The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-01
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY /. 1898.
THE wRETCHED POSITION or THE
PATTY.


Bob" Ingorsoll. making a speech IN
New York during the Embellishments
campaign said. "the Democratic party
Is always glad 20 hear of national ca
lamlty. II it haarG that a great fleet OF
ships had gone down. or that the potato
crop was destroyed by the rot, it re-
joiced. lie believed" he said, "the Dem
ocratlc party was in partnership with
had luck"
some Of the incidents I'm Congress last
Saturday go a long way towards justify
ing "Bob's" estimate The House was
engaged ia discussing the question wheih-
or prosperity had or had not arrived
the Democrats OF course, maintaining
the negative side of the issue, when the
clerk Of the senate reported 90 the House
that the Senate had passed the Teller
resolution TO pay our national bonds in
deprecated silver at which, says the re-
cord. there was terrific outburst Of APP
plause from the Democratic side Of the
House"
That is it exactly Nothing could DE
more natural than that people who in
sst upon closing their eyes 10 every
hopeful sign, and who are wretched un-
less in Mark Tapley's Heaven, should
demand that we shall take advantage OF
a technicaHty to vhcedle an unsuapicious
investor who believed in one good faith
out Of a part Of what is due him.
This wretched resolution mas now play
ed its part and it will never again be
heard OF, and. happily, the country has
got so good a start on the high road that
is TO lead us out of that wilderness that
the threat Of free silver brought upon
Us that 10 amounted 10 nothing more
than the merest ripple upon the bosom
of a smooth sea. ~ was most lor-
tunate circumstance that Mr. McKinley's
speech at the Manufacturers banquet
came just as It did Almost i'm the hour
that the Democratic and free silver Re
publican senators were passing this mis-
erable badge of degcneracy. the President
was procla.ming TO the world that this
nation would never suffer its financial
honor TO be furnished That whatever
subterfuges legal and technical construc-
ton might give 20 IT, the American peo-
pie would insist upon performing an of
their obligations in the spirit IN which
they were meant. and that all men
might feel assured. whenever they ac-
cepted the contract Of this government
TO pay dollars. that they would receive
the very best coins that went by the
name OF dollars. and when the President
uttered these manly and honoring words
he represented the spirit and feelings of
the American people. lie represented
not only his Republican supporters but
hundreds Of thousands OF Democrats and
Democrats. 100. many Of whom voted Tor
William j. Bryan in 1896. Go where you
viii and you will meet with Democrats
who viii tell you that they did not believe
IN free silver but that they felt COM
PEELED 70 vote for Bryan because he was
the nominee of their party. We 90 not
think they ought to have done IL stand
ing az h did upon a platform that meant
obstruction and revolution. but il is an
unqgestionable fact that there We're
hundreds OF thcrssrds who did this thing.
The President represented these Demo
Gratis IN what he said as well as his Re-
publican followers. These Democrats
were AZ sincerely grieveG that the SEN
ate should have passed its silver resolu-
tion as any Republicans could have been
and the thought OF their country stand
ing before the world I'm the attitude Of n
dishonest debtor seeking TO take a tech
meal advantage Of one who has trusted
10 his honor and good faith. is athorrent
and sickening 10 them.
The Democratic politicians In Congress
are fortunately mistaken in their gloomy
views OF the conntry's condition The
indications are unmis5akable that con-
ndence In the stability OF our standard
Of value Is growing every day, and capt
tai ~ consequently coming every hour
out OF its hiding places ana seeking OPP
portunities 70 earn profits. This IS
starting improvements all over the ooun-
try and by 1900 IL will have swelled into
a tide OF prosperous business that will
submcrge all thosc who thiuk the way
- improve a country Is 10 destroy every