The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-11
CALLING a HALT.

CALLING a HALT.
The Free Silver Democrats rave ever
| contended that the Washington post was
| entirely fair to their cause. botn IN l's
ronorts OF the news OF the day and IN
| its editorial comment. But IL they SIM
entertain that opinion of the Post, tbey
must be greatly alarmed at tie follow
ing from the Post Of Monday last. we
| quote:
With the important work OF the ses-
| sion out OF the way, the Democrats haNc
more time 10 think of politics ana CURING
| The past week there was more or Tess
| informal gossip about he future pohCy
| Of tho Democratic Party. rms GOSSIP
may come 10 nothing. but the Pro-
| gfamme. discussed with more or 1855 SCI
! iousness, has looked 20 some recessloAS
from the vigorous silver poil,y that ""s
inauguratcd early in the Winter ana 10
the making of CVe. lures which might
WOO Gold Democrats back into the Ioid'
| Nothing could be more pleasing 20 lhe
Eastern Democrats, but this talk comes
| from men Of the South. who are for free
! silver, but see q necessity for reaching
some more conservative ground. These
| Southern men have been agitating the
selection Of more conservative leaders
| the displacement OF Senator Jones, OF Ar
kansas as chairman of the National
Committee. when the next presidential
campaign comes on and probably the Sc
lection Of some other man than Mr..
| BRYAN for tn presidential candidate
These men are proceeding on the theory
that the gold Democrats hold the TAI
ance of power, and Will hold 1t IN the next
elections. that Mr.. Bryan and his sup
y. rod
wing and with them as standard bear
crs there can be no hope OF party VIC
tory.
This cloakroom talk about politics has
NOT been without reference to the Tor
r,er statements Of Leader Bailey, whose
lovalfv TO free silver as party measure
however. is not questioned. Eary III
r,r, 1910 he advocated n compromise
Doljcv mat would keep the gold Demo-
GRATIS within the party. ana eApItS9ou
his aversion TO swapping off good Demo
crete who might differ with him on inc
financial question, for hotch-p'lcH Vi
political mix-uD 49,. ..,,,,,, NJ
Bailey addressed TO the peiio' 80. -
an. I-ifth ConCressiOnal DisrlcJ July TO-
tSoc dsciirinr n denomination, Is not I'M
.i,,cl,, os showing his real sentiments Oh
49, frocial question which has u.,h
1l-,i,,tinr the Democratic party vi.
RaYev made a very empnduc s''' ~
I'm his letter 20 the effect that ne sliou ..ii
support Mr.. Bryan, although thelI
aid not agree. IL Is important - -
mat much of the talk Tor more -,
vatism among Democrats COMES -"
members Of Congress, VINO "a -
friends Of Mr. Bailey, althousn !.
he hardly fair 10 say that he mas III
spired this. His letter aoV'0
reads as follows: .,,.
sTbc National Convention OF our party
which recently assembled IN CilcaEo'
has nominated as our candidate LOT til7
presidency a gentleman with whom us
acree so widely I'm respect 20 certain iu'
damental principles Of TINS goYerhiii' u.
that If he should be chosen Preslueil.
and I should be returned to congress ilg
freouent and serious disagreements win
his administration would be inevltaDie'
For the past three years l have beeh
compelled by my sense Of duty 70 artaS-
onize the present administration on some
important questions. and having learned
the bitterness of such a struggle, am
unwilling TO place myself in a posllioh
where IL is certain that a sense OF duty
no less imperative will compel me 10 an
tagonize the next administration on I'M
portant questions. l have, therefore ue-
termined to decline the denomination
which YOU so generously and unanimous
" voted me in the primary elec.l9n
which was held throughout the oisilct
on June the 9Th last
Mr. Railev. as is well remembered, then
proceeded 10 give his reasons for sup
nortlng Mr. Bryan as a presidential can
didate thinking him far preferable 10
Mr.. Mckinley.
Just how far the Post IS right in the
matter Of n change Of sentiment we do
not know. But there can be no question
as TO the truthfulness Of the PROPOSE
ton that with the radical LEADERS OF the
Marty as standard bearers there can be
no hope of party victory. We have
time and again impressed the fact tEat
the drift Of the radical element in the
free silver Democracy was towards Pop
ulisn. and II that element shan lead, the
party must eventually find itself bag and
baggage in the Populist ,amp.
The party IS consorting with Populists
and catering to the Populist vote, and
the mere association, IL continued, must
eventually bring the two parties together
upon a common platform. II is quite Ger
tain that the Populists who are the vot-
ers sought, will dictate the terms Of the
agreement. This, we say. IS inevitable
If the radical element shall lead, and
the end Of such combination must be
disastrous defeat
It may be. however. that The grand old
party will yet be saved from Sucn fate.
We 90 not believe chat the POSTS publ
cation was manufactured out OF the whole
cloth. The conservative men IN the party
are evidently thinking out loud and
the Posts article was inspired. we believe.
by some conservative Democrat or Demo-
Gratis who would lead the Democratic
forces back to first principles and save
the party from ruin. 1t is not yet too
late for the party 10 retrace its steps II
is not yet too late 10 find platform upon
which all true Democrats may stand.
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ALL CLASSES PATRIOTIC.
In osr comment last week on a reoant