The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-02
MANUFACTURED BEWILDER.
MENT.

| UlLlNlS
| orr esteemed contemporary, the Nor
foil, vlrglnian-Pilot, In commenting on
some recent remarks Of ours. said:
.Now what puzzles and confounds US
| &c tbo n,,rnose of The Times-Dispatch IN
ndyocatInE the nomination of Hon Gro,
yer Cleveland. 1t says that he "oula !
have no right to expect the support ~ ~
tfe & 900 600 silver men who supported
BRYAN in 1896 and in 1900. 1t is rcd-hot
|"ndvocntc of the gold standard Itself, ana
surely would not advocate silver plank
or n straddle in tho platform OF l9o4' ~
Is. therefore, in the position or adNoca ca,
ing the nomination of Cleveland on a s ~
standard platform, while declaring ut the
came time that he could not expect
q, 900, 900 Democrats who pehe'e ~ u
metallism TO vote for him"
our contempornry's bewilderment Is OF
its own making. First Of all, rho Ilre mes
D,snatch Is not advocating tho nomlna-
ton Z, Mr.. Cleveland. We have simply
held him up to Democrats and asked
them how they liked him. We nave
rInted REPLIES from press and people
some favorable. but most of them n lllf'l
yorable, ana 30 we have not changed our
opinion, expressed Mt the outset. ina
nothing short of political miracle VIII
nut Mr.. Cleveland again In the White
House.
Nor have we said that Cleveland, II
nominated, would have no right TO eSpect
the support of tho 6oOO,oOO Democrats
who voted for Bryan. In reply TO cat
oporic,, question, we said that Cleveland,
10 nominated on gold standard plat
| form. would not have the right TO OK
noct the support of the advocates OF
froo silver. But 1t Is absurd to say, that
the 100000 Democrats who supported
Bryan In 1896 are now advocates OF the
free coinage of silver ut 16 TO ]. The
yirgInian- Pilot is not such an advocate
to-d ay. and our contemporary knows tull
wcn that the number of such advocates
is trifling.
AS for our own position on the financial
Issue. wc believe In the gold standard.
and we believe in plain. outspoken de-
o,,rat,on on all public questions. We
should certainly be opposed to any strad-
die on the part of tho Democratic Con
vention. but we should DO satisfied &c
accent the financial plank of 1892 as the
financial plank Of the Democratic plat
| form of 1904. Would not our Norroll'
contemporary accept that plank? Wouie
It not "be true to the Democratic party
| IL that plank should be adopted by the
convention of 1904? And II through n po
| utical miracle, Mr.. Cleveland should bf
1 nominated on u platform otherwise &C
ccptabe would 1t not give him cordla
| sunnort and would 1t not expect the Srea
BODY of Democrats throughout the lant
to do likewise?
. We ask these questions In no querulou'
spirit, but with a view to getting at ou'
contemporaries sentiments, THIS IS NJ
ltimo for "crimination and recrimination.'
II is time for friendly conference
among Democrats, tho time for concilia
ton and peace. In point of fact. we be
ieve that the differences between Demo
Gratis to-day are SO slight that they cal
be amicably and satisfactorily settie
without compromise of principle, II tn
course be pursued. Democrats can get 70
gether on n comfortable platform, and
so they have a splendid change to cleo
the President next year. That Is GU
great desire. We are not trying TO Door
y Mr.. Cleveland. We wish he would set on
of the way, What we are after Is to I'm
a good, reliable Democrat who can lea
the party to victory.