The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-22
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1895.
SOMEWHAT Personal.

The Norfolk Pilot IS, in our opinion
erratic. But it IS an honest newspaper
and we have no idea that st would in-
tentionally do a contemporary an inJus-
tioe. even TO help the cause of free silver
for which it so Enthusiastically contends.
yet the Pilot in its Sunday issue does do
The Times gross injustice, and puts this
paper IN a false light. This was danH,
we say, not designedly but because the
Pilot does no; understand the attitude of
The Times. After quoting The Times as
criticising the proposition 10 unite Demo
Gratis. Populists and free silver Repubh-
cans on the single issue Of free silver.
disregarding an other doctrines Of De
mocraoy the Pilot says:
Yet I'm 1896 The Times iclt The Demo
cratic party on just this issue of sh-
YER and Il and its other lndianapolites
aided the Republican party 10 power,
with its centralizing tendencies. its pro-
tective theories and policies, and its gem
eral proclivity 70 make the Federal Gov
eminent run rough shod over all State
rights and home rule. In fact, during ana
since 1896, The Times, ana its sort of self
styled Democrats, have practically held
and asserted that the Democratic party
is founded simply on gold. or what q
calls sound money" and II now 10 adds
free State banks TO its Democratic plat
form, 1t is because 1t has discovered, at
last. that the single gold basis means
continued contraction which the South. az
any rate can't stand.
Ii was not the single issue OF free COIN
ag that caused The Times 20 withhold
it's support from the nominees of The
Chicago convention. BEFORE the primary
election was held in Richmond, The
Times said that. barring some action by
the Stanton convention, or the Chicago
convention, which will violate the funda
mental ideas OF Democratic principle and
practice as they have been accepted ;oi
generations, and would Justify a fair man
in refusing to abide by the action Of
either OF the conventions. a Democrat
must submit his will to the decision of tho
majority OF his party
We were prepared to stand by that
declaration. which was made IN full
knowledge OF tho fact that the convcn-
ton would probably declare Cor free coin
age, and had the convention promulgated
d platform In all other respects soundly
Democratic, The Times would have sup
ported the ticket with the reservation
which Il distinctly stated IL would in any
event insist upon that it could never as
sent 20 an unsound currency. 1t would
submit-but would continue increasingly
to protest against free silver. and con-
tend for sound money.
But the convention was Populis!ic and
revolutionary. and adopted a platform so
utterly in violation of the fundamental
principles and practice of Democracy
that we would have been false 10 our
selves and false TO Democracy had we
given 1t our oountenance. Therefore. when
tho platform was adopted, we said: "Our
worst fears have not only been realized.
but new and horrible doctrines have been
added in the Chicago platform, which
cannot possibly bind a Democrat who SIS
unwilling 70 abandon the fundamental
principles Of bis party"
1--WE shall continue 90 declare Demo
cratic principles and TO illustrate them
10 tho best OF our ability. irrespective
of the Chicago manifesto Of Tillman'
Altge,d & Co"
Ard so we have continued. with the
lights before us, 10 declare Democratic
principles" A convention OF Democrats
met at indianapolis. adopted a platform
that was Democratic TO the core and
nominated candidates who stood for
these principles. The Times gave its
cordial support 10 the indianapolis plat
form and ticket and has never been able
TO see how Il could IN honesty have pur-
sued any other course.
When the election was ended. enemies
Of The Timos put out the report that
this paper would go over TO the Repub-
licans and We lost no time in denouncing
the report as utterly without foundation.
Ne have not budged peg from the po-
sition that we have always occupied and
we shall never bulge.
Again, as 10 our advocacy OF state