The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-02-17

among themselves. No considerable body
of Imen ask for any other specific ratio.
One man says 30 to 1, another "a, an
other 32 but all the objectors together
are small in number when compared
with those who firmly believe the ability
of this nation to maintain the parity at
10 to 1. If it is proposed TO leave the
ratio to congress, IL must be remembered
that those who desire bimetalllsm demand
Affirmative action, and every one opposed
to the ratio fixed in any proposed bill
will be counted against any kind of BIZ
metallism. II the ratio is left to be de-
termined by congressman who run upon
different platforms, it gives chance for
u variety of ratios, which will effectually
prevent any legislation favorable TO BIZ
metallism, and will also give chance
for friends of the gold standard to slip in
to congress under the pretence of favoring
some underlined ratio but who, as mat
ter Of fact, would use their positions to
maintain the gold standard.
The ratio of 10 to 1 has been adopted
by the Democratic party in convention
which, more than any recent convention,
received its authority direct from the peo-
pie. The rank and file of the party, in
stead of leaving the ratio to their lead
ers, expressed their opinion upon the sub
jcet, and that opinion has not changed
since the convention. This ratio has also
been endorsed by the Populist party, the
National Ci1vor rnrtv opd tho Silvpr Rp-
publicans. To abandon the ratio would
be wrong in itself, and as impolitic as
it would be wrong. If the Democratic
party were to allow it's policy on this
question to be determined by a few doubt
ing Thomasss, or by the deserters who
supported the enemy in the great strug-
gle between Democracy and plotocracy,
it would lose the respect and confidence
of those who now look to it as an efficient
means of restoring government Of the
people. 70 turn.from its clear and courage
Gus enunciatinns' to wallow again in the
mire of ambiguity and deception would
ALLEVIATE those who have been drawn to
1t by the platform of 1885, The Dem
its folds the deserters of 1896 IL 1t had
consented to a meaningless platform, but
1t preferred to lose some members of the
body rather than to have the whole body
destroyed Regeneration did not come
too soon. The gold Democrats were
rapidly making the party rival of the
Republican party for the favor of trusts
and monopolies. If the Chicago platform
did nothing else, it drove from the party
those who had been manipulating the
party for private gain and using the gov
ernment for pubic plunder There are
many of these deserters whose return to
the party would bring weakness rather
than strength, and there are millions
of Democrats who would not surrender
single line of the Chicago platform
to recover every deserter who left because
of real antagonism to the principles SET
forth in that platform. do not refer to
those who were misled. There were many
who left because they did not fully un-
derstand the issues raised, and they are
coming back Of their own accord, because
they find themselves in sympathy with
our platform.
The party can win more voters by
steadfastly standing by the right than by
weakly compromising with error, and
those won back to the platform will be
useful when they return, while those who
profess attachment to the Democratic
name rather than to Democratic princi-
Piles will always require watching.
The Democratic party has put its hand
to the plough, and unless mistake the
spirit which animates the members, it
will not look back. w. j. BRYAN.