The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
THE DEMOCRACY AND FREE SILVER

In a double-leaded editorial evidently in
tended as keynote for the Indiana De-
mocracy the indianapolis Sentinel heartily
indorses the action of the party in Ohio
in ignoring free silver and dropping Mr..
Bryan. The article is headed "a Dead
and Buried ISSUE" meaning thereby free
silver and Organism. 1t gives notice to Mr.
Bryan that he is no longer in the running.
and that IAN overwhelming majority of
Indiana Democrats heartily indorse the
Ohio platform" The following is worth
putting record:
Mr.. Bryan says that 1.-The money ques-
ton is not out of politics." If Mr. Bryan
means by this that the question of the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of 10
to ! without the consent of any other ma
ton" is not out of politics the Sentinel must
reluctantly. but emphatically. differ with
him. The Sentinel begs leave TO say
with all the emphasis it can command, that
the silver question is out of politics. If not
for all time, at least for as long a time as
existing conditions prevail, which may be
for generation or more TO come. 1t is
out of politics because the American peo-
pie have three times passed upon the ques-
ton and pronounced with constantly in
creasing emphasis against free coinage. 1t
is out of politics because the business of
the world has adjusted itself to the gold
coinage expected 10 afford has come
from the increased supply of gold and from
other causes The Sentinel is Mr.
Bryan's friend and admirer. 1t has done
him valiant service in the past 1t has
always believed in him and wants to be-
lieve in him still. But 1t warns him in ell
kindness that the rank and file of the
Democratic party-the boys in the trenches
the men who go to the primaries-are
tired OF the fatuous Bourbonism which
would link the party to the corpse of an
has been killed by the logic of events and
buried under a thrice repeated avalanche
of popular disapprova1
AS new departure this is almost as In
teresting a step on the part Of the Sentinel
as the one It made when it abandoned the
time-honored principles OF the Democratic
party read the riot act to Gold Democrats
burned its bridges behind It and joined in
the wild crusade for Organism and free
silver. If II has become tired of the fatuous
Bourbonism which would link the party to
the corpse of a dead issue its conversion
must have been very recent. Defeat in
1896 did not open its eyes. 1t made free
silver a dominant issue in the city cleo
ton OF 1897. In an editorial published be-
fore Mr.. Taggarts nomination it de-
nounced as absolutely false the represen-
tations made by goldbug papers that the
nomination of Mayor Taggart would be in
any sense a goldbug victory" 1t headed a
list of candidates for mayor with Thomas
Taggart, 16-to-1 Silver Democrat 1t said:
1.-The goldbugs have tried 70 bluff free
coinage out of politics. but they have failed
signally. There is not the slightest evil
dence of any weakening of the sentiment
among the people anywhere" In order to
allay local disaffection it extorted from
Mr.. Taggart. shortly before the election a
declaration that he was in favor OF free
silver. 1t supported free silver as enthusi-
astically in 1900 as it did in 1896. Now it
informs Mr. Bryan that he and free silver
are dead issues. Three years ago it said
1.-The goldbugs have tried to bluff free
coinage out OF politics. but they have failed
signally." Now it assigns numerous rea-
sons why free silver is a dead issue.
What was a bluff three years ago is a
political verify now.
People with memories and a little rea-
soning power will remark that free silver
was just as vicious doctrine in 1897 and
in 1900 it is now. If it was right then
IL is right now. and vice versa. Financial
and economic conditions have undergone no
material change beyond the increasing pros
perity OF the country. In "a moral sense
free silver was as impossible and as dan
gerous two years ago as il is to-day, and
IL only became a live issue because the
Bryanites thought they could ride into
power on 1t. a party that adopts vicious
and dangerous doctrines when ii thinks
they offer chance of success and only
/ abandons them when II becomes convinced
! they are not winning cards is not fit to be