The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-07-27

ence whether the Populistic Democracy
10 which we are now opposed lays most
stress upon Its determination to debase
the currency or upon Its determination
to degrade the flag. We are opposed to
both propositions. and no self-respecting
citizen in making up. his decision can az
ford to neglect either.
''There Is little need to argue against
free silver now. What need we say
against doctrine which would work 4
sweepingly destructive revolution in our
financial system. and yet which Is ad-
vanced by party only after a violent
contest in which nearly half of thu.
party has opposed it?
"At Kansas City 1t took the Demo-
Gratis two days to determine upon
the free silver plank In their plat
form. The rest of the planks did
not need AN hours work. And yet
they solennly ask that the two
days plank shall be relocated to q
secondary pOaition!
Indeed, II their attitude on this question
were not full Of such terrific possibilities
Of tragedy to the ION. it woult amount
to farce. My fellow townsmau, Mr..
Richard Croker, the arbiter Of the des-
TIMES Of the New York Democracy, has
recently evolved theory which Is en-
tirely worthy Of serious consideration by
any men that are willing to take the
Kansas City convention itself seriously
Mr.. Croker has announced that he thinks
congress should
Change the Ratio
every four years. so that the only thing
certain about our dollar would be that
no one ever could prophesy more than
that length Of time in advance what it
would amount to. Mr.. Cookers party
associates appear inclined, it Is true TO
treat his views or finance rather flip
PANTY. But in reality he is just rs much
entitled to serious treatment from them
as they are entitled to serious treatment
from u.s. It IS hardly necessary to saw
that not merely free silver, but the very
threat OF free silver would paralyze our
whole industrial life. The election Of
Mr.. Bryan would cause such economic
and financial chaos as to reduce this whole
country to condition Of fearful and
acute distress that cannot be imagined
even by those that keep fresh in mind
the dark days Of '93, only seven years
ago. Any representatives of the Populistic
Democracy as at present composed, whom
Mr.. Bryan could appoint as secretary
Of state and Of the treasury, would in
Of ruin; they would do even more to
harm 1t now than they would have been
able to do four years ago.
'Now, as to expansion. It hardly seems
worth while to waste any time upon what
the Kansas City people call imperialism
and miltarism.
City convention was insincerity.
1.-The convention which nominated Mr.
Bryan In 1900 was in character infinitely
below that which nominated him In 1896
In 1896. for all their wild and DANGEROUS
folly. his advocates had at least the merit
of sincerity in their bitter fanaticism.
However wrong-headed, they knew what
they believed and they stated II without
fear. In 1900 their actions were de-
termtned purely by policy, and their
pandering to the lowest and most de-
graded passions In our national life, bad
enough In all conscience sake in itself. was
rendered infinitely worse because robbed
of every vestige Of honesty and sincerity.
It took them two days to fird out what
they believed about free silver, and this
was the only plank concerning which they
took the trouble to find out their beliefs
at all. They reasserted the doctrines of
anarchy which they had preached In .'98,
not because they longer believed In them.
but because they hoped by announcing
them to attract to themselves all men
Of unsound and violent mind. When It
came to dealing with
Our F0rei0n Policy
they deliberately strcve to foster resist
ance to the national dag where such re-
sistance already exists, and to call it into
being where 1t does not exist, with tho
hope Of gaining some petty party advant-
age at no matter what cost Of ruin to
the nation. They mouth about imper-
:alism and militarism knowing that there
10 not one shred Of truth in waht they
say, knowing II they know anything.
that their words are putting q premium
upon trouble In every island from which
the Spaniards have been driven and car
ing nothing because they wish to pur-
chase party success even at the cost Of
dishonor to the flag. OF death and suffer-
ing to the men that fight under the flag.
Bitter indeed is the cup they hold out to
the nation to drink. and thrice bitter It
will be for the nation IL 1t does not spurn
It.
What they say about Cuba and Porto
Rico need not detain US for a moment.
In Porto Rico we now have Governor
Allen in charge. We have established
system under which tbs island Is advance
ing by leaps and bounds to prosperity.
In Cuba we have put Gen. Leonard
Wood in charge and all the preliminary
steps have been taken to give to the peo-
pie Of the island their own government.
Our pledge to Cuba shall Of course be
kept. Gen. Woods administration IS
a synonym for honesty and cleanliness,
and the minute that fraud was discov-
+ cred In the postal department., the wrong
doors were hunted down in unsparing
pursuit. and the best possible proof was
thereby given that we meant what we
'tsaid. and that governmental cleanliness
would be obtained in the only possible
way by the unsparing cutting out Of cor
ruption wherever it was found.
1--we now come to the Philippines, and
to the general question Of expansion.
Many of the positions taken by the Pop
ullstic Democracy at the moment are 50
paipably dishonest and maintained in
such palpable bad faith that to state
them Is sufficient. It IL hardly necessary
to discuss what they say about ''ths
Constitution following the dag" The
Democratic party never chamuloned the