Evening star., 1900-09-27
THE GOLD DEMOCRATS
WHAT ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GEN.
ERAL BECK SAYS OF THEM.
Majority VIII Vote Against Bryan ms
They Did Four Years

James NJ. Beck. assistant attorney gen.
eral. has returned to Washington after
brief absence in Philadelphia and New York
on official business While In Philadelphia
he sat as master in an important equity
proceeding in which the controller OF the
currency seeks to have the Philadelphia
Record sold to pay the creditors of the
Chestnut Street National Bank. The pro-
ceeding involves the question of the mental
capcity of William NJ. Singerly, the late
editor and proprietor Of the Record.
Mr.. Beck was one of the gold democrats
in 1895. but openly opposed Organism. He
was asked as to the attitude of the gold
democrats and to the accuracy of the
statements which have recently been sent
out by the national democratic committee
that the greater part Of the gold democrats
had decided to support Mr.. Bryan. In re-
ply Mr.. Beck stated:
VIII Vote for Mckinley.
II have looked into this matter with
some and am satisfied that the greater
part Of the gold democrats will continue
their opposition to Bryanism and will vote
for Mr.. Mckinley. Both reason and per-
sonal observation convince me of this !
have spoken to large number of so-called
gold democrats. and with very few excep-
tlOilS tney Ill Stanu WhefS tney StOOQ IOuT
years ago. Each of them has told me
that his observation accords with mine.
On my return from Europe this summer we
compared notes one night In the smoking
room of the steamer. There were a number
of men who. prior to 1895. had been demo-
Gratis, but who in that year voted the re-
publican ticket or the gold democrat ticket.
The comparison showed that not one of us
had changed our position. unless to take
the logical course Of formally entering the
republican party. and not one of US had a
personal acquaintance In like position
whose course was different. Apart from
personal observation, it is reasonable to
suppose that this Is So When men sepa-
rate from party with which they have
been identified they only do upon due
deliberation and a settled conviction that
both reason and conscience require them
to do so. Such men are not likely to eat
their own words and stultIfy their own
actions No one will ever know how many
gold democrats voted for Mckinley four
years ago.
SOO.OOO Left Their Party.
"The fact that New York city went re-
publican. and the immense majoritfes given
for the republicans in New York and New
Jersey. both naturally democratic in the
past. fairly indicate that in the eastern
section Of our country at least 100000
democrats left their party rather than sail
in a political craft which flew the black
flag of political repudiation. Some hoped.
as / did. that after the inevitable defeat,
the democratic party would reject and ex-
clude from its counsels the populstic
crowd which had captured the organiZa-
ton. Such voted for Palmer and Buckner.
did not vote at all The great majority,
however. were more far-sighted. They
knew that the democratic party had COM
mitted suicide. or. at least died an un-
natural death. being slain by the historic
weapon with which Samson slew the Phil
istines. They foresaw that for at least
SO e. hnv hffooy ri
stand for the credit of the nation, for he
integrity Of the courts. for equal justice to
all classes and the supremacy of the flag,
and that the populistic party would stand
for the repudiatio necessarily involved in
the free silver dogma. for the Gripping OF
the courts. for class hatred and every other
ism that disturbs the public peace, and
they became republicans feeling that their
allegiance to their country was greater than
that to any party. This element. by far
the greatest number of the so-called gold
democrats. now loyal republicans
Many Of the minority who. four years ago
voted for Palmer and Buckner. and called
themselves gold democrats, have seen that
the restoration of the historic democratic
party Is an illusion. and they, too, have
gone into the republican party. A small
percentage have gone back to the demo-
cratic party some on the so-called issue or
imperialism. and some to preserve their
party's standing for futufe personal uses
l am confident that this number Is too small
to affect the result.
No Question of Presidents Re-Eiec-
tiOn.
Il am at loss to know how any well-in-
formed man question the re-electlon OF
the President If any doubt existed at any
time since the nomination. the election re-
turns in Oregon. Vermont and Maine indi-
cate that the people are not prepared to
reverse the verdict by which. in 1896, they
condemned Organism. The apathy OF which
many people speak, I think, is due to the
fact that intelligent men everywhere re-
gard the result a foregone conclusion
and are too busy to worry about the re-
mote possibility of Mr.. Bryan's success
This feeling is to be deprecated. for while
Mr. McKinley's election has been reason
ably foreshadowed. yet 1t Is exceedingly
important that the condemnation OF pop
ulism shall be 50 emphatic that 1t VIII cease
to cast its somber shadow over this coun-
try The country would greatly suffer from
four more years Of Mr.. Bryan's agitation,
with it's menace of class hatred. sectional
prejudice and financial repudiation. If Mr..
BRYAN shall be defeated by overw whem-
ing majority, both by the electoral college
and the popular vote, there will be an end
to an agitation which has sought to appeal
TO every unworthy prejudice and passion.
But II Mr.. Bryan shall be defeated by a
narrow majority, and shall make substan-
be feared that he will hold for four more
years the historic democratic party in the
hollow of his hand and carry the same
populistic propaganda
OF Vital Importance.
1T seems to me. therefore, that it is of
vital Importance that the President. in car
rying forward the great policy Of expan-
sion and in upholdng the financial credit
Of the nation shall not only have the Con-
gress in sympathy with his wise and patri-
otto purposes, but that the efforts of the