Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-19

er saturdays close. Liverpool
cables are again sensationally
strong.
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the extraordinary privilege of issuing
notes on their assets. The bimetallist
prefers to obtain this increase in the
democratic way, through pimetallism.
Yet for your convenience, in providing
an answer to these questions, let us
assume that democrats who believe in
bimetallism would, for the purpose OF
obtaining harmony SO far as the plat
form is concerned, be willing to omit
that question during one campaign.
Do you believe that a platform that
made no reference to the money cues
ton would avoid incurring the hostility
! OF Mr.. Cleveland and his followers?
Do you think that democratic plat
form that failed to make explicit refer
ence to the money question could com
mand the respect either of bimetallists
or of single gold standard advocates?
Shall Principles Be Abandoned?
In order to avoid incurring the hos
tility of Mr.. Cleveland and his follow.
ers, would it not be necessary for the
democratic platform to explicitly en-
dorse the single gold standard, to con-
fess to the world that in the campaigns
of 1896 and of 1900 the democratic
party was utterly wrong on that ques-
| ton in spite of the fact that it's position
has been completely justified, at least
to the satisfaction of men who have
| become bimetallists after careful study
and investigation?
| But having disposed of the money
question, either by complete silence or
by an unequivocal endorsement of the
single gold standrd, do you think it
would be possible to retain for the plat.
form of 1904 other important features
of the platforms of 1896 and of 1900?
| Shall the democrats abandon their
position on the Philippine question
4 wherein they promised not to make the
Filipinos either citizens or subjects
and favored a declaration of the ma
| tion's purpose to give these people
first, a stable form of government;
second independence; and third, pro.
lection from outside interference?
| What change would you make In the
democratic platform with respect to
| trusts?
| What alterations would you make in
the plank relating to national bank
currency?
Would you declare in favor of the
| income tax?
What would you say in regard to
propositions involved in measures like
| the asset currency bill and the Aldrich
bill?
Would you strike from the platform
| the protest against government by in
/ junction, the condemnation of the
blacklist, the declaration in favor of
| the election of senators by the people
and the proviso relating to the initia.
tive and referendum?
What would yo uadvise as to the
general tone of the platform? Should
/ it be framed so that to one man it
might be interpreted in one way, while
4 to another man it's Interpretation would
be quite different. little device with
which democrats became quite familiar
In 1892?
/ I think democrats will very gener.
ally agree with you that the presiden
tial nominee should have behind him
"a united and not divided army" But
/ even a united army must have some.
i thing to fight for, and the soldiers must
| know what they are fighting for; 9th
erwise it would very soon become a
divided army, its victories would be
few and far between. and those victo
ries would be of no Importance to the
4 people.
i When men like the editor of the
/ Times call for harmony, democrats
must recognize the sincerity of the de
mand and yet you will concede that
harmony worth establishing and har
1 mony worth having will be harmony
that will endure until the close of the
/ polls. 1t must be apparent to every
one that no genuine progress has been
i made in the so-called effort at har.
monizing the democratic party. Nc
progress can be made on that line sc
long as the efforts relate solely to the
identity of the candidate and ignore ut
terly the character of the platform.
| ceveIand's Second Administrator.
To be sure. the platform is to be
4 written by the resolutions committee
and yet when genuine harmony on the
| platform and on candidate is SO desir
able, it is important that democrats
who choose delegates to the nationa
convention be informed as to the char
acter of the platform that is to be pre-
pared in their name, by those who say
they are willing to make concessions
in order that "a united and not di
vided army" may do duty behind the
: democratic nominee for the presidency
The question then. is how many O
their principles must democrats sur
render, permanently or temporarily, III
order to avoid incurring the hostility
of men who during two presidential
campaigns deserted the party witt
which they claimed allegiance ant
gave open and boastful aid to the en-
, emy?
Perhaps no better illustration of th,
difficulties to be encountered whel