The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-07-22
DEMOCR1TIC UNTrT.

though not Tor puDlCallcH huitNS NNSi~"'
they will receive no attention.
DEMOCRATIC UNITE
As the time approaches for nomluat-
ing Congressional candidates, men
begin to ask each other who The
standard bearers of the Democratic
party will be and ulon what ISSUES
the battle will be fought the coming
fall. In the Second Congressional
district we have plenty of available
timber and we can all we'll afford to
leave the selection of our champion
to u convention composed of repre-
sentative Democrats, but as to the is
sues too much cannot be said.
1t is proof of the necessity for the
existence of the Democratic party and
a convincing argument of its lmmor-
tality that ever since the foundations
of our government were laid 1t has
never gone before the people in an
election without clean cut and well
expounded declarations Of principles
in which the greatest good of the
greatest possible number of citizens
was the controlling idea. Up until
the declaration of war last April, how
ever, it seemed almost as if the Demo
cratic leaders might have to say to
the voters this fall: 1--WE have no
good and valid reason to urge why
you should vote our ticket in prefer
ence to the opposition. There is no
issue between u.s." But when our
ship of State began to toss in deep
waters then, instantly, the reverend
ing need for the existence and con-
stantly renewed virile strength OF the
Democratic party-the steadfast de-
fender of the constitution and the peo-
pie against the always aggressive and
alert friends of Imperialism and a
strong centralized government, be-
came apparent. The first hostile
shots fired-the reverberations of
Dewey's cannon at Manila--awakened
an issue so clean cut, SO well defined,
81 VI b1lC old
line between Jefferson and Hamilton,
that the veriest tyroes in politics could
have no more trouble in deciding
which side the Democratic party be-
longed on than the rawest of Uncle
Sans recruits should have in distin-
gushing between the Star Spangled
b amer and the red and yellow rag
which typiiies the sovereignty OF
Spain.
On some of the issues of the last
Presidential election Democrats diff
fered and diff cred honestly. Prob
ably few of them have changed their
minds since that campaign, and if it
were sought to bring the question of
bin etallism VS.. the gold standard up
again this fall, the result would be
the same as before-neither single
standard men nor bimetallists would
have a majority against the Republi-
can hosts, now unified by the posses
sion of office, the hope of spoiIs and
the visions of still richer pickings
after the war" But while the ques-
ton of a currency standard is an ex-
tremely important one and one which
may yet give US much trouble before
it is finally settled, we submit that it
is not nearly so vital as the question
which now confronts US. The ulti-
mate possibility of free coinage or the
continuation of the gold standard can.
not possibly appear SO menacing to
gold and silver Democrats respective
ly and to all men who love our consti-
tuition and glorious history, our sim
pie, yet perfect form of government,
as does the menacing spectre of i'm
perialism.
Bimetallists can we'll afford to rest
upon their oars at present, for, despite
the fact that they were defeated at
the last Presidential and Congression-
al election, they have secured more
favorable legislation than have their
opponents. They were able to have
provision made that the bonds just
issued with such tlattering success by
the government should be paid in
coin and not in gold, and they secured
the increased coinage of silver at
the rate of 81 800, 600 month. This
is more than they could have reason
ably expected to accomplish.
Besides. conditions are not the same
now as two years ago, and the need
for free coinage is not so urgent.
Thanks to our bounteous crops of last
year and the good prices they brought
because of scarcity abroad, and also
because OF the natural imitation caused
by government expenditures while
war is pending, money is now more
plentiful throughout the country and
financial conditions are easier. For
this reason the friends of free coinage
will not find this an opportune time
to bring their favorite theory forward.
And, following the old adage Let
sleeping dogs lie," the gold standard
men will not be apt to agitate the
matter if the silver men do not. 1t
will be prudent in them not to do so,
for their theories are now on trial and
if they have faith in them they should
be willing to await the unhampered
decision of the public.
Therefore, let Democrats of all
shades of opinion as to finance, tariff,
civil service reform and the like
swallow all their subordinate differ
ences for the present and devote all
their energies to fighting the common
foe, the Republican party-the party
that stands for annexation, imperial
ism, "a largely increased standing army,
an immense navy and immense taxes.
And after we have vanquished the
common enemy and come to look for
our old factioual differences we NAV
find that they then no longer exist.
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
General Jose Toral, commanding
the Fourth corps of the Spanish
army in Cuba, formally surrendered
TO General Shafter at nine o'clock on