The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-03


any one question are likely to differ upon
another, and, therefore, the paramount
question becomes the decisive issue.
1.-THE isSue in the next election will
be imperialism or silver; it cannot be
both. No matter what platform the con-
vention may adopt, if its candidate were
elected the currency OF this country
could not be reduced to a silver basis for
at least four fears. The silver question
therefore, will not play decisive part
in the campaign. A question which can
not be decided by the election cannot be-
come one of its issues The American
people have never waged Presidential
contest upon an abstraction The main
tenallce of an imperialstic policy or its
abandonment is the one question which
can be decided-and decided forever-by
the popular verdict next November
There is little doubt that it will be re-
jected if all who condemn it are allowed
to unite in opposing it. rha only chasce
of its success lies in the danger that anti
| imperialists may be divided by the in
lection of financial discussion into the
campaign. For my part, however, l be-
lieve this issue will be presented without
any distracting question to complicate it.
1t is inconceivable that under our politi-
cal system the people should be denied
the right to pass directly upon a question
inolving the very structure and essence of
our Government. While "a desire for Mr.
Bryan's denomination appears to be
unanimous in his party, the sentiment
is still stronger THAT the people of this
| country should have an opportunity to
vote squarely upon this policy, which
threatens to effect divorce between our
| flag and our Constitution by unfurling
the one over Countries where the other
cannot exist, and which has already de-
prived us of that unquestioned p1imacy
among civilized nations which we had
achieved during the first glorious century
of our existence.
TO unite THE Democratic party il is NOT
necessary that it should repudiate any
of its former expressions; that it should
renounce, suppress or even disguise any
of its beliefs. The Democratic party
would be invincible if, recognizing the
fact that the silver question has been
postponed by the people for at least four
years, reaffirming if necessary the faith
of the majority in the declarations of '96
| ana their determination to press them
whenever an occasion again arises for
obtaining popular verdict upon them,
realizing that this election involves not
any one policy, but the very existence OF
| Democratic government, the convention
should invite all citizens who abhor the
attempt to clothe this republic in the taw-
dry rags of Imperialism to cooperate to
maintaining the territorial integrity of
the United States, leaving all questions
affecting the financial integrity of the
| United States to be settled hereafter"
What then would be your platform p
Il would reaffilm the Declaration of
Independence, and go to the people ON
that alone. On such platform the cam
| paign of 1900 would resemble the caI9-
paign of 1900 in its issues, its temper and
its results. Who can doubt that Jeffeer-
sons immortal work would obtain in
| 1900 an endorsement as emphatic and as
| sanitary as its author received in 1902"
You are aware that Mr. Bryan him
| self insists upon the re-adoption of the
Chicago platform in its entirety?'
Il have no doubt Mr.. Bryan will advo-
| cate that course, and l am equally conf
dent that he would decline to be a candi-
date, or to remain in the convention if
the Chicago platform We're repudiated di-
rectly in words, or indirectly by silence.
But L cannot and do not believe that he
would refuse to accept the Judgment of
the convention as to whether this is the
proper time ard occasion for submitting
the doctrines embodied in that platform
| to the Judgment of the people.
IF Mr.. Bryan We're elected upon a
! platform, declaring that the financial
| status quo should be preserved for the
next -four years. have no doubt that he
would Loyalty abide by it. He would. of
course, be free to seek reelection in
1904 as an advocate of free silver. and
If he We're renominated on such a plat
form | would oppose him again as earn
estly as did in 1896. In the meantime
he would have AN entire right to sur
round himself with officials who shared
his views and who could, therefore. be
trusted to aid his denomination. This
would exclude me and those who share
my views from all prospect of holding
office under his administration. but who
ever assumes an attitude of independence
to his party from a sense of duty must
he prepared to pay the price of his indie
pendence."
Every election depends largely upon
the policy of the party in power. This
| discussion of trusts is one manifestation
| or this tendency 1t shows THAT. not
understanding the disturbing questions of
foreign policy that have arisen during
the last four years, the country has
| grown uneasy over the domestic policy of
| the present Administration The men
who have directed Republican councils
in the past have either disappeared from
the public service or they have been ex-
cluded from prominence in the Republican
Administration. The policies which.
however, unsound, under their leadership
were always dignifed by brilliant sup
port, have sunk now into schemes of alb
surd pateTnaisn, at once senseless and
eXtravagant. The leading measure OF this
Administration is the Subsidy bill. the
passage of which has been urged by the
President ON the ground that the business
of shipping is highly profitable, so profita-
bic in fact that the Government should
undertake to pay the losses of those en-
gagged in it. With a statesmansh too
profound for ME to comprehend he APP
pears TO believe that after a certain period
accumulated losses will be metamor-
phosed into profits. What sensible man
can contemplate the initiation of such a
pOlicy without apDrehenSion as to IFS re-