The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-10
OUTLINING THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.


The return of Senator Jones, chairman
Of the Democratic National Committee,
from Europe. naturally increases the in
terest in the political situation. A few
weeks ago there were rumors that il was
his purpose to resign the embarrassing,
on account OF the bad condition of his
health. If he ever entertained a thought
of resigning he has apparently abandoned
d. He makes no reference to IT in the
interview with MIN published in our dis
patches yesterday. What he says ndi-
Gates that he is even more confident now
chan when he went abroad that the Dem
ocratic party Will be successful in the
campaign next year He does not think
that the prosperous condition of the coun-
Try viii initiate against the Democrats.
In fact ne does not seem to think that
the farmers and the wage-earners are
much better off now than they were before
the better times came. and these two
classes cast the great majority of the
votes. He is of the opinion that the kind
of prosperity the country is having can
be made an argument for the Democrats.
1t may be that he is right in saying that
the farmers and wage-earners have moi
been benefited greatly by the improved
monetary and industrial conditions, but
that is not the generally accepted view.
It does not follow. however that the bet
ter times will be injurious to the Demo
cratic party.
Senator Jones only voices the very gen
eral impression when he says that Mr..
Bryan and Mr.. Mckinney will be the nom
Trees of their respective parties for Pres
ident in 1890 and it is probable that the
platforms which VIII he adopted win not
he greatly different from those of 1896 Il
is noticeable that he says that about the
only addition to the Chicago platform will
be a plank against Imperialism. The i'm
preston has been. and still is, strong that
an antitrust plank would he one of the
most important of the platform No doubt
there win be q plank of that kind, but
It may he that Senator Jones thinks that
The Republicans will also have an anti
trust plank in their platform, and that
therefore IL will not be possible to make
much of an issue out OF it,
There are indications, however, that the
Republicans were preparing to take very
mild position in respect TO trusts. Some
of the shrewdest politicians who have
been watching the drift of public send
ment are not sure by any means that
war on all sorts of trusts and corporations
would be popular with wage-earners, for
the reason that the better class of work
men are being pretty fairly treated by
trusts. One Of the leaders of labor unions,
in his testimony before the Congressional
Industrial Commission, declined to com
nit himself for or against trusts, but said
that the effect of them thus far had been
10 make il easier for capital and labor to
get along together 1t may be that Sen
ator Jones. who is shrewd political oh
server. has not yet fully made up his
mind as to what the value of an anti
trust issue would be from the standpoint
of practical politics.
He has no doubt that a plank in favor
of the is TO / idea will be as great a vote
eetter as it was In 1896. In fact, he leans
to the belief that because the Republican
party has not been true TO its pledge in
respect to bmetallism. a declaration for
free silver coinage will bring to theN De-
mocracy a vast number of voters who put
faith in the Republican promise in respect
to silver in the last presidential cam
paign. Whether or not he is right in TAX
ing this position time alone can determine
1t is certain that very little is being said
about silver now. Either there is no fear
that the free and unlimited coinage of
silver would be productive of the evils
which have been predicted. or else il is
rot believed there is any probability that
the coinage of silver will be made free
and unlimited But even if the Demo
cratic leaders thought that silver would
be a dead weight on the party, they could
not favor dropping il, because Mr.. Bryan
would not be a strong candidate without
a declaration in favor of silver in the plat
form on which he stood.
1t is evident that Senator Jones is of
the opinion that plank against imperial
ism will prove 10 be a strong one, and
the opinion is correct. 1t is not improbable
that the campaign next year win turn on
The question as to whether or not this
country shall hold the Philippines as a
permanent possession.