Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-08-04
THE TuppENNY DEMOCRACY.

II. A. Burrell in the Washington, Ia,
Press: They boast of the fight at Kan
sas City over the free silver 16 to /
plank, whether a specific statement
should 60 in, or only a reafflrmation OF
the Chicago platform of 1895. They
twiddled and Quibbled and criggled
and piddled over that picayune thing
for hours, yea days, In committee and
out, a very large minority insisting
on the latter, and the majority so
wishing, and all yielding to Boss Bry-
ans demand for the specific thing. AS
IL 1t made any difference reaffirma-
ton would have embraced 16 to ] and
all the other vagaries and anarchisms
Of the 1896 platform.
The fact that they should get heated
like school boys, ver such a tuppenny
thing as that shows that the party has
no capacity for governing a country.
And it is singular that the Democratic
party has not in fifty years made a
success of administration. Buchanan
let the South steal the government
blind and gather momentum in prep
aration for a civil war. Jackson would
have throttled the south instanter. The
Democrats have not had a real man
since Jackson, nor has the party
amounted to anything useful since he
led them. AS men, Democrats are as
good business men as any others. But
as q party, what good service have
they rendered since 1850? Cleveland
did two or three good things, but did
them in spite of his party that damned
him for doing them. But he did many
foolish things, and the country went to
the bad in his last administration
Harrison, before him, had paid OF
$3.50, 000, 900 of the public debt, and
Grover owned in his first message that
the country enjoyed prosperity unprec-
edented. Cleveland added $3.50 900 01C
to the public debt, and he made a foo
tariff that In four years made 10000
commercial failures with 5000 900 00C
liabilities, sent III railroads into re-
~ceivers' hands, closed ITO national
banks, ruined wool growers, foreclosec
thousands OF mortgages, threw one
third Of the laborlng population out o
work-damage infinite. The country
naturally forced the election of Nc.
Kinley on pledges that the old, tried
policies should be restored, the
finances be put on adamant, and al
that sort Of thing, and the pledges
have been kept. The country IS bach
on the Harrisonian basis, and every
thing is In good shape, but the popu
lied Democratic party comes t
ask the privilege OF running things
and. as proof of their capacity anC
ability In the conduct OF public af
fairs, give us this object lesson
whether they shall affirm the Chicago
platform or name silver! These schoo
boys fought two days over that sill!
twaddle. A great party that could d.
that doesn't show sense enough to rul
a peanut stand-successfully, withou
breaking up. Their last hitch-a gov
erning, before the pops swallowed 'em
well nigh bankrupted the country, an
these silly fellows would surely con
sulGmate the job If they were given
chance. Five-acre farmer Bryan
Tammany hall with its ice trust, am
Altgeld, would make a nice mess OF il
indeed.
Who wants another panic?
Or another stroke Of paralysis II
business?
Or tinkering with money worth 10
cents on the dollar?
Or wants this lot Of ~triflers an
kickers to put a handful of weed seed
in the vermiform appendix of Uncl
Sam?