The Lamar register., 1898-02-12
FOR SIXTEEN TO ONE.
sRYAN DISCUSSES rAE RArlo.
He Refates the Arguments of those Who
Would Change the status of silver
Coinage Wants no Concessions TO Gold
Democrats

New YORK, teD. s---1 eSkefudN tuoFN-
Ing the Journal published long letter
from William ]. Bryan, in which he
contends for the retention OF the 10 to
/ ratio as cardinal feature OF the
Democratic creed.
"The moment the ratio Of 10 to i is
surrendered" writes Mr.. Bryan. "our
silver plank loses its force. Those who
oppose the ratio of 10 TO / are not
agreed among themselves. No consid-
erable body of men ask for any other
ratio. One man says 20 to i, another
"a. another 81; but all objectors to-
gether are small in number compared
with those who believe in the ability
of this nation 10 maintain the parity
OF 16 20 l."
Mr.. Bryan then argues against leav-
ing the ratio TO be determined by Con-
gress, and points out that such pol
icy divides the free-silVer forces Some
congressman may be elected en- 16
TO l platform and others on platforms
faToring other ratios
The ratio Of Ii to l." he says, has
been adopted by the Democratic party
I'm a convention which more than any
other recent convention received Its hu-
thority direct from the people The
rank and file OF the party. instead OF
pressed their own opinion upon the
subject, and that opinion has not
changed since the convention, This
ratio has also been endorsed by the
PopulIstic puty. the National Silver
party and the Silver Republicans To
abandon the ratio would be wrong in
itself. and Rs impolitic as il would be
wrong. II the Democratic party were
TO allow its policy on this question TO
be determined by a few doubling
Thomases. or by the dcserters who
supported the enemy in the great strug-
gle between Democracy and piutoc-
racy, Il would icse the respect and con
fldcnce Of those who now look To u a.
an efficient means of restoring a gov
Crnment % the people. To turn its
clear and cuuri EJsOus foundations. TO
waliow again In the mire % ambiguity
and deception. would ALLEVIATE those
who have been drawn TO & by the plat
form OF IS35.-
Mr.. Bryan does not mince words In
characterizinE thosc Democrats who re
fuse 20 stand up for 10 TO l.
The Democratic party could have
retained within its fold the deSerters
Of 1885 Il Il had consented 10 n mean
lncless PLATFORM be SAYS, ~but Il pre-
ferred TO lOsr some members Of the
body rather than have the whole body
destroyed. Regeneration did not come
too soon. The gold Democrats were
rapidly making the party a rival Of the
Republican party for the favor OF
trusts and monopnlics- II the Chicago
platform did nothing else. Il drove
from the party those who had been
manipulating the party for private
gain and using the government FOR
public plunder. There are many ot the
dese-ters Whose return 20 the party
would bring weakness rather than
add strength. and thsrc are millions OF
Democrats who would not surrender a
single lins Of the Chicago platform b.
cause Of ants EuuisIn to the principles
set forth In that platform. The party
can win more voters by steadfasrly
standing by The right than by weakly
compromising with error. and those
who profess attachment TO the peno-
cratic name rather than 20 DsEnocrztic
principles viii always require watch.
ing The Democratic party has put
its hand 70 the pIow. and. unless mis-
tSke the spirit which auImares the
members. II viii not look back"