Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-06-12

campaign the Republicans were sue
cessful and the Democratic leaders
all agreed that this Republican suo-
cess was due to those Democrats
who had left their party and voted
either the Gold Democratic ticket
or directly for the Republican ticket.
The Democratic party showed that
it was not dead, and when it is
taken into consideration that the
Democratic Administration went
into power at the time of ono of
the greatest panics from which this
country has ever suffered, it is
remarkable that the figures should
show, as they do, that had the party
been united it would havo been con-
tinued in power.
Acting under their platform the
Republican party passed certain leg
islation, which settled the financial
question in accordance with their
wishes. There came about a season
of prosperity, not caused by this leg.
islatson, but by numerous other mat
ters which politics had nothing to do
with. This period of prosperity car
ried with it great business transac-
tions. These transactions were con-
Quoted under the financial lcgisla-
tion already mentioned. Some of
the strongest advocates of the free
coinage of silver in both parties took
a conservative view of the situation,
and held that it had required over
twenty years and two panics to
change from the former system to
the present one, and that a change
back again would require equal time
and cause great disturbance to our
business interests. They believed
that, although the question had been
settled wrong, business had been so
adapted to the present condition
that any change of radical charac-
ter would cause widespread disturb
ances. Showing that the fundamen-
tai principles which have always
divided the Republican and the
Democratic parties were unchanged,
those Democrats who were convinced
that the unlimited coinage of silver
at ratio Of 1G to would prove dis
astrous, nevertheless remained IN
their party, and in several States the
delegations sent to Kansas City were
composed Of Democrats who to a
man opposed the free silver plank.
1t was understood that William j.
Bryan should once more lead the
party. 1t was also understood that
those opposed to the 1G to 1 plank
were not opposed to his leadership.
They had no requests to make Of the
Kansas City Convention concerning
candidates. They went there dctor-
mined as far as possible to have their
party, which abandoned its past
principles and stultificd itself in 1896
by an unholy alliance with the Popu-
lists and Socialists, placed back upon
its own old moorings, and adopt a
straight and Democratic platform
They were willing that the Popnlists
should have the candidate if they
were allowed to preserve the princi-
pies of tho grand old party.
What did these men find when
they reached Kansas City? They
found Western delegations in which
not single man had been Demo.
crat in 1892. These men demanded
reiteration of the 16 to plank OF
the Chicago platform. The propo-
sition was made to them that they
could have both candidates, and they
could have any planks they wanted
which are not Socialistic or Anar-
chistic, and all tho Democrats asked
was that their party be preserved by
maintaining it's reputation as a safe
and conservative organization. John
w. Daniel, of Virginia, as thorough
believer in the free coinage of sill.
yer as any man in his party, and ono
of the grandest characters in the
United States Senate, worked like a
beaver day and night to try to con
vince these Western delegates that
their policy was suicidal. Governor
Smith, Of Maryland, told them that
the Democrats could carry Maryland
without that plank and could not
carry Maryland with it. Gen. ST.
Clair, Of West Virginia, worked
until 4 O'Clock in the morning with
that committee and then went back
to his delegation, saying, "Boys, We
A TEXAS WONDER,