The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-06
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY C. 1901
PLEA FOR HARMONY.


One Of the most remarkable. and at the
same time most significant, speeches that
has been printed in the Congressional
Record Of late is that delivered by Mr.
Lanharn. Of Texas. several days ago on
Democratic harmony. Mr.. Lanham started
ed of reorganization of the party under
The lead of the Gold Democrats. lie ex-
pressed himself as being willing that the
Gold Democrats should return to the
party, but he wanted them to come back
as did The prodigal son, in sackcloth and
ashes. repenting and recanting. We
would ask Mr.. Larham in al sincerity,
however, what these Democrats have to
repent Of? They stood by their conyic
tons and by the old principles of the
Democratic party as theygwere delivered
to the saints They did what they be-
licved to be right, and in order for man
to repent he must first acknowledge TO
himself that he has done wrong. If any
Democrat who failed to follow the party
in 1886 feels that he committed party
sir in such failure, then he is a fit sub
ject for repentance, but if he believed
that he did right there is no occasion for
ssackclotf and ashes.
Again, we would know of Mr.. Lanham
They said that free silver was wrong and
that in their judgment it would bring
disaster upon the country They said
on the other hand, that the gold standard
was right and that under it confidence
would be restored and prosperity return.
IN justification of the position that they
took. certainly as TO the latter conten-.
1ion, We point to the great prosperity of
the country at large.
Strangely enough Mr.. Lanham prac,i-
cally admitted in his speech that the
Gold Standard Democrats We're right
and. perhaps unconsciously to himself,
did a good bit OF recanting on his own
account. Starting out with the statement
that the essential cause Of disagreement
in the Democratic party was the silver
question, he said that those who believed
in constitutional bimetallisn'' had not
changed their views nor abandoned their
convictions, but that they could not
wholly disregard the arguments upon
which those who did not agree with
them based their appeals for concession
on this question. 1T is suggested" he
added, "and the suggestion comes from
gentlemen TOO eminent and too devoted to
1,A irs.1n cd hat We TO
that with gold standardism under Cieyc-
land and Harrison and Mckinley, and
with the adverse popular verdict in two
national elections and the processes that
are and will be continuously at work. lie
success OF our contention must. from, the
ever attained
There is a complete ,iahandonment of
free silver by a distinguished Democrat
who boasts that he is q party man and
always goes with his party
After proceeding TO show why free sill
yer is ;mpracticablc as {: national issue.
he asked this question: Are we not
earnestly in accord on all other Demo
cratic propositions? Subtract even from
MI Cleveland's record what he has sas1
and done and ignore what he has omitted
TO say and do, upon this issue. and word
his fellowship among us be questioned2
While it cannot be expected that we
would abandon principles fo:' which We
have honestly contended in order 10 re-
claim recalcitrants. and neither conces-
sions nor apologies are due from us, il
upon our own motion. and confessions by
the inexorabie logic of events and the
supreme requirements of future condi-
tons We shall deem it wise and espedieat
SO 10 construct orr Platform and 50 define
our plan and purpose as TO be not only
satisfactory to ourselves, but Agreeable TO
our former associates. and they shall eS-
hibit a disposition to r.-aiign themselves
with us--to not absorb us. bat to assini-
late with us-is there any sufficient real