The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-25
LETTERS IO THE EDITOR
ROBERT B. BLAKEMoRE URGES
MAGNANIMTTY ON FORMER OP-
PONENTS OF BRYAN
NATIONS SAFETY DEMANDS IT
George j. Stewart Suggests a Plan
for Taxing the Street Car
Company-Discusses New
Equipment.
Plea for nIagnaaimity.
, EDITOR of the Globe:

11eA LUZ MERE hAAAhAlSs
To the Editor of the Globe:
Dear Sir: Four years ago this coming
September 1 had the honor to represent
a seemingly few gold Democrats in this
| state in the capacity Of chairman Of the
delegation to the Indianapolis convention.
The platform adopted by that conYen-
ton, as well as the ballots afterward
cast for the principles therein enumer-
ated, are part of history.
l believe every gold Democrat of four
years ago thoroughly and unreserYedly
| Endorses the planks Of that platform to-
day as truly as then.
The issue then, as we believed 1t to be,
between silver recommendation and legis-
! lauYely controlled bimetallism, was won
/ reinforced by a gold standard law on
| the statute books. If it shall prove in
| effeetual in its operation to maintain the
gold standard then our stand then taken
! will have been fruitless of accomplish
| ing the end desired. If, on the other
| hand. 1t proves effective, then our pur-
/ pose will have been accomplished. We
can do no more. Our record has been
| made, our efforts successful.
From this high vantage ground can we
not afford to be magnamimous and toler-
ant of the opinions of others differing
with lis on this economical question?
The success of the Republican party
| has not been fruitless, however, in pro-
| ducing conditions likewise absolutely
| Numerically opposed to he cardinal prin-
ciples of the Democratic party and uni
Versal Democratic faith. Those condi-
tIrely new, yet Is for the first time on
trial before the people Of this republic
! Ill its present form
Plainly stated On both definitions of
| that word) it Is, whether under our pres
| ent constitutional and representative
form or government representatives elect
ca to make and administer the laws,
made conformable to the constitution and
| It's clear intent, may also exercise the
sovereign power of legislation for and
controlling, by force Of arms, or other
n fHo hnr, 70
ton of that instrument for purposes
other than In defense of citizens there
| under?
The principles underlying a form of
issue.
The position assumed by the GLOBE,
ana especially under an editorial of the
goth. headed Where the Blame LES
appears to me Illogical. Why undertake
to impeach the plain statement Of Mr.
Bryan and the Democratic platform, upon
which he stands, that Imperialism Is
| the paramount ISSUE" in order to Justify
your recreant course to the party?
! evidence that Bryan himself holds 16 to
! to be greater issue than imperialism, -
his statement to the contrary notWith-
| ssssandlngT Il from your reasoning. then,
II We Gold Democrats had had the MAX
ing OF the platform and had insisted upon
| q gold standard declaration therein to
tae olSsa tlsIaction of Mr.. Bryan and the
10 to l forces, but had likewise stated
| imperialism to be the paramount issue,
| they would have Ike justification in I'M
| peachlng our statement
1t Is always a sure sign Of weakness OF
ones position If they first have to prove
the peridy of another in order to sup
port them in 1t. If you believe imperial
| ism the paramount issue and would have
| supported the party, did you think It had
| made 1t such, then why take the pains
and trouble to search SO diligently for an
! excuse to 1mpeach the clear and plain
statement that it did regard such Issue
| the paramount one?
Would you have others think you more
| capable than they, and yourself convict
| a Whole political party of bad faith?
II the gold standard cause was won
/ TOUR years ago, when 1t surely was the
paramount issue, and is now barricaded
| by ali legal means possible then 1t Is
! only attacked this year It cannot be-
ana and you know is not, the paramount issue.
linen your own words convict you, when
/ you say in the editorial referred to that
no sane man could endanger the para
mount MOI az Issue s Tor minor issue. knowingly
II that is good advice from you to
| Mr.. Bryan then I believe it equally good
| from the democratic party to you.
| execution Democratic principles BY lead
ing minority or following a RepubIi-
"A AS related to the Democratic organiza-
tsron, we gold men may have hold of the
not end OF the poker; nevertheless, If
| we gut pulling or let go we need never
expect Tse to capt capture the handle.
the gold Democrats In this election will
undoubtedly be, as so aptly put by the
editor of ''The Public believing in
plutocracy and Imperialism they will
| vote for Mckinley, regardless of any
particular Issue. If they believe In De-
moeracy they should vote for BRYAN Not
that Bryan is altogether Democratic nor
| that Mckinley is altogether plutocratic
and 1mperiaHstic. But Bryan represents
| the Democratic tendency, while MCKINLEY
| represents the plutocratic and imperial
iSuo tendency, and tendencies are in
against. u
There are political periods when the
voter can help along a particular reform
| 1t and against the party that has OPP
! posed or betrayed it. But when broad
principles are manifestly at stake in par
| " contests, no one can by his vote adj
| just the details of government to his lik-
| ing A vote for or against civil service
| reform, for instance, or for or against
g. certain ratio In the coinage Of gold and
SILVER, counts for nothing at such times.
All that a voter can do then is to
strengthen one or two great tendencies,
and weaken the other. He can this wear
| strengthen the tendency toward impe-
| r1alism and plutocracy or the tendency
more" ~ 'i'-i4e
| This year free silver is a subordinate
! issue, imperialism paramount issue
Most humbly begging your pardon for
1 lntrud1ng my views upon you as in any
| way worthy Of consideration along with
that mass of voters who will when they
] come to the polls probably vote as 70
each seems best, and only asking that
| you withhold as much as possible Of
your influence from aiding the tendency
toward that form of government we
democrats Of both silver and gold tenets
most assuredly believe to be the death
knell Of republic. I remain, yours
very truly Robert B. Blakemore
Fargo, July 81.