Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-10-20
THE OHIO DEMOCRACY.
Frantic Ia Throw Bryan md Free
silver Overheard.


silver Overheard.
The disorganized and habbergas ed
democracy OF Ohio certainly occupies
an unenyiable and unique position.
While the democratic managers and or
CARNATIONS OF other states are striving
with frantic haste TO throw free silver
and Organism overheard, the .lemo-
cratic party OF Ohio presents the lu-
dicrous spectacle Of making it's cam
paign solely on the free-silyer issue
Even the democratic platform of Ohio
refuses to recognize that any other
question besides that of free silver en-
ters into this campaign, and the un-
fortunate party which promulgated it
is bound thereby, hand and foot. TO the
advocacy of a fallacy which is being dis
carded by the same party throughout
the country.
Among the latest Democratic authori-
ties who admit that the free silver ques-
ton is dead is Gov. Charles r. O'Ferrall.
of Virginia. In a speech delivered by
him on September IL. 1897. he said:
II am confident that the doctrines OF the
Chicago platform will not much longer be
masqueraded democratic principles.
Free silver Is retreating before the return
hard times IL is beginning to pant for
breath already. under the pressure of the
advance in wheat and the reopening OF
mills. mines and factories. The free-silyer
campaign slogan OF last fall as silver
falls wheat falls. as silver advances wheat
advances is no longer heard. and the
people are fast learning that IL is the Law
of supply and demand and not the price
OF silver. that controls the prices of the
farmers products and the laboring mans
wages.
Free. unlimited and independent coin
age OF silver is doomed. and no strong polit-
teal party OF the present or future will
ever put itself TO death by declaring for It
In national convention"
Emphatic and plain as are Gov. OFFER
rails words, however, democratic au-
thority greater than he has abandoned
the sixteen to one shibboleth of 1896. A
few days ago the democratic state CON-
mittee of New York met to nom
mate n supreme court justice for the
state and to enunciato he principles of
the party for the fight to be carried on
I'm New York this fall. On the advice
of Senator James X. Jones, chairman
of the democratic national committee
the New York state democratic commit
tee voted down the proposition to re-
affirm the Chicago popocratic platform
of 1896.
The national democratic chairman
wrote "A letter which was read at the
meeting in question, in which he urged
the New York democrats to- say nothing
about the platform or action of the
last democratic national convention
Senator Jones letter read:
There could be nothing more ind'screet
or impolitic than for the state central
committee to assume authority which il
did not possess. and 1t especially should
be careful to follow precedents. and not
give occasion for criticism on the charge
of being revolutionary in it's methods
The state committee, as / understand,
has authority from the convention to
nominate candidate for judge. This
empowers the committee to do that but
me state convention did not authorize
them TO frame platform or to either in
dorSe or condemn the action of the state
convention or any national convention
1T seems to me that for them to assume
such authority would lay them open to
criticism. without presuming to criticise
the action OF the state central commit
tee. over which. OF course | have no sort
OF control. l venture to suggest that the
wise and polite thing for them to do is to
follow the exact line of their authority.
and not exceed it in any respect"
Careful as was the eminent democrat
ic author of this letter in choosing his
words, it was nevertheless impossible
for him 10 conceal the fact that he was
afraid that reaflirmation of the free
silver platform would be fatal to his
party.
Senator Jones was right, and Gov.
OFerrall was right. The party that
again declares for free silver in this
country will, in the words of ov. OFFER
rail-, put itself to death" and that is
just what the democratic party of Ohio
has done. 1t has committed suicide,
and there are no mourners to lament it's
demise.-Cincinuati Commercial Trib-
une.