Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-01-21
rs DEFIAN

al GhO AOd40 V441O
nal of Thursday Mr.. Henry Wat
terson turns himself loose in his
best style upon those free silver
Democrats who insist that the
party must be conducted on the
lines of the Chicago platform
The following are some of the
many choice bits in this brilliant
editorial
"No party on earth could stand
on the Chicago platform, because
no government could exist on any
such scheme of pnblic pt cy. The
civilized world is faced the other
way; and the men back OF the
movement that came to so disas-
trous an end are both incompetent
and absolete. They belong to a
past age. They may flourish a
while longer as Populists. But
they can DO nothing as Democrats
They will grow fewer and fewer
and beautifully less, until as lead
ers they peter out altogether ieav-
ing behind them a most unpieas-
ant memory"
eve shall, as far as we are
able, and as we see tt, lay down
the gospel of truth. Even as
Moses lifted up the serpent IN the
wilderness, shall we lift up the
banners of Democracy: If the
old party is to go down, then let
it 90 down, but when it does we
shall 90 down with it, and our
flag shall be found flying, not
trailing through tie mire of Pop
ulism, nor lost in the bushes OF IN
belief.
"The Indianapolis platform is
Democracy pure and undetiled.
The Chicago platform is Populism
a little tempered by Altgeldism
and Tillmanism He who prefers
the Chicago platform to the In
dianapolis platform can do so. 1t
is his right. But he will do so at
the peril of his political future.
ssIn the meantime let US say to
those of our quondam Democratic
associates who inveigh so loudly
against the stand we have taken,
that their abuse has no terrors for
US. We rather like it, 1t is
proof of our fidelity That must
be a poor cause that cannot bear
intelligent discussion. Any fool
can call names. Any dog IAN I'M
pugn motives. But, in the long
run, it is the conscience and the
reason Of the best people that pre-
vail IN public affairs, and, IN the
end, an overwhelming ma orlty OF
the best people will come to see
where the wretched business OF
last summer has led the great his
toric Democratic party. They
will come to see that it stood NO
chance to win. They will come
to see that it was bound to lose.
They will come to see that an
omnium gatherum of greedy pol
iticians got together and that, mis-
conceiving the condition of the
times and the temper Of the peo-
pie. and enormously thinking they
could corral all the neither ele-
ments of society, the bankrupt,
the visionary and the purely
vicious, and carry an election on
its platform of anarchy and repud-
iation, they sold the Democratic
~birthright for a promised mess OF
pottage, and never got so much as
a smell of the pottage. That l.
what the people will come to see,
for that is what these incompetent
and short-sighted leaders did; ano
when the time arrives the delin-
quents will have to pay
the penalty for their folly.
In politics as in war, sue
cess is a very considerable fac,
tor; and while leaders may lose
political battles for truths sake
and still survive on the conf
dence of the masses, never We
did any set Of leaders survive I
misadventure made at the sacrl
fee of truth.
go on with your rat killing
oonf1omen. YOu NAV think tina
it is your turn to-day But
will be truths turn tomorrow
Then look to it."
When Henry Watterson i
aroused he is a terror, and b.
seems to have been pretty we
stirred up when he wrote tn
wringing words we have quoted