Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-03-14
CAMPAIGN OF 1900.
DEMOCRATS ARE UP AGAINST
HARD POLITICAL KNOTS.
Party ZeaIots This Year Can't Arouse
the People with the Bngaboo of
Threatened Financial Ruin - Conf
dence in Republican Party.


dence in Republican Party.
So far as debate is concerned in the
political campaign of this year the
money question does not promise to be
conspicuous Mr.. Bryan will not say
that the silver issue is to be dropped;
none of the silver leaders will say that.
The platform as repaired at Kansas
City will include the financial plank OF
1896 without material change. The
platform viii declare for free silver,
the presidential candidate viii stand
Cor free silver. bat the paramount is
sue g four years ago Will be little in
mems thoughts or speech in the cam
paiGn - s5Jo. The fact that a gold
standard statute has been passed by
Congress i'm the meanwhile win not
provoke appeal TO the people to arouse
themselves TO the work of saving their
homes and fresides from overwhelnl-
ing financial ruin. The campaign zeal
ots of the Democratic party will let II
all pass Here and there an individ-
ual unable TO turn himself in four
years, will look to free silver and rs 10
l. but he will be apart from the crowd
The Populists. out on the prairie some
where, may say to themselves that it is
the second battle and if doubt leaks ia
upon them they viii cite the plat m
and point to MIR Bryan. 1t is not pro
posed that the populists, of either par.
ty label, shall receive more shock than
the emergency requires. But the cam
paign viii be on other grounds,
Such a political transition in four
years is a remarkable thing to contem-
plate. But the Democratic directors
will account for ii. They will say that
the Republican party has forced upon
the country new questions that are of
more urgent character Yet - what
they said In 1896 had truth back of it
nothing could be more urgent than the
salvation of our own people from the
bondage Of the gold standard. But
some way or other that peril cannot be
vitaiiZed into a campaign issue Of
promise. The lurid character of the
pictures Of four years ago has faded
out. Tie leaders know it, and the fact
viii be Of quite common knowledge by
the time the votes are in next fall. The
Republican party has no reason to
shrink from tie responsibility OF hav.
ing wrought this transformation III
credit shall be assumed. how ever. cred
It will be denied 1t will he said that
tension has been taken of Of ;ae mon
ey issue by changed conditions that
have come In spite Of the gold standard
and In spite Of all the Republican party
has done Bur these changed condi.
tons have come. This is the import-
ant fact. The fundamental proposition
upon which the Democratic party
placed itself four years ago was that
change for the better was impossible
without opening the minis to the free
and unlimited coinage Of silver The
Important fact is that the Democratic
parts VS. wrong II may be that the
discovery Of new deposits OF gold, con
ditions of war, and all that afford such
explanation as is needed. 1t must be
admitted, however, that the Republi-
can party was not wrong when il said
that the evils complained of would dis
appear with q revival of the Industries
Of the people and that such revival
was not dependent upon Tie debase-
ment OF the E.1uey of the country But
never mind that The Democratic party
was wrong. The acknowledgment of
that wrong is to be made this year by
the substitution Of silence for frenzy.
But the Democratic party viii not he
silent II will not be as noisy as 1t was
in 1896 but 1t viii be as noisy as il can
be- The country was going to the bad
In 1896 in enc direction. aud II will be
as positively asserted this year that It
is going TO the bad In another direction.
The trouble this year viii not bee a new
trouble. II VIII simply be revival of
very old trouble At the very begin.
ming Of the life of the Republican par
" it was charged that the success a.
The Republican party would mean the
destruction of the Constitution. Now
we are to have that old, old song acain.
OF course the Democratic party Is not
now standing for slavery, il is not
standing for the extension Of slavery
under tie Constitution 10 the Terri
tories Nevertheless It can see clearly
That If the Republican party is longer
trusted an the guarantees of the Con-
stitution are TO be broken down. The
Democratic party now tremhles for lib
erty. SfnguIarIy enough however. the
Democratic party viii go back 10 the
days of JOHN G. Calhoun for it's argu-
nents
The civil war demonstrated that the
Constitution could not be sci up as n
bar 10 enlightened progress nor used
rs n shackle to the moral expansion Of
the people The Democratic party win
now And that the Constitution cannot
he used 30 tie The hands Of this great
nation in the discharge of its reSponsf-
bilities under the treaty with Spain.
nor to dwarf its powers in the contest
for supremacy among the enlightened
nations of the earth. The Constitution
is no more than an expression OF the
will and purpose Of the people of this
country; it exists for the people and
not the people for It, The assumption
that the Constitution has power ~upe-
rior to the power OF the people is q
false assumption Prior to the civil
war the Democratic party was uuwilI-
ing 10 trust the people; the Democratic,
party is repeating its record in that re.
gard now.