The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-11
.soTnlsp Losr o ..I,o.,rUxITs.

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ANOTHER LOsr OPPORTUNITY.
Yesterday we rad something to say
ahou; Mr.. Bryan's lost opportun ty To-
day we would speak OF the iost oppor
tunity of the Democratic party. In iSs!
tie people OF III country determines tnl
the time had come to put the hepuoi'ca
out of Office They did not believe IN the
high tariff for which Mr.. Mckinley was
chiefly responsible. nor did they bel evs
In the poiic.es generally Of the republican
rarty as manifested in the Harrison al
m!nistrat on. The business OF the country
was in fairly good condition and President
Harrison made strong. appeal to the IN
terests Of the country to let well enough
alone. But the people had made up tnei
m.nas that the Republicans ought to b.
turned out, and SO, In spite OF MI. Har-
rison.s businessi.ke appeal. Grover Cleve-
land. Democrat. was elected by suo-
stantial majority.
But soon after Mr. CIevelands inaugu
ration a season Of business depression set
in Just what was the cause OF 1t w
shall not discuss, because we do not know
Whatever the cause L was not loca.
The trouble began in England with th>
failure of a great banking house. an.
gradually spread all over the civilized
world. In the summer Of 1898 there was
a money panic in the United States. an.
many OF the banks of the country stopped
paying out currency. Confidence was
shaken and those whc had money he'd o.
TO 1t ~ iii the grip Of q, m.ser. There were
raids on the gold of ile Treasury. and III
order to MAINTAIN the credit OF the nation.
Mr. Cleveland was compelled TO ISSUE
United States bonds from time TO time.
and 50 rep.enish the Treasury gold. In
the meant me the Government was buy
act. 100000 ounces of silver each month
and piliny it up in the vaults Of the Treas
ury. This also tended to Increase the
anxiety Of capitalists and was con-
slant menace TO the fnanc al interests
OF the country.
In the fail of 1898 Congress was called
together in extraordinary session, and the
C.lSIllltiit dcl hdS itk'td-SN buS ~ hS1S too
late The mischief ,ad been done, Cen
!.dence had been impaired. Cl:ita lists
?<re not disposed to turn their tends INTO
ths channels CT trade Industry az com
merce were almost paralSzed. But by
degrees the business interests Of the coun
try began to pull themselves together. ana
In 1895 trade was making sat sfactory
progress when Mr.. Cleveland made tn,
blunder of his administration and issued
a proclamation which was to all intents
and purposes a declaration of war aga nsi
Great Britain This was another shock
to business and there was another set
back Confidence was again shaken. ana
before the country recovered the Prest-
dental campaign Of 1896 came on, and
the country was stirred from one end
10 the other By the free silver az. tatton.
In the meantime the people had los:
confidence In the Democratic party. Worse
than this, the Democrats Lost confidence
IN their own President
Mr.. Cleveland was denounced by many
of his own party associates, and these
all focked to Bryan and free silver. The
managers OF the party declared that the
Cleveland adm ntstrat:on had been fail
ure ana that the only way to bring bach
prosperity was to overthrow the go.e
standard. rerolution.ze the financial sys
tenn and OMEN the minis TO the free an
unlimited coinage OF silver at fixed
ratio.
p,+ o-t,,o +1a ,,rr3nesv fntareets of the
country were IN wretched condition. and
wI,ile many people wanted a change, the
majority, were unwilling TO go into revo
luton. and So Bryan was beaten and the
Republican party returned TO power. By
degrees confidence was restored. ana as
and increased from year to year until
period Of wonderful prosoer.tv came. o..
course McK'n'ev got the c-ed'i fo- hr'n"
ing back prosperity. but every thoughtful
man knows that this IS only half way
irue. The only th'ne that ihe Reonhtra"
party did was to ma .ntain the god stand
ard. ana HEREBY restore confidence. The
natural laws OF trade did the rest
Wa come now to sneak of the lost OPP
portun.ty Of the Democratic party. II. in
1885 the party had made such fsht az
IT id make. but upon sound Democratic
Platform. we believe that the party would
have been successful. and If It had been
successful the same prosperity That came
under the Mex nley administration would
have come under the Democratic admin
istrat:on. and in 1860 the Democratic no'Di-
nee for the Presidency would have been.
triumphan1ly Reelected and the 1'rty
would have had a long lease Of power.
But suppose the Democrats had failed to
elect President on sound Democratic
platform in 1896? At least the party ould
have preserved it's character and would
have reta med rle confidence of its consti-
iuen:s. and ii would have zen in sl'en-
did Sighting tt m In 1900 What & terrible
b.under was the campaign of 1876! What
calamity has Organism proven to he to
H,a srca, party. Of Thomas jefferson
What q splendid oppnrtur!ty tbs a1rty
threw away when Il torscok its I'rtns Pies
tn 1886 and committed Itself % Popu!ism!
III 90