The San Francisco call., 1898-03-08
DEMOCRATIC IDENTIFICATION.

DEMOCRATIC DlSlN E0Nt1 MI. T has been held. iustiaby that large percentage of the vote cast for MT Bryan given unwlll- | inpv under the spur of regularity and the spell of
 The men who cast that vote show determination not to be caught again.
 The Tammany organization, which controls the party in New York has always been fond of an in dependent kick It antagonized Tilden and Cleve- land and in 1888 went so far to deliberately throw the State for Harrison thereby entrenching itself in the local control of New York City.
 Before that 1t had shown its strength in an inde- pendent movement by nominating John Kelly against Lucius Robinson in 1879, getting for him 7oooo votes and electng Cornell. Tammany shows revival of its independent spirit, and while it cannot hope to control the Bryan National Committee or the con- vention of 1900, it evidently does not intend to be forced again to hold its while it votes regular ticket But the most important sign of all is the growing unrest of the South
 The Southern States want a good condition of credit They have restored yet the materalit1es that were destroyed by the Civil War. The Southern people have felt the consequences of their action in ISo6 They show signs of bolting away from their political leaders.
 In Texas Senator Mills has quit. In his letter, de- cliung to stand for reelection, he repudiates nde- pendent free coinage at Io to I, and declares that question is settled by the attitude of the commercial world which this country alone canrsot change He repudiates the 16 test forced upon the party in his State and attributes it to the wish of his rivals to make test that will so ens1nall the constituency of convention as to make easier its control and ad- vance thereby their personal ambitions. The Democ- racy seems to be in the position of trading off its own leadership in an exchange for that of Republican renegades like Towne and Teller.
 There is but one course open to those who repu- diated the Chicago platform but voted for its cand dates They consistently do nothing else than plump for the defeat of the managers whom they regard usurpers, that have made the party knee alien atars and worship strange gods
 MT. Bryan recently, ill a speech in Lincoln, made a violent attack on Alexander Hamilton, which would have propitiated the shade of Aaron Burr. This is significant to all original Democrats who remember that when Hamilton, as Washngton's Secretary of the Treasury formulated the financial policy of this country, agning its coinage scheme with natural law MT. Jefferson hastened to his support and put record his approval of the views of his antagonist upon this question, which was then and is now, purely a scientific matter
 The followers of Jefferson and of Harrison never differed upon this issue The Federalists under Adams and the Republicans under Jefferson, the Democrats under Jackson and the Wings under Web ster, stood as one in opposition to the theory and practice of hatism. The political schools under Mckinley and Cleveland find little difficulty, in these days, in agreeing upon the original ground where Hamilton and Jefferson shook hands.
 The hatists seem determined to make this the only political issue this year and in 1900. Its decision in wolves every material question of government. With out safe and sound financial system there is no politics in this country to interest thoughtful patriot Until this is settled such cannot divide and sub init to conquest by sentiment equally repugnant to every follower of Hamilton and of Jefferson
 Mere questions of taxation and revenue easily the subject of public sentiment, and cannot be so badly settled seriously affect the highest interests of the people But the financial issue Is so funda- mental that its right adjustment is the foundation rock of all prosperity, and its wrong settlement is the slough in which all interests will mire.