Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-08-25
NOT THE ONLY ISSUE.
There Is Plenty of Material for the
Democrats to Use In the
Next Campaign.

Isn't it about time that democratic
newspapers and democratic politicians
arrived at some sensible understanding
as to the democratic rights and privi-
leges OF the men who Will compose the
next national convention? That issues
cannot be made by politicians has been
said by so many of them in SO many
different ways that it would seem idle
to repeat the assertion were it not for
the continued nonsense one reads in
gold standard journals about the ef-
fort in democratic circles to betray
Bryan and silver.
Nobody ever charged that the demo-
cratic convention of 1896 was disloyal
to the tariff reform idea That conven-
ton declared for the free coinage of
silver and for a tariff for revenue at
one and the same time, and the very
men who were foremost in insisting
that a strong free coinage plank be
incorporated in the platform had been
the most conspicuous advocates of the
Wilson law. They were broad enough
to understand that a great party must
stand for something more than a single
idea, and the convention which nomi-
mated Mr.. Bryan so declared. The same
Altgeld who is now leading a faction
in Chicago which has put buttons on
its followers and labeled them BRYAN
sixteen to one" had as much to do
with making the platform of 1896 as
any other one man in the democratic
party. No one then charged that Alt
geld was lukewarm in his advocacy of
free silver coinage, and yet Altgeld's
sole fight in thatconyention was to have
incorporated in the national platform
plank denouncing government by in
junction and the interference of fed
eral troops.
As it was in 1896 so it will be in 1900.
The delegates who will speak for the
democratic party will be loyal bimetal-
lists. They will be earnest tariff re
formers and will be ready to denounce
the entertainments of the federal au-
thorities on the liberties of the people.
This was democratic doctrine in 1896
and it will be democratic doctrine in
1900. But as the developments in the
great Illinois and other strikes caused
the national convention of 1896 to de-
clare against federal interference in
local affairs and make that question
an issue, so far as the democratic party
was concerned, SO will the overcapi-
talization and unprecedented formation
of trusts cause the democratic party in
1900 to demand their regulation by
national legislation. And because the
present administration has plunged us
into an unholy war of conquest and
threatened the stability of the republic
with a pernicious policy of Imperialism
the democratic convention will speak
in such language that all the people
can understand what the policy of the
party will be if intrusted with the reins
OF government.
There has not been a period approach
ing a national convention since the
war when there was so little friction
among democrats regarding the pro-
posed main planks in the national plat
form. And, just as the republican con-
vention will declare for something else
beside the gold standard, so will the
democratic party declare for something
more than free silver coinage, and the
campaign will be fought to a finish on
the issues which are of the most con-
Germ to the people.-Kansas City Times.