The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-26
GOLD DEMOCRATS PLANS
THEY SEEM TO BE VERY INDEFI-
MITE JUST AT THE PRESENT TIME.
Will Hold No State Convention-Thei cir
Comment on the Democratic
State Platform. .ra

aims iidu with ScFSIdA VI TIC AcddiAS 5OAN
Democrats of Indiana the last two or three
days indicate that they do not see any
necessity for holding state convention and
naming state and congressional ticket.
One or two thought it might be well to,
follow this course. but the consensus was
against it. In discussing the situation they
recall the conference at the Bates House
last February. A half hundred Of the most
prominent men in the party met for dis
cussion of the situation. A resolution was
adopted voicing the sentiment of the party
as favoring meeting of the state commit
tee, and as favoring the calling of a state
convention by the committee. No action was
ever taken in that direction. The commit
tee thought it well at that time to postpone
action until after the meeting of the Iro-
quois Club was held at Chicago 1t was the
intention to discuss the future of the Ma
tional Democracy at the Iroquois Club meet
ing and it was expected that Grover Cleve-
land would express his views as to the
necessity for continuing the organization
formed in 1896. About week before the
time set for the Iroquois Club meeting war
was declared and the idea was abandoned,
gold Democrats believing that the sole is
sue in the campaign this year will be the
regular Democrats trying to revive the 16-
toll free-silver idea, as the Bryan Demo-
Gratis do not believe silver orators would be
able to find an audience who would listen
to them pirate on that subject twenty min
utes at a time.
"As view the situation said one gold
Democrat after the convention the other
day, there is no need for US to revive our
organization at this time, not even when
taking into consideration the fact that the
regular Democrats have reaffirmed the Chi
cago platform. Every man with any sense
knows it would be foolhardy to talk about
changing the monetary system while war
is raging. 1t would be as sane to talk about
recalling our armies in the lace of war as
to either talk of changing the administra-
ton that is conducting our battles or of
changing our financial system at this time
BUSINESS men of the Nation will be opposed
to such an idea. You will find that while
the party in this State mas made a perfume
tory reinforcement of the silver idea, the
party will not undertake to discuss it,
Neither Will the party undertake to eriticise
the administration or the war. People would
not tolerate such a thing. They will, in my
estimation. discuss state issues while APP
plauding the war and urging it's vigorous
prosecution do not see how they can con-
sistently urge that the administration be
changed while the war is being prosecuted
any more than they can urge that the
monetary system be changed They will
nave no more sympathetic listeners to a
discussion OF silver at this time than they
would to discussion of the tariff Both
OF those issues are temporarily retired 1t
mas turned out as we anticipated in 1896.
AT that time we believed the silver issue
was to be short lived and after serious con-
slderation we decided that the best way
10 give 1t its quietus was to strangle the
newborn babe in its cradle. If, after the
war is settled and the country gets back
10 It's normal condition, they should try to
r res IRE the offspring of fanaticsm then
we VIII talk about reorganizing"
Others talked in about the same vein.
Al, Did you know" said another man, chat
q! mere was from 40 to 80 per cent. of the men
IN N that convention Wednesday who, had
there been secret ballot, would have voted
AGAINST reaffirming the Chicago platform?
It is fact. 1 am told this by a man who
has had long experience in politics and has
personal acquaintance with the strong
men en-, that We're in the convention.
me truth is, the men who were instru-
mental in leading the party into the realms
OF Populism in 1896 are the fellows who
were responsible for that platform. The
great majority of the party is restored to
oetter judgment and would welcome an on
P0rtunlty TO let go of the 16-to-1 theory
rn re- missed great opportunity to let 60
II tney mad said in their platform that the
sole issue of the present year is the war
and that in view of the danger of changing
monetary and revenue systems in DAYS of
battle silver and tariff issues should be tenn
porarlly placed in the background, at the
same time pledging themselves to imme-
olateiy revive the. monetary issue after the
end OF the war, they would have been in a
position to accomplish the purpose they
nave IN mind. After the war it would have
Deen an easy thing to allow the silver issue
10 continue its slumber But they missed
the opportunity, and / doubt if another
sucn one Will come to them There is
possibility that this suggestion would have
aroused the men who led the partv into
Popullsm two years ago to a vigorous re-
slstance, These demagogues know that if
the issue dies out they will be left without
a party and will have to retire forever
When that convention nominated Hackney
Donerty, Minor and other gold Democrats
ana threw Allen w. Clark whom Won call
KING OF the push, out of the window il
demonstrated that it was not dominated nv
Populsm. Silver was allowed a place in the
PLATFORM because the convention knew that
subject would not be heard of again This
year. That being the fact there is no rea-
son why the gold Democrats should go TO
the expense of holding a convention and
prepare for another fight The only issue
gold democrats could have before them
would be the money question, and if that is
not TO be discussed it will not be- there
would be no excuse for an organization.
business men who believe the Administered
ton should not be changed until the end of
the war will vote the Republican ticket.
Ihose who think this makes no difference.
and who know vote for the Democratic
ticket is not vote for free silver, will vote
with the Democratic party. So there Won
are. Many gold Democrats believe that the
Democratic ticket has no chance of cleo
tlon, even If the platform meant anything
but they figure out that If it is elected ii
VIII not mean victory fOf. PonuliSpo ord