The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-24
SILVER THE MAIN ISSUE.

Notwithstanding the many statements
which have appeared iu the newspa pers
within the Iast few weeks that Mr.. Bryan
was weakening ON the silver question
that ne was willing that the 10 to l idea
should be left out OF the next national
platform of the Democratic party-we have
never at any time mad a doubt that ne is
as much a. favor of making silver the
leading issue In the campaign Of 1906 as
he was IN making il the leading issue in
SOS. Ii was widely published that in the
speeches he delivered at Des MONIES Ia,
lssi week. on The occasion Of the meeting
Of the state convention Of the Democratic
party there. hat he had practically adj
mit,ed tha, silver would have to be side
tracked, and that the campaign next year
would have to be fought on the new issues
which nave come to the front. 1t did not
lake long TO show that these publications
were erroneous, and must have been made
for the purpose of creating a false i'm
pres ION on the public mind In respect
to Mr.. Bryan.
AT Omaha, on Tuesday Mr. Bryan made
several speeches, and in all of them
he took occasion to assert that the silver
question was the main one now before the
public lie has been entirely consistent
all along. Al no time, as far as We have
seen, has ne admitted there was posi-
bility of the silver question being side
tracked. He has not even appeared to con-
sent to the dropping of the question of the
ratio. He understands. as every clear
L. 4 ff4.,
abandonment of the ratio means the aban-
donment of the silver question. In re-
cent interview he said: An abandonment
of the 16 to l ratio would mean either that
the ratio is wrong or that, although it is
right, we are afraid 10 advocate it,
Further along in the interview ne said:
Il do not believe the ratio to be- wrong,
neither is it believed to be wrong by
those who made fight to insert it in the
Democratic platform"
The Democrats who were hoping that
Mr. Bryan would be willing to let the silver
question be side-tracked now understand
beyond a shadow of doubt that all who
follow Mr. Bryan's lead, and all who hep
to make him the presidential nominee Of
the Democratic party next year, will do
so with the understanding that if he is
the candidate silver viii be the leading
issue of the campaigns If the majority Of
the Democrats don't want silver to be the
main issue the thing they must do is 10
nominate some other candidate.
As matter of fact Mr.. Bryan would not
be a strong candidate if silver should be
dropped from the platform. He is so
thoroughly Identified with the silver ques-
ton that the people would have very little
respect for him il he should consent for
silver to be side-tracked. Nobody under
stands that better than Mr.. Bryan. But
it is not because of that knowledge that
he insists upon keeping the silver question,
even to the 16 to I ratio, at the front He
is convinced that he is right and that the
Democratic party viii win on that issue,
if it clings 10 it long enough.
The question which now presents itself
Is this win those Democrats who are
satisfied that the Democratic party has no
chance of winning on IS to l platform
next year qubtly consent to the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Bryan or will they endeavor
to bring ahcdt the nomination of some