La Junta tribune., 1898-02-19
~. -x.,,....l p.n.oe,r;.....

rapidly carrying the National Demo-
Gratis to the point where the real mer-
Its OF the controversy between honest
money and population will be too clear
before their eyes to permit of their
blinking them. and at the head is the
Hon. Simon Bolivar Buckner of Ken
lucky. the candidate for vice president
on the ticket OF the Democrats who re-
fused to vote for Bryan and yet would
not vote for the man to beat him, Nc
Kinley. General Buckner has spoken
freely through the Indianapolis Senti-
mel:
THE gold Democrats find themselves
in rather peculiar situation this year.
The leaders of the gold movement in
the Democratic party who conducted
the exodus In 1896 now find themselves
confronted by serious obstacle. The
rank and flc-employes who voted
with their employers In the last CAM
paign-this year want to vote their old
party ticket whether Democratic or Re-
publican, and so II the gold Democrats
place ticket in the field they are liable
to be left exclusively party of generals
without any rank or file or forces back
OF them, as the great mass of men are
unwilling to vote any third ticket. They
would thus be placed before the coun-
try in n ridiculous light. and the dig
nifty Of the movement would be endan-
gered. This would be an argument
against gold Democratic ticket. The
financial plank being this year the
primal issue, gold standard advocates
being arrayed on principle against the
Al. .,Nn IurH fol
lowers of the single gold standard
would naturally stand together. This
would mean gold Democrats voting
with the Republicans, but there arc
other issues In which the Republicans
and gold Democrats are opposed. These
would tend to keep the gold Democrats
from voting with the Republicans.w while
the reasons mentioned are operative TO
prevent gold ticket being put In the
field. These are things that deserve
the most careful consideration and are
problems which are confronting gold
Democrats"
In imagining that in 1896 they were
supporting the cause OF honest money,
while in reality they we're looking cold
~ on as neutrals, the National Demo-
Gratis were blinded by the enthusiasm
OF revolt against what they knew was
fraud and anarchy. This enthusiasm
has passed, leaving general wonder that
men of the Palmer and Buckner stamp
could have been SO emotional and fan
ciful at such time. The humblest
Democrat who cast his vote for Mckin-
ley was sounder politician and
clearer minded patriot than the distin-
guished statesmen who made up the
National Democratic ticket.
General Buckner's words in the In
dianapolis Sentinel show that he. and
We take him for o type Of his recent fol-
lowers. is still bewildered as to the
past, and. therefore. uncertain for the
future His references to other is
sues" which might keep the gold Demo-
Gratis from voting with the Republic
ans, and to the danger Of his movement
being compromised in its dignity.show
that he does not know absolutely
whether his scarcely two-year-old de-
nunciation of the fraud OF free silver
and the Populistic heresies of the Chi
cago platform came from sincere and
stable reason. or whether the financial
honor and credit OF the United States.
the tariff. or bank currency reform, Is
the more important and the more COM
manding OF. an American citizens at
tentlon.
Are General Buckner and his friends
to be less slow in understanding these
issues, less high minded in giving TO
the Importance OF each its proper rank.
and less resolute to stand by the re-
lentless conclusions of honor and en-
lightenment than the thousands Of 9th
er Democrats who, seeing the situation
of the country In 1896. voted for the
Republican party. and will continue TO
vote for 1t SO long as It stands for fed
eral financial honesty against the vi
cious and deluded monsters OF repudi-
alton? The National Democrats can
not much longer deceive themselves.
They must be either poltroons or men.
New York Sun (Rep)