The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-26
g and the Tidewater and Piedmont Country.

npon il. don't believe the ratio to
be wrong. neither ls the ratio believed
to be wrong by those who made the
fight to insert It ia the Democratic
platform.
l6 TO | MEANS FRANKNESS.
"TO leave out all mention of
ratio would be to return TO the am-
biguous and deceptive phraseol0gy
which characterized the financial
platforms of both the Democratic
and Republican parties for several
campaigns.
"Tbe men who oppose the ratio OF
Is TO have no other ratio to oif9r.
Their plan is to invite the people to
have confidence in the party without
the party taking the people into its
confidence.
"Uncertainty in platform indi
Gates either ignorance or cowsrdlce'
"If party does not know what to
do it should not ask to be intrusted
with power.
"If it knows what to do, but does
not dare 10 avow its purpose, 1t does
not deserve to be lntrus!ed with
power.
Adhesion to the ratio Of 10 to !
is not intolerant. 1t is founded
upoL the belief that the ratio must be
determined by the majority OF those
who favor bimetsllsm and not by
the minority. According to some,
one man who doubts our ability to
maintain the parity Of silver and gold
at the rio Of lG to onght to have
more ilhuencs III making the plat
form than lG who believe in the
power Of our government to MAINTAIN
the present legsl ratio"
No man could listen to Mc Bryan
az be said this and have any doubt
Of the hope)essness Of change IN
his attitude.
But" | said, considering the
vastness of the stake al issue in the
coming struggle for possession of the
ationsl government on the very
cross roads of our histOry,is it wise to
rely on the west aud south and lg'
more the desires Of the rich and pop
ulous eastl'
"There is nothing in the Chicago
platform which can be fairly critl-
cised as SECTIONAL" he replied. The
doctrine, equal rights to all and
special privileges to none,is is as broad
AS the union. If it is less popular 10
the east than in the west and south,
it is only because it has been more
violated in the east. aud those who
profit by class legislation are more
IL uhuential there.
"The plain people in the east are
as much interested in the triumph OF
the Chicago platform principles as the
people e any other section OF the
country, but they have not had the
same opportunity to study them, be-
cause the newspapers in the east
have been opposed to the platform
and have bad no adequate means of
reaching the people
Until the Chicago convention for
instance, the newspapers OF the east
told their readers that the silver
question was dead. When the plat
form was adopted many of the lead
ing Democratic newspapers bolted
the ticket and assured their readers
that the platform was an snarchistic
declaration, emanating from the
forces of la wlessness and disorder.
"In the heat of the campaign there
was no opportunity to countersct this
prejudice. During the three years
which have elapsed since the election
of a Republican President, events
have instructed the people in spite of
the gold newspapers.
The people have seen the Presi-
dent sending a commission to Europe
to secure relief from the gold stand
ard, and they have seen the admins
tration helpless to relieve the country
of the gold standard because English
fiuanciers opposed bimetallism.
"They have seen the American IL
nanciers plan to make al contracts
payable in gold and to retire green
backs.
They have seen trusts organized
with greater rapidity than ever be-
fore, and that, too, under the very
eyes of an attorney general selected
from New Jersey, the hotbed OF
trusts.
"They have seen the national ad-
ministration embark upon war OF
conquest and adventure in violation
of the principles set forth in the
declaration of independence.
"In 1896 the Republican party posed
as the conservative element OF the
country. But it has become apparent
in the past three years that the DEM
ocrstic party is really the conserva
tive party.
1T stands fors financial system
which will furnish enough money
for an independent financial policy.
INDUSTRIAL INDEPENDENCE.
"It stands for industrial indepen-
dence and the overthrow of the
trusts, which are the fault of our
overgrown corporate power. 1t
stands for homogeneous republic as
against heterogeneous empire.
"The business men of the east
we're arrayed against US in 1896.
Every man engaged in legitimate
business who is not simply a speculs-
tor or stock gambler will fnd it 10
his interest to favor the double
standard, which will give a sufi'i
volume Of full legal tender money to
form the basis for safe com merclal
system.
assist in the overthrow of the trusts,
which are driving the small business
man ont of business. He will fad 1t
TO his interest to oppose a policy OF
imperiallsm with its accompanying
I..-.o Tho man RnOaOp0 IN