New-York tribune., 1900-07-19
REAL ISSUES AND SHAN BATTLES.


Whether there shall be an Anti-Expansion
Gold Democratic candidate for President not
is a question for the anti-expansionsts and
Gold Democrats to decide Such nomination
would doubtless offer a certain number of per
sons a chance to preserve their individual con-
sistency advocates of certain opinions, quite
regardless of the influence Of their acts on the
course Of American history. 1t is doubtless
their privilege TO do so If they wish. Such
nomination would also be an inestimable boon
to those men and newspapers in the East that
al heart wish Mr.. Mckinley defeated but do
not dare give expression directly to that wish.
Those who would rejoice to see Mr.. Bryan
rather than Mr.. Mckinley in the White House,
provided the business interests were not able
to turn on them and point TO the resulting dis
turbance as their creation, would find a third
candidate a most convenient instrument But
in spite Of these manifest forces favoring
separate nomination. it is difficult to under
stand how the great body of anti-expansionists
and Gold Democrats can desire to vote in the
air, if they really as earnest as they say
they are.
Every one OF these must realize that
Mr.. Mckinley or Mr.. Bryan will be the next
President and must have convictions as to
which would serve the country best or which
would, from his point Of view, involve the
country in the least harm. Whichever it is,
that is the man for him to support He may
say till the COWS come home that 1t is impU-
dence for the two great parties to attempt to
confne him to a choice between alternatives
neither of which suits him. but that will not
alter the fact that he is so confined. not by
the parties, but by the nature of things and
candidate Of his own will not change the situa-
ton in the least, but merely enable him to
lSa he off 1-hil
fattering his pride with the false pretence that
he is doing something else.
OF course. he may say to the Republican
who asks if he wants to destroy the gold stand
ard that that is a question Republicans should
have asked before they took position on other
questions distasteful to him. And he may make
the same answer to Democrats who ask him
If he is ready for halfway measures in oppos
ing expansion. Such replies may serve to re-
lieve his feelings toward one party or the
other, and might be legitimate enough if the
problem before the voter were simply whether
he wants to help the Democratic or Republican
party. That however, is not the issue and
any gold anti-expansonist who can satisfy his
conscience in this crisis with questions about
whether parties have so conducted themselves
as to claim his support without impudence does
not himself believe his own declarations that
issue of this election. If he did believe them
he would, without self-conscious crimina ton of
parties because they failed to smooth their plat
forms for his footsteps. be working for what he
believed was the best Of the possible alternatives
for his country. If he thinks it more important to
make stand for his own particular views
with an eye to the future, and maintain q sep
arate organization, then the danger from the
old parties is not so imminent as he would have
US believe, and, far as he is concerned, ex-
pansion on the one hand or free silver on the
other is a policy which the country can com
fortably endure.
No matter whether he likes what the parties
have done or not, if there is a really momentous
question at issue the patriotic citizen works
squarely for what he believes to be the right
side Of that momentous question. If he hon
estly thinks anti-expansion is paramount he
may be expected to vote for Mr. Bryan If he
thinks free silver and the anarchistlc doctrines
Of the Chicago platform a more serious danger
than leaving to the Republicans the solution Of
the island problems, for which Mr.. Bryan offers
only a contradictory and unsatisfactory pro-
gramme, ii is reasonable to believe that he will
vote for Mr.. Mckinley People may cry out
over the cruelty of fate and the wickedness of
man in giving them only the choice between
these two. but if they have any choice at all. as
good citizens it is their duty to make it, and
make it directly and in the most effective man.
ner. If they have choice, then they have no
convictions of consequence on the matters at
stake, and have no right to complain if both
parties do fail TO consider their views It is
only sham battles that can be put off till the
contestants find the ground levelled off Just to
suit their plan Of campaign Real battles are
fought in fields as men find them, and it is only
the traitors or paid mercenares who draw off
and go through academic evolutions while
watching the fray because they don't like THE
lay of the land"