Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-17
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1899.
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

UVStV"H@ OS"S
Democratic newspapers which pirate
so loudly about the re-afirmation of the
Chicago platform in 1900, are either ignor-
ant of the customary procedure in ma
tional conventions, or are trying to mis-
lead their readers. No national conven-
ton, within the recollection of the Inter
Mountain, has seen fit to adopt a plank
r~eaffir1ning in it's entirety the platform
adopted by the preceding national con-
vention of the party. Yet this is pre-
cisely what the democratic newspapers OF
Montana are promising their constituents
for 1900. The Chicago platform is to be
endorsed in it's entirety, by a plank re-
ferring in a general way to it's virtues;
and additional planks covering the anti
expansion and antitrust policies of the
party will constitute the declaration of
principles for the next national CAM
paign!
each national convention is a law unto
itself, and no sensible man expects the
mex national convention of the demo-
cratic party to pursue the course outlined
by the newspapers which are trying to
prop up its feeble respect for silver. State
conventions often reafirn their conf
dence in the next preceding national plat
form of the party, but national conven-
tions do not. The larger body is dele
gated with the duty of outlining the pres
ton which it represents. If the demo-
cratic convention in 1900 desires to re-
affirm any of the planks adopted in 1895.
1t will draft a new plank covering the
proposition in what it mi believe to be
an up-to-date amer If it wishes to
endorse all the different features of that
platform it will do so seriatim, and not
attempt to make the old platform in it's
entirety one plank in the new. 1t follows
therefore that when the new platform is
created changes will be made in the
wording Of such planks in the old one as
are deemed worthy of repetition, adapting
them to the existing order of things.
1t would be an exceptional exhibition
OF cowardice for the national convention
OF the democratic party to seek to eyade
specifically committing Itself on the sill
Yer question, by giving a general endorse
ment to the Chicago platform as a whole.
To do SO would be to indicate to the
country it's inability to meet the financial
question on its merits. It would betray a
purpose to make free coinage an issue
only in the silver states, for what politi-
cal strength it might bring to the party
IN such localities, while in the non-silver
states its position would be construed as
merely a declaration in favor of bimetal-
lism, similar to that upon which Grover
Cleveland stood in the campaign of 1882.
In all sections, however, it would admit
of no other Interpretation thar that the
silver issue had been placed in the back
ground by the democratic party, and was
regarded as of secondary Importance.
No national convention will ever re-
affirm the platform of a previous con-
vention as its paramount issue; and if
it did SO it would make all the blanks
eauaily prominent. If the Chicago plat
form is adopted in it's entirety, through
an innovation in national politics. it fol-
lows that one feature of it would be lust
as much in issue, and regarded as of
equal Importance with every other fea-
ture. The silver question would have no
pfesll3e over any other proposition
touched upon in that platform, and all
would be subordinated to the issues for.
mulated into platform declarations by
the convention itself.
Unless the next national democratic
convention distrusts it's own ability to
create a platform adapted to existing
conditions, it will not single out the con-
vention of 1896 as marking 50 important
an era in party growth and prosperity
as to justify a complete and unqualified
reaffirmation of it's platform. Pursu-
ing the usual course of independent
bodies of that character. it will in all
probability draft a platform of its own,
touching upon the principles enunci-