The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-04-14
Two Questions and One Answer.

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Frank Jones of New Hampshire,
undisputed leader of the Granite
State Democracy for quarter of a
century, and bosom friend of Ex-
President Cleveland during the lat
ter stwelveyears Of political activity,
has renowned all connection with
the Democratic party, and will vote
and work for Mckinley this year.
"More than that, expect to see
Mckinley elected" Mr.. Jones says.
IT do not think there is any doubt
of this. " For sixteen years, up to
1896, Mr.. Jones was the chairman
of the delegation from New Hamp-
shire to the Democratic National
Convention. He was delegate to
the convention which nominated
Bryan, but when he found that free
silver was a certainty in the plat
form he broke away from the party
before the convention ended. He
voted for Mckinley in 1896, but did
not announce any change in party
Civilizations until this year,. hoping
the Democrats would give up silver.
Recently he declared himself Re-
publican, and he has just been
elected delegate to the Philadelphia
convention by the New. Hampshire
Republicans.
Among the notable Colorado men
who have deserted the cause of
Bryan lately and returned to the
Republican ranks are Isaac N.
Stevens, vice-chairman of the nation
al silver committee in 1896; J. D.
Vaughn of Denver, chairman of the
State Republican silver convention
four years ago; also the si1ver-Re-
publican candidate for Lieutenant
Governor at that time.
These are CONSPICUOUS instances
of political change. How many
men have formed similar deter
mination without making the fact
publicly known cannot, of course,
be told with onything like accuracy;
but it is certain that there are many
who have ceased to be Democrats
because they object to being tied to
a corpse, and whose silent votes at
the Presidential election this year
will be their first declaration of a
change. On Thursday of last week
the Hon. John D. Long, Secretary
of the Navy, speaking as the guest
| of the Middlesex Club at Boston,
gave some excellent reasons why
thinking Democrats should no long
er be Democrats, Long said:
''Four years ago the country was
overwhelmingly in favor of an adj
ministration upon the Republican
platform, and after the excitement
Of the election was over was sub
stantially unanimous to that end.
Today the first question that OCCURS
to the judicial mind is, as has al
ready been suggested by others,
What has the Democratic party
done since then to entitle it to the
Government? The simple answer
is, Nothing. I wish, out of respect
for that party, for the members of,
which I have most cordial regard,
that could refer to something it
has suggested or attempted, or even
promised; but even that is impos-
sible. In matters of finance, of
revenue, administration, foreign
policy, or dealing with our new
possessions, it has been, and is, an
absolute blank. And this I say,
not with the slightest disrespect,
but to its credit, for if it prefers to
maintain its organization of an OPP
posite party it cannot do better than,
by having no policy of its own, to
acknowledge that the country must
look to the Republican party, which
has an affirmative policy on all
those questions, on which it has
now given the nation four years of
unexampled prosperity and welfare,
and on which it is ready to meet
the future.
"The next question which the