The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-08-27

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. |
In our last issue we published
the democratic platform in full.
We wished that all of our readers
might see it for themselves in
order that they might be able to
judge what democracy means to
the democrats, on what they base
their beliefs and upon what
grounds they are willing to go be-
tore the people this fall and ask
their votes. The first plank in the
platform declares that the demo
Gratis of this county believe in the
principles of democracy as affirm
ed in the past. The plank was
meant to be vague, and it is. 1t
was meant to be so general in its
terms as to cover all things with
out specifying some particular
articles of the democratic faith
which democrats do not care to
discuss but which they wish to
let go of easily. In regard to the
silver issue democracy is in the
position of the man who had the
bear by the tail and who was yell
ing for someone to help him let go.
The plank says the democrats of
the county believe in the principles
OF democracy as declared in the
past. But the past is very general
term. Some years ago democracy
declared that slavery was a God
given institution. Do Crawford
county democrats believe that?
Later, democracy declared that the
/ Civil War was a failure. Do
Crawford county democrats believe
that? Still again democracy de-
clared against the resumption of
specie payment and desired to keep
the county on green back basis.
Do Crawford county democrats en-
dorse that? In ringing terms
democracy endorsed the admins
/ tration of Grover Cleveland. Do
the democrats of Crawford county
still believe him? Finally, and
this is what the democrats wish to
/ avoid, do the democrats of the
county still hold to the doctrine of
free silver, or do they not. WHY
do they not have courage of their
convictions? Why do they adopt
such cowardly tactics and act as if
they were afraid to say thier souls
were their own? There is nothing
brave, manly or honest about such
a course. If free silver is right,
| democracy should be honest and
fair enough to say that it adheres to
it. If free silver is wrong and the
party is ready to drop it, why has it
not the courage and manhood to
own the mistake and to do better
in the future. The democratic party
is now and ever has been a party
not OF principle but of expedient,
The ever present question with
them is not what is right, but
what will catch votes.
If this is not true, and it is a
harsh criticism, will any democrat
tell us why the county platform
hides behind the word ''past" and
why it does not come boldly into
the open and make fair statement
upon this mooted question?
Perhaps we will be answered as the
Bulletin did some two years ago,
that it sis one OF the expedients
necessary in an off year campaign y
The second plank in the platform
is an undignified attempta at humor,
suitable possibly for the columns
of the Bulletin but wholly unworthy
a place in what should be definite
declaration of principles. The
platform next makes grand
stand play about the strike Of
the amalgamated steel workers.
Without going into the merits OF
this strife let us make one state
ment and that is, it is the
condition of general prosperity
promoted by republican Legislation
(which makes it possible for thece