Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-04-14
LESSONS OF LAST NIGHT.

The J~effersonian banquets held in vari-
Ii parts of the country last night DEM
onstrate beyond a doubt that the demo-
cratic party will be hopelessly divided in
the campaign of 1900, unless a compro-
mise is effected that will bring the two
wings Of that organization together ON
common ground. If political symptoms
amount to anything, the breach etwee
the two rival factions is wider today
than ever before, and can be healed only
by the exercise of great diplomacy and
tact. 1t is evident that matters lave
reached a point where neither side can
be coerced into a quiet submission to a
platform Of principles that is not ex-
pressive of it's views.
In refusing to attend the Croker ban
quet, Mr.. Bryan served notice on the
single standard wing of the democracy
Tia liz Will tollCCot llolIIilS ~ Ills
party opponents. To have attended that
function would have been to promote
party harmony at the expense of his
presidential aspirations, for Mr.. Bryan
can never become a compromise candi-
date. He must stand squarely upon the
platform of 1896 or step down and out.
1t is therefore good politics on his part
to refuse the olive branch from the single
accept nothing but their unconditional
surrender.
The logical outcome Of the situation
points to the retirement of Mr.. Bryan
in the interests of harmony between the
two wings of the party, and the nomina-
ton of a compromise candidate on a plat
form that does not declare for the free
coinage of silver, or the nomination of
years ago Mr.. Bryan had the support of
5000, O00 silver republicans and populists,
and went down to defeat on account of
the democrats who would not endorse the
platform upon which he stood.
AS the democrats lave re%pudiated the
fusion idea as bad politics, and Will not
cooperate politically with the organiza-
tons which rendered them material as
s%istance in 1886, Mr.. Bryan would suffer
a great loss of strength as the nominee Of
1900. Existing conditions would contrib
ute largely to the fighting capacity of the
single standard democrats, and in all
probability the splendid showing made
by the silver men in 1896 could not be re-
peated.
In the main, Mr.. Bryan has shown an
uncompromising spirit along financial
lines, but last night in his Milwaukee
speech he made a most remarkable con-
c%ession, as the leader of the silver cause,
in that he stated that "while it is I'M
necessary to discuss the question of ratio
until some other ratio is proposed, it may
not be out of place to suggest that 16 to /,
being the ratio at which the present gold
and silver coin circulate, it is the natural
ratio at which the minis should be re-
opened" 1t will strike the average ad-
vocate of free coinage as somewhat re-
markable that Mr.. Bryan should deem a
discussion of the ratio as at any time
unnecessary when discussing bimctal-
lism, for he has often declared that it
was the real gist of the question when in
issue. Besides some other ratio has been
proposed, and repeatedly proposed,
namely, a ratio based on the market
value of silver. And there is something
uncanny and unnatural in the apology
implied that sit may not be out of place
to suggest" that 16 to / is the proper
thing. With 16 to 1 coming merely as a
from the great silver leader,
prefaced with the apology hat it may
not be out of place" to max it, the fear
viii seize the people that your Uncle