The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-04
A SAD SPECTACLE.

When the Chicago platform was pro-
muleated in 1895 there were many Demo
Gratis who refused. nat-footed. to sane
ton # and TO support The ticket nomi-
mated by that convention. But there were
othcr- who while they did not believe
IN the principles and policies then and
there enunciated and formulated in the
famous platform Of 1896. yet because they
could not get themselves up 10 the point
Of breaking away from the party with
which they had been for so long time
associated. cast their lot with the Chicago
Democracy and went down with it in
defeat
We have watched with great interest
the outgivings from time to time Of those
esteemed contemporaries which supported
/ the Chicago ticket in spite Of their oppo-
siton 10 free sivcrism. Whenever any one
| Of them has stood up In meeting 70 give
/ in its experience we have listened with
profound attention and deep interest.
Among the most intelligent Of these is
the Memphis Commorcial-Appeal which
Of late has ben speaking it's mind In lam
guage that IS plain. We have quoted
several extracts of late from our Mem
phis contemporary showing the inclina-
ton Of it's mind, but here is paragraph
from n more recent article which is quite
TO the point We quote:
Evil days have come to- the Democratic
party. 10 is not only "a minority party
but WrangHng and discovered minority
party. 30 is not only become party Of
nogatiou. but a turbulent faction-be-
devilod party Of neeatiOn.It has no lead
ers and no objective point 10 which TO
lead The tinsol of place and position is
more thought Of than are principles or
policies What was once great party
that stood for the broadcst craftsmanship
has degenerated into number of in
surrectioncry factions
That is the gospel truth, and yet the
reason for this dislntesration is not hard
TO find. Indeed. il would have been most
strange if the case had been otherwise.
The Democratic party has from the be-
ginning been one Of the two great ma
tonal parties of this country. II has pur-
sued "a certain line Of policy that has
differentiated it, as We tried to show
Yesterday. from the party Of centraliza-
ton and nationalism. il has always been
a great dignifed party and any person
who will take the trouble 90 study fits
platforms from its organization mp to
the year 1896 will see one great underlying
principle. and viii see that while IT'S poll
cies changed from time TO time on certain
fiscal questions, the party never once de-
parted from its great principles. 1t was
always "a broad party and never a party
OF one idea. It welcomed into it's or
ganizaton all who believed in its doc
trines. but # never compromised itself by
making alliances ON single issue with
factions that were opposed to IT'S general
principles.
But when the New Democracy was born
a new thing was done The New Dcmoc- |
racy determined to join hands with an /
sorts and conditions of political factions /
and one-horse parties that favored free |
silver. and $50 the platform was so f9rmu- |
lated as that the Popullst party and the |
free silver Republican party and the chi
cago Democratic party could form sort |
Of triple alliance and make Il common /
fight for free silver
We have always said. and have said
# time without number. that there was
no halfway ground between genuine
Democracy and full-nedeed Populism. But
the New Democracy tried to put Itself
half way between the two so as 10 catch
voters from both sides And what was
the result? II went too far towards Pop
ulism to retain al true Democrats. and
10 did not 60 quite far enough TO gather
In am the Populists and so. as our Mem
1his contemporary says, It is to-day torn
by factions. and there is no man who
Fan say for a certainty what the Demo
ratio party Of this country as constituted
stands for to-day. II is a pitiful specta-
,le that this great and grand old party I
II Thomas jefferson should find itself in
iuch an uncertain attitude. That is what
he Tnmans and the Altgelds and their
associates have done for the party and
70 long as they are continued in the
the party can never recover
md recuperateIt will stil be but "tur-
,ulent and facton-bedeyiled party of
.c,s+for