Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-04-11
lCoNNCSIcATEDl
Gaylord, Apr. 9, 1900.

deep Interest Ia our people, I write
you short letter on our national af
fairs
No matter what platform the dem
ocrstlc convention NAV adopt II its
candidate were elected the currency
OF the country could not be reduced
TO silver basis for al least four wears.
and therefore, | believe question.
which cannot D. decided 5y the cleo
ton, should not become one of the
Issues The American people have
never wsged presldeu,isl contest
upon al abstraction.
The maintenance of an imperialis
tic policy or It's abandonment is one
question which can be decided and
decided forever by the popular yer
dict next November.
To unite the democratic psrty II Is
not necess4ry that II should repudiate
any Of lie former expressions. that il
should reuOunce, suppress. or even
disguise any of its beliefs.
The democratic party would be IN
vinci6ie, II 1t would recognize the
fact that the silver question has been
laid aside by the people for at least
for Years. reaffirming If necessary
the faith Of he majority IN the dec
laratiou Of 1896.
The convention should invite all
citlzens Who sbbOr be attempt to
ciothe this repu bic 10 the tawdy rags
of Imperialism, 10 60 operate in main-
tanning the te. rltnr;al integrity of the
| ulted States. leaving all questions
sfecting the financial iutegrity of the
| nlted States 70 be settled hereafter.
be only chance Of success. in nv
mind, the imperIalistic policy has in
the presidential election les in the
danger that Al Il imperialists NAV
be divided by the injection of iinau
cial discussion into the campaign.
1t l. inconceivable. however. that
under our political system the people
should be denied the right TO pass
directly upon QUESTION involving the
very structure and essence of our
government
have 90 doubt that Mr.. BRYAN
will advocate re adoption of the Chi
cage platform IN It's entirety. aud
am equally confident that he would
decline 20 be candidate or 20 remain,
IN the convention If the Chicago plat
form was repudiated directly in word,
or indirectly ia silence. But | can.
not and do not believe hat he would
refuse to accept the judgment IF the
convention If th.- Chicago plafforn.
was repudiated in the sense that ,hi.
Is not the proper time and occasion
for submitting the doctrine enFnai-d
in that platform TO the Judgment Of
the eople.
No party ever entered Il pre,idrn
ual can,ass With an easier road to-
cess an the one NOW open 10 den,
ocracv. The ouly cloud on H. prn-
poets l. the Ia ger that IL wil M. II
self IN "a question dead az IRA ric.l
Issue but sull sufficient alive to ham
per IT'S mOvrm MT. distract its coun
ellis. aud paraiyze It's rfIicirncy
Mr.. BRYAN cannot be- elected pres
Ident without the support Of the
united Democratic party. Ifthere ,.
any Craftsmanship left IN this nnrtv.
n should we'll address itself ~ Tho
task Of bringing to--thrr all demo
Gratis upon Issues which they can
combine.
Mr.. Bryan himself has spoken elo
quentlv and impressivelv upon the
evils Of Imperialism.
This is an opportunity for him +.
invite the support of comhin ID dem
ocra's npon the most important qurs.
tions before the people. In contest
In which republican institutions Was
the paramount Issue. He would hs.,
more than d fighting chance 10 defeat
MIR. Mckinley. Congress by the
-nactiOh OF gold standard legislation
Will make IL impossible for hlm to
put the country on a silver basis. In /
he should Ue elected on a platform,
pie'igIng his party 70 repeal the GOLD
standard Hesitation. the republican
IN the Senate would prevent
he execution of such a programme.
If he were President he
would be powerless to do ANYTHING
tor silver during his administration.
But 1t Is not probable that he would
Dc sent to the White House if the sill
'er agitation be as aggressive aud
persistent as 1t was in | $50. As deem
y as they abhOr Imperialism, many
'Oters may accept 1t IN preference To
change IN our financial system in
he direction to free coinage of silver.
since Mr.. Bryan as President cannot
lelp the cause of silver, whv should
le commit himself to IA policy which
nav not only result IN democratic de-
eat hut perprtuatiOn of the trust evil
nj the permanent establishment of
If he cOnnot get All
hat he wants, why should he not be-
ontent with large share il:
The democratic president who can
ave the country from imperialism
nd trusts. will live i'm history and in
he greatful regard of Americans.