The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-08
A NEW ERA FOR
THE DEMOCRACY
Ex-Secretary Hilary A. Herbert Gives
Sound Advice.
FOR BOTH SOUTH AND NORTH.
Asked for His Views or tho Result
Of the Recent Election, He
Talks of the Party's
Future.
FOR BOTH SOUTH AND NORTH.

The Montgomery (Ala) Advertiser prints
the following interview with Colonel Hill
airy A Herbert, which will be read with
interest in every part of the country:
Your correspondent called on Colonel
Herbert and asked him if he had any OBJ
lection to giving his views, through The
Advertiser. of the lessons of the recent
election He replied:
None ut ALL shall be very glad to do
So Indeed, l would like very mudl TO
have a e-to-face talk with my Old con-
stituents now about the situation, and as
1 can't do that, the next best thing is to
talk to many of them as can be reach
ed through your columns.
II am, us you know. permanently out
of politics My political career is closed,
and | have no ambition in that line to
crafty: so that what l say IS from the
standpoint of q Democrat who can have
no wish except for the future welfare Of
his party. Ths Democracy has made
srievous mistakes since the spring OF 1895.
and it is really piuaple to see the pilsn5
in which we stand to-day. The South IS
the minority section OF the Union; It can
do nothing by itself; it needs and it must
have friends in the North, if il IS to have
any weight whatever in the Government
Northern Democrats have been our friends
always, especially during nnd since the
days of reconstruction Up to 1885 we
counted connecticut New ti n, NEW Oc--
sey and Indiana as Democratic and occa-
sionaly we carried other States; but in
1886 the Democratic candidate and plnt-
form together drove all these States into
the Republican party. and in return De-
mocracy got nothing but q few uuimpor-
tant free silver States. We lost in titat
year also the border States of Maryland,
Kentucky and West Virginia.
LEARNED NOTHING.
Thut ole rs ', ce,
taught us nothing. Mr.. Bryan maintained
his control over our people. He held fast
to the alliance he had formed with the
Populists and to all the pronouncements
of the Chicago platform, that had carried
him and the party to defeat Last spring
| TALKED to a leading Southern Democratic
Congressman, who was avowediy for free
silver and Bryan. In answer to my ques-
ton, he admitted confidentialIy that free
silver was dead and that Bryan had no
hope of election and said he was only adj
vocatinG Brynn because the people behind
him demanded it. He also told NE that,
in his opinion, the majority OF Southern
Congressman stood eXactly where he did,
anxious to give UP Bryan and free silver,
if only the people would consent. A few
days afterward I had conversation. also
confidential. with leauing Democratic
Congressman from the North. and he re-
peated precisely the same idea avowed
by the Southerner.
This was the situation before Mr.. Bryan
was renominated. At Kansas City the ma
1ority of the convention was evidently
against giving silver : prominent place IL,
the platform, but Mr. Bryan demanded it.
1t was done, and the result is that now,
after the election, with the exception of
Maryland and West Virginia (still in the
Republican fold, the Southern States are
standing out for free silver when not a
single civilized State in the world. count
ing out TIN, second-rate countries of Cen
trail and South America. Is maintaining It,
and not State In this Union for it except
the four pitiful little silver producing
States Of the Northwest. which have al
together just five representatives In the
lower House OF Congress. The North is
practically solid against us. and both
Houses OF Congress are againstus by large