The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-21

tai members--in respect Of the free
silver issue are very much in the posi-
ton OF person holding the ends of an
electric wire-they would like to let go
if they could. They have ceased to
believe in the free coinage of silver,
and would publicly renounce this be-
lief if they deemed this course feasible,
and try some new experiment with
popular creduity- imperialism or
hue aud cry against trusts, concerning
which they have the gamblers chance
of winning.
Some of these leaders are haunted
by fear of the consequences of re-
nunciation of the silver issue. During
the past twenty years the party has
boxed the political compass in its plat.
form declarations on finance, the tariff
and every other issue of national domi-
nance. They have spread their sails
to catch the breezes from every quar-
ter of the heavens. Consistency has
never worried them. Hence this un.
wonted solicitude which Mr.. Bryan
and the leaders in his class, who kick
ed over every Democratic platform
since 1876 and built upon their ruins
the populistic fabric of 1896, are mani
Testing is matter of comment. There
is reasonable doubt that they are sim
cere in this protested solicitude for
their sincerity. Some other motive,
possibly one that is personal or selfish,
may be at the bottom of the anxiety
of Mr.. Bryan and the free silver Demo-
Gratis for reaffirmation of the Chicago
platform, and, primarily, its declara-
ton in favor of the free coinage of sill
YER. Without this declaration Mr..
Bryan is prophet out Of a job. "Con-
sistency is jewel" remarks the
Brooklyn Eagle, land so may leather
medal be. The free silver Democrats
are not entitled to the first jewel, but
their claim to the second could be de-
MED by none"
OF the painful absence from the des-
pairing Democratic councils of wisdom
learned by experience, or of any con-
sideration resembling political princ-
pie, the Eagle, sound money Demo
cratic paper, cogently says:
Principles do not change. They exist in
the foundations OF things. They undergrad
and overarch and transfuse the movements
of business, OF interests and OF life itself.
The principle of the gold standard is the
application of law OF nature to the affairs
of mankind The free silver Dem
ocrats do not see, or will not admit this.
Yet it is a truth. 1t is truth, the conven-
ton OF 1896 to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. 1t will be truth, the convention OF
next year to the contrary Notwithstanding
II the Republicans are "smart" or true
enough to see it and to say II, they will
gain the votes of the men in this country
who are influenced by argument, enlight-
ened by education and taught by expert
ence. If the Democrats are reckless or ig
norant enough to deny this truth, they will
lose the votes of such men, and can rely
mainly on the suffrage of the ignorant, in a
time of increasing knowledge, of the inn
provident, in time of increasing prosper
ity, of the hopeless, in a time of increasing
confidence, and of the shiftless, in time
OF increasing saving, enterprise and actv-
ity. We shall be sorry to see great parry
thrust by unwise leadership upon such des-
perate expedients
AS to the other choice of an issue
open to Democracy, this candid coun-
sellor Of a party that spurns wisdom
and has no use for the truth reminds its
erring brethren that
AS for opposition to expansion, events by
the fall OF 1900 will quite probably make it
so Quixotic and 80 unpatriotic that any po-
litical party espousng the issue will likely
feel that it would be better had mill stone
cast into the depths of the sea. A pro-
gramme to renounce courage, to exploit
timidity and to confess incapacity, as well
as to reverse the results OF glorious war,
should never be a programme for that par
ty which Rufus Choate boasted twas
proudly wont to carry into foreign affairs a
gay and festive spirit of defiance"
For an issue in 1900 the party thus
frankly counselled and plainly warned
seems to be "between the devil and
the deep sea-"