leaders that something has hap
pened, 60
was one OF the committee that conduct
ed the Democratic free silver Chicago
platform campaign. on Wednesday he
wns the absolute boss OF the Maryland
Democratic convention. And the Chlca-
co platform was not even mentioned In
us resolutions"
Evidently, It Is because OF the ex'
IRENE anxiety OF these staunch Demo-
cratic papers 70 see q ray OF light In
the political situation that they see one
where there is none. They are Justly
outraged NY the eXorbitant tariff per-
formances OF the Republicans, and they
would Ike 10 think that there Is q re-
fuge from that evil without running In
10 the worse evil OF currency debase-
ment. This is the only explanation we
eau find for their halllng with delight
platform declaration whose only mer.
it Is It's want Of eiearRess, and Which, "
1t were ever so clear, could not be ac-
cepted as having any weight, being, a'
II is, the mere expression OF what an
unblushina turncoat and brazen soldier
OF fortune thinks 1t polite to say al
this particular moment.
Enough has been developed In the
mast few days TO show that German was
completely successful in accomplishing
the primary object OF his straddle plat
form, which was. OF course, to make II
possible for a person on either side to
believe II means Just what that person
wishes 1t to mean. The real question
that remains is. which side is going to
he buncoed? We do not set up to be
expert mind-readers, but we venture 10
assert with great confidence that no
body knows the answer to this ques-
ton. MIR. Arthur Pue German will
know some day, II he succeeds in being
reelected to the senate. But he does
not know now. II Is matter of entire
Indifference to him whether 1t shall
turn out to be bunco Of the gold men
n bunco OF the silver men. or little OF
both. Which OF the three It shall be, he
will decide when the occasion arises,
and not sooner. The one thing that he
Is quite sure of Is that 1t will be Just
whatever is most convenient to the SEN
ior senator from Maryland.