The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-27
San Francisco, Oct. 10, 1898.


ti+v with its own opinions. 1t actually
does tolerate among them some indie
pendence of thought and expression.
Tested bv the standard of progressive
modern journalism, that carries weight
and influence and helps to form public
opinion. this tolerance is wise; but,
tested bv the standards of sensational
ism. which exists chiefly for the graft
ncation of viciousness, it is a mistake.
A coward admires a bully who beats
a woman or a stripping, just as brute
adores. a coarse sensualist, to whom ap-
petite is the only god, and filthy no
toriety the sole equivalent for charac-
ter
Therefore, under the maxim ''noscitur
sociis," must conclude that Inc Can
is right. and has a constituency that
really possesses manhood and is able
to comprehend American citizenship
Inspired by this reflection, request
YOU to allow me a little more space to
express my views of Jeffersonlan De
1nocracy. as related to the present can
vass, both State and municipal L
have already had my say about the
platform of the late Democratic State
Convention. l wish now to deal rather
more fully with the welded platforms
upon which Mr.. Mcguire and ehe re-
rnainder of the fusion ticket have been
nominated.
1t must be conceded that great
many citizens, who at least believe
themselves to be Democrats and to pc
long to a political organization Whlch
is within the constitution, which mas
had definite views of constitutional IN
depreciation, and which mas a recoIa
that largely enters into the history OF
the country, will not vote for Mr.. Ma
suire and his associates, and that
many of them, although they do not
believe in Imperialism or in protectlon,
will vote for the Republican ticket.
These men are thinkers and readers,
with a strong inclination to support
party discipline, and they are not Of
fee holders or candidates. Therefore
they must have strong reasons for their
revolt against fusion. Let me briefly
explain what some of these reasons
are.
These Democrats wish to have a
Democratic candidate for the Presi
dency in 1900, and they are convinced,
referring particularly now to this
State, that, if the fusion ticket prevails,
the last page of Democratic success VIII
have been written Apart from minor
questions, upon which the platforms
of all parties are virtually in harmony,
they are unable to discover a single
feature of true American Democracy in
the platform adopted by the late Dem
Ocratic State Convention, and both
there and in the platform of the Pop
ulists they find revolutionary doctrines,
equally opposed to Democracy and 10
Americanism. AS l Ventured to pre-
diet in a former communication to The
Call, with all it's defects, they discover
more Democracy in the Republican
platform than has been offered 10 them
by the gentlemen who have assumed
10
party of the Union
These Democrats refused to accept
the Chicago platform of 1896 and the
candidacy of Mr.. Bryan because in
their deliberate judgment both con-
flicted with the fundamental doctrines
Of American Democracy. They now OBJ
serve that the Chicago platform has
been formally re-enacted in this State
and therefore association with the
sound money Democrats Of 1896 IN
terms repudiated. They receive this
challenge with serenity and without
culver in their convictions. AS Federal
Senators and congressman are to be
elected they consider the reiteration of
the declaration in favor of the free
coinage of silver at the ratio of sixteen
to one as an attempt to perpetuate
national issue which would exclude
them from all participation in the party
to which they have been SO long at
L
stitute cheap money in the form of sill
Yer at double its bullion value for the
standard which has always been here
tofore enforced to drive out gold, to re-
duce wages, to cOntScate Indebtedness
and to increase the expense of living
the Democrats of whom 1 speak regard
as a breach of constitutional obligation
and a treacherous attack upon the
Democratic party and especially upon
this State, which, through it's specific
contract law and the constant practice
of it's people. is at the head of all hard
money communities. When to this is
added a proposal to flood the country
with an irredeemable paper currency
under the absurd notion that value can
be created by legislation and this, too,
after the practical experience of the
civil war, the exasperated patriotism
of these Democrats will endure no
longer. They viii never consent that
their country, through parties that
either do not comprehend or have aban-
doned its Institutions shall be placed
upon even a lower footing among ma
lions than Mexico, China and those
Central and South American States
which starve at home and buy gold at
an enorm9us premium to pay their for
eign Indebtedness.
But free silver is only one of the
anti-Democratic and anti-American
phases Of the platforms which Mr.. Ma
Sulre ana MS associates nave lnQOrSSQ.
The initiative, the referendum and di-
rect legislation are all expressions of
the desire to substitute the rule Of an
irregular majority for the American
system, which secures both liberty and
order, under the supremacy of funda-
mental principles and Of established
law. The attacks upon the judiciary
are obnoxious to every citizen who was
trained in the school of conservative
Democracy and taught that the legis-
lative department should make or
amend the law, that the judicial de-
partment should declare 1t and that the
executive department should enforce it.
Government ownership of railroads and
acquisition of public utilities are a
mode of Capitalization and of enor-
mously complicating the functions of
government and the opportunities for
corruption. which no Jeffersonian Dem
ocrat would even have been asked to
sanction until within the last few
years. The election of United States
Senators by the people in and of itself
would effect a revolution in our sys-
tenn and would be in line with the other
patent expedients through which