The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-19

uGCluTAIlOn UnHU nlS country Is ucllDeTdJely
committing national suicide.
Experiment Station Politics in Iowa.
The Hawkeye State Of Iowa Is the only
one OF the five States outside OF New Eng
land which votes for Governorin the year
preceding the Presidential election, in
which the Democrats have nothing to lose
by a defeat. Maryland and Kentucky have
been found generally heretofore in the
Democratic column. Mississippi is over
whelmingly Democratic Ohio, always
contested, Is often close But Iowa, never
doubtful, has been carried by the Republic
can party in every Presidential election
since the birth Of that organization. Being
a reliable Republican State, any Democratic
experiments in the line of platform declara-
tions do no harm in Iowa.
This view of the case appears to regulate
regardless Of any considerations OF con-
sistency, principle or patriotic obligation,
the view Of the Iowa Democrats. Holding
their State convention in the year pre-
cedng the national election, they can de-
clare for any policy which seems promis-
ing. II 1t is well received as means OF
vote-getting. the national convention may
take it up. II 1t Is not well received. it is
abandoned. The Hawkeye Democrats ex-
pertinent with principles as chemists do
with poisons or explosives-and the Re
publicans carry the State.
In the year sos. preceding the last Pres
idential election, the Democrats of Iowa de-
clared "for the use OF both gold and silver
as the standard money Of the country and
for the coinage Of both gold and silver with
out discrimination against either" They
insisted in their platform that year upon
the adoption OF this policy as Especially
necessary for the protection OF the farmer
and laboring classes. This declaration was
not very successful The candidate nomi-
mated upon it was defeated in November by
80, 900 majority.
Two years ago there was a curious and
unseemly controversy in the Democratic
State convention In Iowa. HORACE BoIEs,
Uncle HORACE. had been twice elected Gov
ernor, running on Democratic ticket,
with Republican support as the candidate
OF those who opposed the stringent prohibit
tory liquor law adopted in January, 1884.
Iowa has considerable foregn-born popu-
lation, including 80, 900 Germans, $4,000
Scandnavians, 10000 Bohemians and
5000 Hollanders. Few among these fav-
ored such an extreme measure Of prohi-
btion, or would give their support to can
didates approving it. For this reason the
Republicans OF Iowa suffered in two success
sive State contests, and the Democrats be-
came the champions Of more liberal excise
regulations. In the State convention OF
two years ago the Populists, many Of them
DrNh re raf,,s 20 -
Democratic ticket unless the party agreed
to abandon its liberal excise views and to
stultify it's former declarations. The mat
ter was considered on the ground of polit-
ical advantage only, and after controversy
Of several hours duration, the platform
committee Of the Democrats yielded to the
Populists and nominated for Governor
FRED WHITE, OF Keokuk, who was defeated
| by 1000 majority.
On Tuesday, at their Des Moines conven-
| tion, Mr.. WHITE, the defeated candidate Of
| two years ago, was renominated, and an
other experiment in the line Of platform
making was tried by the tacit abandonment
| Of silver, by silence as to those State issues
| In which the voters OF Iowa are naturally
| Interested. and by the adoption of declar-
alton OF party faith which ascribes the
present existing revolt in the Philippines
to Great Britain, and protests against the
enforcement Of American authority on the
extraordinary ground that it will disrupt
the friendly relations which have hereto
fore uniformly existed between the United
States and Germany"
The Des Moines platform Is an expert
ment, and most ignoble and dscreditable
| experiment, in it's effort to test the advan-
taRes Of a fusion for 1900 between the
| Populists and the ''German-Americans" who
are opposed generally to free silver. If the
plan doesn't work, no great harm can come
Of the declaration. The question whether
Mr. WHITE is to be defeated by 80, Ooo as
he was in 1897, or by larger majority,
does not disturb the Democrats OF Iowa
much. No patriotic American, Democrat
or Republican. can withhold his contempt
for such a transparent bid for the support,
on un-American grounds, OF the naturalized
voters as was made by the Populists and
Democrats in Des Moines on Tuesday. 1t
is an experiment which gives no hope of
success. Iowa, the great corn State, with
out debt, with credit unexcelled, with more
lines Of railroad in successful operation
than all the States Of New England, with
it's high standard Of education and low
percentage OF criminals, a State of Ameri-
can homes and farms will not falter in its
allegiance TO the Government in defence
of which $4,000 Iowa troops went to the
front in the civil war and which has been
represented honorably both in Cuba and in
the Philippines.
That any considerable number Of natural
lied voters in that State can be swerved