The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-26
AN EXPLANATION FOR TWO
POLITICIANS.

Some people seem not to understand ex-
Senator Kern and ex-District Attorney
Burke. They would take them seriously
when they are playing the harlequin in pol
itics. Both these gentlemen were forced to
sacrifice their convictions in 1896. Mr.. Kern
made one of the best ant-16-to-1 speeches
of that year before the holding of the Chi
cago convention. For weeks after the con-
vention Mr.. Kern wore a solemn visage,
and his friends feared that he would man.
fully stand by the speech he made in the
English Opera House. After a time he
broke his silence in a speech of self-stulti-
fication and establishment. Thereafter he
blew the double bass tuba in the 16-to-l or
chestra. Mr.. Burke had fights innumerable
with the wild-eyed silvcrites of the push"
led by Clark which threatened to read him
out of the party. He was nos a 16-to-1
Democrat. After a period of silence, he,
like Mr. Kern. swallowed his convictions
ard sounded whatever 16-to-1 note the sill
yer mine syndicate ordered. Both of these
gentlemen have been rather desperate ever
since, and seem to take every opportunity
presented to place the Democracy before
the public in most ridiculous light. This
IS the explanation which the public needs
to understand rightfully Messrs. Kern and
Burke. AS opponents of Democracy they
desire to make the people believe that the
leaders are more obtuse and ignorant than
it is possible for human beings to be.
A great hue and cry has been made be-
cause Mr.. Burke, in his speech, assailed the
Republican demand for legalized primary.
Those who have made this attack upon Mr..
Burke would have us believe that he did
not know that the Democratic state plat
form contains a similar demand regarding
the primary as does the Republican. 1t is
absurd; Mr.. Burke is an unusually bright
man. He will not deny in speech before an
audience that he was ignorant on this point.
He would like to have the public infer that
he takes so little interest in Democratic af-
fairs that he does not read the state plat
form. He made the break he did to warn
Democratic committees that he cannot be
relied upon to make speeches this year.
Thus he is getting satisfaction for the hui
initiation he suffered in 1896.
Ex-senator Kern's case is even worse than
that of his fellow-statesman, Mr.. Burke.
Mr.. Kern knows that there is not fairly
intelligent person in the country who does
not know that the money with which troops
have been paid is as good as gold; that it
will pay debts the same as gold and pur-
chase as much as gold. He knows that
bonds are redeemed with the same money
with which all other payments by the treas
was before specie resumption. nearly twenty
years ago. Why, then, does Mr.. Kern tell
such ridiculous stuff to an audience? Sim
ply in the expectation of making the people
believe that as Democratic speaker he is
setting forth the views of Democratic lead
ers-the men who hunted him with threats
in 1896 until he abjectly surrendered to
them-and that these views are so absurd
that no sensible man can believe them.
When he became q silverite he declared that
he yielded his personal convictions to the
dictation of his Leads rs; having done so, he
obtains revenge by assuming to express
their views regarding the money in use,
which he knows are too ridiculous for any
one to believe. In effect, Mr.. Kern saws:
Il am talking for the Democratic leaders
who forced me TO accept their views two
years ago; now 1 continue to express their
views that you may see how ignorant or
INSCRIPTIONS they are'