Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-08-26
RETURN OF A PRODIGAL.
Crockett Enterprise:

Crockett Enterprise
| 1t is a fact that it has never attempted to
conceal, that the enterprise opposed, not
''silver," but the "unlimi ed" coinage of that
metal. 1t did this because it did not believe
that such policy would knock the shackles
off OF labor, and bring that prosperity to the
country that '.must" come, or else our form
of government will terminate in Cisintega.ion
aid ''ease of blood
| In this view the close friends of the Enter
prise, though unlimited coinage silver men,
know that it has been thoroughly honest in
its convictions. 1t has said all along that
with one more trial for the friends of the
gold standard, and they failed to bring that
prosperity that ought 10 be here and which
| the people demand, then it proposed to sur
render Internationally" to the dictates of
'fouI-ffths" of Its party on the question of
silver or any other party policy aud in the
future, as in the past thirty-fve years, when
ever the democratic bugle blows. you will
find the Enterprise in the front ranks with
unsheathed sword, ready to cut, slash and
slay in defense of the principles of democ-
racy, and the more desperate the struggle
the more it will like it.
The Enterprise has played truaut to its
party long enough, and the unrest its course
| Las SSluSSO IL Will IClualu It's own secret.
1t now recognizes with sorrow-consider-
ing the prosperity and happiness of the peo-
ple-the error it made in giving its support
in the national campaign to the democratic
dissentorS, Messrs. Palmer and Buckner,
whose candidacy made "sure" the election of
the republican candidates for president, and
the legislative acts of that party during the
last lew months, ought to be sufficient to
convince every true democrat in the land,
that returning prosperity can never come to
this country and people, so long as the re-
publican party is in control Of the govern
ment. Reference is here had to the passage
of the robber tariff bill, through which the
trust combines, though the bill is but little
over one week old, have already made some
$500, 1000, ooo, which the poor of this afflicted
land will have to pay.
But aside from al these distressing facts, q
DEMOCRAT will submit to the behests of his
party though he may not endorse every
plank in its platform. In the last Campaign,
millions" of democrats looked with as
much distrust upon the unlimited coinage of
silver policy as the Enterprise did, but they
remained with and voted with the party, and
it now recognizes and admits that they were
right and 1t was wrong, because it believes
now as 1t has ever believed, that the hope of
the prosperity of the country and the perpe-
tuity OF our system of government. depends
upon the dominancY Of democratic tenets.
Hence, the Enterprise, because it don't
know how to be anything else except dem
ocrat, returns to the democratic party 10
stay, whatever may be its future polii:s, and
however much it may be jerred at by its
former good money associates or free silver
fanatics. And as this political prodigal is
tired of his wanderlngs from the democratic
fold, in the beautiful and touching language
of Ruth, when her mother in-law, Naomi,
announced the necessity for their separation,
the Enterprise is ready to exclaim, touching
its future loyalty to its party:
Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return
from following after thee, for whittier thou
goest will go; and where thou lodgest will
lodge; thy people shall be my people, and
thy God my God.
"Where thou diest, will l die, and there
will be buried; the Lord do so to me, and
more also, if aught but death part thee
and me-"
Conditions have now reached that point
that, to halt or split hairs about platform
declarations is to be damned The cues
ton now is, ''shall our form of government
be preserved ?" This is practically the only
issue now before the American people. 1t is
plain that this cannot be done under republi-
can rule. 1t lean" be done under demo-
cratic rule. Then in the contest of 1903 and
LOCO, let patriotic democrats present an I'M
broken front to the enemy, and then the
country will be safe.
In taking this course, the Enterprise de-
sires it distinctly understood, that 1t has no
harsh epithets TO bestow upon its former
gold standard associates, for it has stood
shoulder to shoulder with them upon MANY
hard fought battle fields, and it knows that
they are made out of the stuff of which he
roes are moulded. But, boys, we have been
in the wrong in antagonizing our party,
whatever we may think of any one of its
acts, and as democrats and patriots, we must
stand together in the future against the COM
mon "enemy" of the laboring classes and the
prosperity Of our common country, the re-
publican party. Therefore, boys, come
back where you belong, in the democratic
organization, and if we iall in future battles,
we will fall as we have often fell before, with
our faces to the enemy and flying the flag of
civil liberty, good government and the op-
pressed poor of the land Can you longer
refrain from enlisting under such banner
Surely you cannot. If our party makes a
mistake uPon any issue, it Will correct the err
ror in due time, if we remain together and
keep ii In power. Hence, it occurs to the
Enterpri e that your duty in the premises is
clear. Why will you longer halt between
two opinions when SO much Is at stake?
As the Enterprise never does anything in
half hearted, non-commital way, demo-
Gratis can rely upon it that il will Zine up"
with them upon every field where fighting is
to be done, without stopping to ask who is
in command" or what the numbers Ct the
enemy may be. and there it will remain I'M
I'll victory perches uron our banners. or we