The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-06-19

vocarIng or oppoSihG the IacI0 0i l0 to I
or any other particular ratio. There
were strong men in the Democratic party
in favor Of the free coinage Of silver; there
we've strong men in the Republican party
in favor Of the free coinage of silver. The
Republican party adopted the first free
coinage platform. Although silver was
demonetized by Republican Legislation in
1873. the only objection to that Act made
prior to 1896 came from the Republicans,
who had passed the Mintage Act. under
which silver was demonetiZed. After
twenty-three years silence the Democrat
ic party condemned the Act Of 1873. under
which silver was demonetiZed. The Re-
publicans answered by abrogating their
previous platform and indorsing for the
first time the monetary system for which
they were responsible. At that point both
parties split. Silver men Withdrew from
the Republican party. and gold men, as
they were called. withdrew from the DEM
ocratic party. There were more Demo
Gratis who withdrew on account of their
belief in the monetary system than there
were Republicans who withdrew on ac-
count of their opposition to it. The result
was that after a maSniticently fought
campaign the Republicans were success
full. and the Democratic leaders all agreed
that this Republican success was due to
those Democrats who had left their party
aud voted either the Gold Democratic
ticket or directly for the Republican tick
ct. The Democratic party showed that 1t
was not dead, and when it is taken into
consideration that the Democratic Ad-
ministration went into power at the time
of one of the greatest panics from which
this country has ever suffered. it is re-
- Az %la I,no ch
as they do, that had the party been united
it would have been continued in power.
Acting under their platform the Repub-
lican party passed certain Legislation
which settled the financial question in ac-
cordance with their wishes. There came
about season Of prosperity, not caused
by this legislation but by numerous other
matters which politics had nothing 10 do
with. This period of prosperity carried
with it great business transactions. These
transactions We're conducted under the
financial legislation already mentioned.
Some of the strongest advocates OF the
free coinage of silver in both parties took
8 conservative view Of the situation, and
held that it had required over twenty
years and two mics to change from tha
f.rmer system to the present ore. and
that change back again would require
equal time and cause great disturbance
to our business interests. They believed
that, although the question has been set.
tied wrong. business had been so adapte l
to the present condition that any change
of radical character would cause wide
spread disturbances Showing that the
fundamental principles which have always
divided the Rcpu blican and the Demo
cratic parties were unchanged. those
Democrats who were convinced that the
unlimited coinage Of silver at ratio OF
16 to would prove disastrous neverthe-
less remained in their party. and in sew
eral States the delegation sent to Kansas
City were composed of democrats who
to O man opposed the free silver plank.
1t was underst :od that William J. Bryan
should once more lead the party. 1t was
also understood that those opposed to the
lG to plank were not opposed to his
leadership. They hal no requests to make
of the Kansas City Convention concerning
candidates. They went there determined
as far as possible to have their party.
which abandon ed its past principles and
stultified itself in lS9 by an unhollY alll-
ance with the Populists and Socialists,
placed backed upon its own old mornings
and adopt a straight and Democratic
platform. They were willing that the
Populists should have the candidate II
they were allowed to preserve the prlncl-
Piles of the grand old party.
What did these men find when they
reached Kansas City? They found West
ern delegations in which not single man
had been Democrat in 1892. These men
demanded reiteration of the l6 to l plank
of the Chicago platform. The proposition
was made to them that they could have
both candidates, and they could have any
planks they wanted. which-are not Social
istic or Anarchistic. anil all the Democrats
asked was that their party be preserved
by maintaining its reputation as sale
and conservative organization. John W.
Daniel, of Virginia, as thorough believ-
er in the free coinage OF silver as any man
in his party, and one of the grandest
characters in the Unitel States Senate,
worked liked beaver day and night to try
to convince these Western delegates
that their policy were suicidal. Gov
ernor Smith. of Maryland, told them that
the Democrats could carry Maryland with
out that plank and could not cary Mary
land with it. Gen. ST. Clair, of West Vir-
ginia, worked until o'clock in the morn
ing with that committee and then went
back to his delegation, saying: "BoyS,
we are ruined" Tom Taggart Of Indiana,
himself a silver man. worked liked beav-
er to keep that plank from being inserted
and served notice upon his party that
the Democrats of his state were not IN
sympathy with it and would not vote for
the candidate if nominated upon such
platform. The vote was taken and only
fifteen States voted in favor of IL to l.
The Western dele ates weakened on the
night of July and 30 apprised Mr. Bryan.
By telephone message to his leader, MIR.
Metcalf, of Nebraska, he informed the
Convention that he would not accept the
if the iteration Of 10 to
was not in the platform. 1t was then too
la5s to select another candidate, although
were in progress by at least
twenty State delegations, 6enoupcing the
man who would SO far dese.t the Demo
cratic principle that the majority shall
rule as to refuse to accept Il nomination
upon a Democratic platform that did not
contain this new principle of Democracy.
1t was 100 late to concentrate upon an
other candidate and Mr.. Bryan was nomi-
mated. The remark was general among
the Democrats on the trains as they went
to their homes that they had been COM
PEELED to surrender and there was no hopo
of Bryan's election. The Eastern leaders
were not surprised when Bryau was de-
feated by greater majority OF popular
and electoral votes than in the election of
1903