The Meeker herald., 1898-02-12
FOR SIXTEEN TO ONE.
BRYAN DISCUSSES THE RATIO.
He Rsfatss the Arguments ef thsss We
Woald Change the status sf sns~
Cein.ge-wauts NO Conosss.oaa - 0psA
DenocrptA

New York, Feb. Yesterday morn
ing the Journal published long Letter
from William J. Bryan, In which he
contends for the retention Of the 16 to
l ratio as a cardinal feature Of the
Democratic creed.
"The moment the ratio of 10 to ! Is
surrendered" writes Mr.. Bryan, ~sur
silver plank loses its force. Those Who
oppose the ratio OF 16 to are not
agreed among themselves. No consid
erable body Of men ask for any other
ratio. One man says 20 to l, another
"a. another 81: but all objectors to-
gether are small in number compared
with those who believe in the ability
of this nation to maintain the parity
of 16 to L.
Mr.. Bryan then argues against leav-
ing the ratio to be determined by Con-
gress, and points out that such a pol
icy divides the free-silver forces. Some
congressman may be elected on a 16
to platform and others on platforms
favoring other ratios.
"The ratio of 10 to l." he says, "has
been adopted by the Democratic party
In convention which more than any
other recent convention received its au-
thority direct from the people. The
rank and file OF the party. instead OF
leaving the ratio to the leaders, ex-
pressed their own opinion upon the
subject, and that opinion has not
changed since the convention. This
ratio has also been endorsed by the
Populistic party. the National Silver
party and the Silver Republicans. ~
abandon the ratio would be wrong il
itself. and as impolitic ms 1t would n
wrong. II the Democratic party vert
to allow its policy on this question II
be determined by few doubling
Thomases. or by the deserters whA
supported the enemy in the great strua
gle between Democracy and pluto4-
racy 1t would lose the respect and co1-
fidcnce of those who now look to II ~
an efficient means of restoring gov-
ernmcnt OF the people. To turn its
clear and courageous enunclatiOns, %
walow again in the mire Of ambiguity
and deception. would ALLEVIATE thosfs
who have been drawn to 1t by the plat
form Of 1885,
Mr.. Bryan does not mince words
characteriZing those Democrats who n
fuse 10 stand up for 16 to 1.
"The Democratic party could havf
retained within its fold the desertrH
of 1896 If it had consented to meat
ingless platform" he says, but 1t rrf
ferred to lose some members Of M
body rather than have the whole BODY
destroyed. Regeneration did not ctmf
too soon. The gold Democrats ve4
rapidly making the party rival of tlf
Republican party for the favor d
trusts and monopolIes. II the ChitaA
platform did nothing else. 1t diovf
from the party those who had teet
manipulating the party for pritat
gain and using the government
public plunder. There are many Of Il
deserters whose return to IT, mt
would bring weakness rathe4 4E1a.
add strength. and there are milliOhI1bf
Democrats who would not surrenda
single line of the Chicago platform e-
cause Of antagOnism to the princi&es
set forth in that platform. The ps1ty
can win more voters by steadfa&ly
standing by the right than by wet&ly
compromising with error. and tlese
who profess attachment to the De3bo-
cratic name rather than to Democratic
principles will always require wath-1
ing. The Democratic party has but
its hand to the plow, and. unless lis
take the spirit which animates The
members, II will not look back"