The Washington weekly post., 1899-05-30
The South and Free Coinage.

r
Presidency on the 4th OF March, 1851.
James Buchanan and Grover Cleveland
have been the only Democratic incumbents
OF that Office. and under each Of them the
party has gone 10 pieces. II is true that
the split which occurred under Cleveland
was less serious IN results than that
which took place under his latest Demo-
cratic predecessor. II is true that the can
didate OF the regular organization in 1886,
having the support Of the Popullst Party
and Republican faction, polled larger
vote than had ever before been cast for
the candidate Of any party. 1t is probably
a fact that the Bryan vote was larger
than could have been polled by the candi-
date OF the Chicago Convention If that
body had been dominated by the Cleveland
faction. But all this does not discredit
the assertion that the Democratic Party
the party that elected Buchanan in 1876
and Cleveland in 1854 and 1892. went to
pieces In 1896. For the Populists and the
silver Republicans, whose alliance filled,
or more than filled. the gap made by the
secession Of the gold-standard Demo-
Gratis, were not and are not Democrats.
They kept and stiIl keep their separate
and distinct organizations. and they have
no sympathy with or regard for the ira
ditions and policies of the Democratic
Party. as that organization stood before
its platform was constructed to meet their
Rsfa he gE1 nd "a
Ciliate them in other respects.
No intelligent and unprejudiced mind
believes that the Bryan combination of
1896 can be repeated in 1900 with the ,east
prospect of victory. Neither the Eop1-
lists nor the silver Republicans can be
rallied again with anything like the
unanimity that characterized the first
battle of the standards. And there ere
many thousands of Democrats who re-
luctantly sacrificed their convictions for
The sake OF regularity in that campaign,
but who cannot be induced TO repeat the
sacrifice. They can be found in any VOt-
ing precinct in the country outside Of the
practically solid South. The reasons for
these changes are too well known to re-
-,luire repetition. The steady trend OF
events in finance, in business. and in poll
tics since election day in November, 1886
has been condemnatory Of the issue pre-
sented in the Chicago platform and an
overwhelming refutation of the argu-
ments advanced in its support. II may be
that some coming generation OF Amer
leans will overturn the nations finances
and put them on the silver basis by
adopting 16 10 /. But there must he d
reversal Of existing conditions and long
period OF adversely, instead of the sohG
prosperity now prevailing, before oui
dollars will be cut in two and each par
used for q whole dollar IN paying ole
debts.
Unifcation OF the Democratic Party or
any platform containing the Bryan cur
rency plank being a conceded impossible
!ty, and the triumph of any possible com
binatien on such a platform being practi
cally out of the question, 1t would seen
to be we'll worth the while of the leaders
and especially the leaders in the Demo
cratic South, to consider the feasibility o
shelving Is TO 1. Is It the solemn duty o
a party 20 choose defeat in standing III
for a mori5und issue rather than TO secur
a chance for victory by laying that issu
aside? When a large and increasing fac
ton of party stands aloof and must thu
stand until that one defeated and steadil.
decedent issue is dropped, is IT the mora
or political duty Of the dominant wing o
that party TO adhere to that issue?
During the twelve months that mus
elapsa before the National Conventio
will assemble, we hope our Democrat
friends in the South will carefully restud
the currency question with view TO de
termining their duty in relation thereto
II may ba that they will md themselve
compelled TO choose defeat on 10 TO
rather than unifcation and a hope c
triumph by the surrender OF that demsnC
II so, they will come 10 a conclusio
altogether satisfactory TO tho party tha
defeated them in 1896, and has no doubt {
its ability TO keep on whipping them unit
they get sufficiently tired 10 throw o
the silver incubus.