The true northerner., 1898-02-16
SILVER WAS IGNORED
SEEMS TO BE DROPPED FROM THE
DEMOCRATIC CREED.

In Their Declaration Of Faith the Dem
Of the White Mstai--Looks ~ II Green
backism Would Pop Up In 1900.
The other day caucus of Democratic
members of the house of representatives
passed several resolutions which define
the attitude of that party in that branch
toward the issues of the day. They at
tackled the presidents and secretary Of
the treasury's plans TO retire, tempo
rarily OF permanently, part OF the
greenbacks, assailed all propositions
calculated to increase the bank note
circulation or to prolong the existence
of the national banking system, de-
manded the passage Of the resolution
recognizing the Cuban insurgents as
belligerents and made al oracular dec
laration in favor Of the enactment of a
''just and wise bankruptcy law, which
may mean anything or nothing. But no
pronouncement of any sort was made
about silver.
Why did the Democrats of the house
ignore silver in their declaration of
faith? Do they believe that the smash
ing of Organism in 1896 retired the sill
yer issue finally and eternally, or do
they suppose that silverism is going to
merge itself into greenbackism before
1900 and that, instead of demanding q
As cent or 40 cent dollar in that year,
the Democracy will be shouting for a
no cent dollar?
A. straight, plain answer to these
queries would be of interest to the whole
country. 1t would be of especial interest
to the "6, 500. 900" whom Bryan in
vokes occasionally as an evidence of the
vitality of his policy Bailey of Texas,
the titular leader of the Democracy in
the house, was in that caucus and took
an active part in it's proceedings. Bland
and De Almond of Missouri and all the
other Democratic magnates of the house
were also there, and some of them made
speeches, yet the 16 to l doctrine seems
to have been entirely overlooked even
by it's inventor and patentee, Bland.
Considered in connection with some
developments Of the past few months,
this Democratic silence in the house
about silver is significant A dozen
states had elections six weeks ago, yet
the Democrats in several of those states
ignored or lodged silver in their cam
paign. This was particularly true of the
Democrats of New York and Maryland.
Do the Blands and Baileys indorse the
shuffiing and trickery Of Croker and
German on silver? Are both the Moses
and the Joshua of this 16 to crusade
going to abandon it just after their 90
years of enforced wandering in the will
derness of goldbugism seemed to be end
ed and when the promised land of sill
verism was in sight? 1t begins to look
that way. If silver has dropped out of
the Democratic creed, greenbackism will
have to take its place. This fiatist vac
NUN will have to be filled by injecting
more and worse fiatism. General James
B. Weaver, the old Greenbacker and
Popnlist, whom Bryan stumped the
west for in 1892, said in 1896 that
greenbackism has got to come" The
General seems TO have been right. The
Democrats, Bland aud the rest of them,
appear to be drawing away from silver
and getting over ON to Populist ground,
and in 1900 the country is likely to
have renewal of the fight of 1876,
1880 and 1884 on greenbackism, with
the difference that this time the green
back cause will be defended by one of
the great parties st. Louis Globe
Democrat.