The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-06-21
GOLD DEMOCRATS STILL FOR
GOLD.

Some Of the gold democrats OF the
East may be so tired Of their prinei-
pies that they are ready to embrace
Bryanism. but they get no comfort from
men like General Buckner. their candi
date for president four years ago.
He declares that through the country
at large the gold democrats are strong
er now than they were then, and that
the cause Of sound money has made
many converts from among those who
voted for free silver in 1886 At the
same time he does not expect that the
sound money democrats viii hold any
convention or nominate any ticket. The
clear inference is that il the Kansas
City convention persists in reafflrming
the monetary doctrines OF the Chicago
platform the bulk of this vote viii go
to Mckinley.
1t is doubtless true that other issues
viii affect popular Judgment all over
the country. and gold democrats here
who are anxious for any excuse to op-
pose the republicans, and others whose
vision is blinded to everything but ex-
pansion. may be drawn over TO Bryan.
but in the Middle and Far West it is
doubtful if there is any such tendency
among gold democrats. and 1t is there
that the gold democrats have gained
their principal accessions. Those whose
conviction of the errors of Bryanism
is recent are less likely to take a luke
warm interest in sound money than
those who once fought that battle.
The Western farmers who voted for
Bryan and free silver and have since
learned from practical experience the
value to them of the gold standard
are not to be lightly led to vote for the
man who before deluded them. They
have too recently escaped from his
clutches. 1t would take stronger
feeling against expansion than is yet
anywhere manifested in the West to
take back to Bryan old supporters
who, while Mckinley was in the White
House developing the policies now be-
fore the people. were well enough sat-
isfied with those policies in the making
to turn from Bryan on the silver ques-
tion after it had been settled as much
as it is now and while Bryan stood in
antagonism TO the administration on
the new issues. There would be no
logic in such abandonment Of what
these voters themselves under practi-
cally existing conditions have adopted
as their controlling political principle.
No man who became a gold democrat
since 1896 can well support Bryan. On
ly he who took that stand under other
conditions, before the questions growing
out Of the war came up can find
good excuse for urging new and para
mount issues as a reason for change.
General Buckner is probably right in
looking for no gold democratic nomi-
nations. Indeed. it is difficult to see
how there could be any. Antl-expan-
sionists might take the name Of the
organization which ran Palmer and
Buckner. Devotees of any other idea
might do the same. But the move
ment would not be a sound money
movement any more. The preservation
Of financial stability depends on the
republican party, and there is no help
full halfway movement possible. Though
Mr.. Bryan might be hampered by ex-
listing laws made to protect the gold
standard, yet in the presidency he
could doubtless tamper with the
finances by mere executive acts with
as disastrous results as did Andrew
Jackson in spite Of all congress could
do. Unless he could in a measure car
ry out his policy his whole present
platform of continued appeal to silver