Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-28
OUR TRUE POLICY

Tho Fredericksburg Star. which was
earnestly and sincerely with the Demo-
cratic party in the last campaign, and
stood souarely upon the Chicago plat
form. and which, as it says, has been
Democratic for twenty-seven years and
doesn't know how TO be anything else,
INDUCES in some observations regarding
the nomination of a State ticket that
are well worthy of the consideration of
its Democratic contemporaries through
out Virginia.
After stating that it does not regret
the position it occupied during the last
canvass and declaring that, if it had to
go into the election again, it would not
swerve from its former course. the Star
vigorously antagonizes nominating any
man mainly because he has been an
earnest advocate Of the free and unlim-
tied coinage Of silver at l6 10 /.
IT, of course. has no objection TO free
silver nominees. but contends that to
make free-silver record the test OF
claim 10 nomination would be untenable
and Illogical; for. it adds, by way OF
illustrations, nearly GA e"iAN+ q -. We
millions Of voters have the same record,
but that does not qualify any one Of
them TO be Governor of Virginia"
our Fredericksburg contemporary then
states. most emphatically that it has no
candidates for State Democratic nomina-
lions; pledges it's support to those whom
the wisdom OF the Democratic party
aaRnaa
sition as follows:
.srbe currency question has no more 70
30 with our State election than have II e
ratios OF the rings on coon 3 TAN 10 lho7C
nm his body. 1t is as much out OF pace
IN a state campaign or a state platform
as would he the tariff the question OF a
national income-taX, or the abolition OF
The civil-service humbug The state
Eovernment and the State officers can
deal with none OF these questions.
Therefore. the Star thinks the currency
uuestion out of place in State cam
paign. 80.
should be solely declaratory OF state
,ol,cies and the Isminees committed
solely to them"
The Dispatch is in accord with the
general policy advocated by the Star
but we do not forget that it is the custom
az our state Democratic conventions
10 endorse our partys national platforms.
Following this usage, we shall expect
our State convention to express its APP
proval OF the Chicago platform; but that
would be a very different thing from
making the free silver question the domi-
nant and an-pervading issue in the cam
palgn OF next fall
Tine Chicago platform is the platform
of tho National Democratic party and
omust be obeyed and respected accord
ingly" until another is adopted in its
stead. Many thousands Of Virginia
Democrats, who had other views prior
10 the assembling of the Chicago con-
yention, found no great difficulty in ac-
cepting that platform, and we are yet
10 see the first one Of them who is
ashamed OF having voted for Bryan and
6ewan.
YES: as a matter Of course, our State
Democratic Convention viii endorse and
ratify the Chicago platform. but it will
have vital State questions to deal with,
also. whether constitutional conven-
lion be Or1cfCl OF npl, Oh nay -i'Hs Jul
ntxt Legislature viii be called upon 10
do work Of far-reaching consequence.
If the constitutional convention be or
dered. IL will devolve upon the Legisla-
tufe to district the State for members
thereof and tx the date for their session
T. begin. II the constitutional conyen-
ton be not ordered, it viii devolve upon
The Legislature either TO submit the ques-
zion anew or TO proceed, Itself. 10 pro-
nose such constitutional amendments as
public opinion may demand. But in any
event II IL Of supreme importance that
The Democratic party Of the State should
be united, harmonious, and resolute in
the performance OF the work before H.
Therefore the action Of the State Demo-
rIatic Convention ought to be conclusive
bi the wish OF our party 10 have the sup
port OF all those who have heretofore
been with us and or as. Hence
Il ought to be our aim and ambi-
lion 80 70 act as 10 rally 10 our
standard every man who processes to be
Democrat and who believes that the
sp~nocratA Of VIRGINIA can be more safely