The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-27
WEDNESDAY. MAY 81, 1908.
A POLITICAL cATECHIsM.

pondent communication in which we
arc requested to answer several question.
propoundcd. We shall do so rs fur ns we
are able.
< Did Mr. Cleveland participate or vote
4 In the primaries hold In his precinct. OF
ward, In 1896 and 1900. for the purpose OF
electing delegates to the county conven-
lions, thence to the State and thence to
the National Democratic Convention?
Our correspondent knows rs much ms
we do concerning Mr.. Cleveland's politi-
cal acts in 1896 and 1900.
2. Is 1t not tho rule OF the Democratic
party that the nominee shall receive a
two-thirds majority of tho delegates to
the National Convention, and Is 1t not
right that every man who took part In
the primaries held before the convention
meets shall support the nominee OF the
convention?
s. How else can a political party be
maintained?
It is tho rule OF the National Democratic
Convention that candidate must receive
a two-thrds majority of the votes cast.
in order to secure the nomination. Every
man must decide for himself whether
or not he Is In duty bound to support
the nominee of the party. 1t Is understood
that when man takes n part In pri-
mary election he will support the nom.-
nee, but he does not commit himseJ. eb-
solutely. II, subsequently, the, sarty in
convention promulgates platform con-
tanning now principles ana principles to
which he cannot conscieHtlously sub
scribe. he must settle the matter with
his own conscience whether or not he will
vote for the nor-..nee.
A. Did Mr.. Cleveland vote for Mr.. Bryan
either in 1896 or 1900? If not. for whom
~ did he vote?
We do not know how Mr.. Cleveland
voted in those elections. but there Is good
reason to suppose that he did not vote
for Mr.. Bryan.
s. Has not the silver wing of the Demo-
cratic party stood squarely by the nomi-
nee from 1873 to the present?
G. Had they bolted In 1854 and in 1892
could Mr. Cleveland have been elected?
I. Having laid aside their preferences,
then, In every election from 1873 to 1892
had they not the right to expect the sup
port OF the gold wing of the party. when
nominee, representing the principles In
which they (the silver Wings believed,
was before the people?
s. If not. why not?
V Generally speaking, Democrats stood
solidly together up to tho election of
1895. But there Is reason to believe that
II the party had come out In favor OF
the gold standard in 1895. or If 1t had
refused to declare In favor Of the free
coinage of silyer''at 1G to ]. Mr.. Bryan
and many OF his followers would have
boted, for Mr.. Bryan had previously
declared that. party or no party, he would
not support a platform declaring In favor
4 OF the gold standard. Therefore, the sill
yer wing OF the party had no more right
to expect the support OF the gold wing
on free Silver platform than the gold
wing had the right to expect tho sup.
port of the silver wing on a gold standard
platform.
8. Was there not as much OF brain
and good judgment and honesty OF pur-
pose In the 6,oOo,O0o men who supported
Bryan In 1896 as in the 10000 who sup
ported Palmer and Buckncr In that cam
pa!gn?
We believe that the advocates OF free
v. sINcI WeIc JuSL US CONSCIENTIOUS as the
advocates of the gold standard
10. From March 1893 on through Mr.,
Cleveland's entire four years, was not
the country In the midst OF severe
panic, even though gold advocate was
in the presidential chair. and the country
on n gold bnsis2
There was undoubtedly period of hard
times between 1893 and 1897. and it would
be a useless consumption of space to dis
cuss the cause. The country was practi-
cally on u gold basis but the Sherman
silver purchase law at the declining price
of silver caused great apprehension In
financial circles, and whether that was
the whole cause or not, It Is certain that
confidence was shaken and almost do.
stroyed when the Democratic party de-
clared Itself in favor OF revolutionizlna
the financial system and putting tn,
country on silver basis.
II. Mere not the sllverites 1ustifcable
then. In advocating n change, and car
you name q man who can say with Ger
tainty that the policies they advocated
would have worked harm to the country
II. If so. Will you please name him?
The advocates Of free silver undoubted
iy had strong argument In their favor
and as we have already said, wo believe
that they were as conscientious In theil
advocacy OF free silver as other Demo
Gratis We're In their opposition to 1t. o.
course, no man can say what would hay,
been the result II free silver had won
but there arc many men in tho countr,
who belIeyt that 1t would have hroupt,
on a disastrous smash from which III,
country would have been slow TO re
cover We can SEQ nothing 10 be gained
however, In talking about what NIGH
have been. Tho fact Is that after the gol,
standard was established the production