Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-07-27

10 q man who has voted the
Democratic ticket each year since
his majority. whether the candidate
suited him or not, it now seems
very funny forthe TimesSpispatch,
of ouble-barreled, parted-in-the-
middle ancestry, to come out and
criticise any other paper for fur
nishing the enemy with ammunition.
The TimeS-Dispatch says:
No newspaper in the State of
Virginia has been a greaterstickler
for party regularity; no newspaper
has been more severe in its denun-
citation of those Democrats who in
1896 refused to support Mr.. Bryan,
than the Staunton Spectator. 1t
is most remarkable, therefore. that
this paper, of all others, should
now be training its guns upon the
man who was nominated for the
presidency by the National Demo-
cratic Convention, and whose nomi-
nation was made unanimous. Mr..
William j. Bryan himself acquieS-
ing. 1t Is also remarkable that our
Staunton contemporary should be
furnishing ammunition for a Repub-
Gcan newspaper with which to
fight the Democracy.
There are other Democratic
newspapers in Virginia which are
disposed to grumble. This is free
country, and newspapers are grow
ING daily more Independent; but if
the Virginia Democracy is to give
its usual majority for the Demo-
cratic nominee, there must be
cordial and enthusiastic co-opera-
ton on the part of press and people
in support of the ticket.
We cannot understand how any
Democrat can refuse to give such
support to the platform and ticket
of the st. Louis Convention. The
convention was entirely regular;
Mr.. Bryan and his associates were
given 4 fair hearing, and were
treated with the greatest consider
alton. Mr.. Bryan was member
of the Pletform Committee. and it
was a concession to him that the
committee reported a platform in
which no mention was made of the
money question. Mr.. Bryan ac-
quieSced in the platform and the
report of the committee was unani-
nous. He appeared before the
convention and publicly stated his
acquiescence. The platform was
adopted without a dissenting vote,
and. while there was opposition to
the nomination of Judge Parker.
as soon as the first bollot was taken.
upon motion of the Missouri dele
cation, which had opposed Judge
Parker. the nomination. As we have
said. was made unanimous. Mr..
Bryan and all his associates assent
ING. The platform is something of
a compromise, and compromises
are never entirely satisfactory to
either side. The platform does not
contain all that the gold Democrats
could have asked, and does not con
tain all that the silver Democrats
could have asked. But the COM
promise was accepted. and it is now
too late to dissent.
The platform as far as it goes.
Is purely Democratic, and there is
nothing in it TO which any Demo-
crat may reasonably object. Judge
Parker is a man of high personal
character. He has always been a
Democrat: has always affiliated and
voted with his party, and no reason
able objection can be raised against
him as nominee of the Democratic
party. Democrats of Virginia now
have candidate and a platform
upon whom and upon which they
can in honor and self-respect unite,
and upon whom and upon which
we believe the great body ofDem-
Ocrats will unite in spite of an oc-
casional snarl here and there from
extremists, and in spite of the eff
forts of Republican newspaper
TO make mischief"
All of which, when you consider
the previous position of the Times
Dispatch and its ancestors Gin 1896
and 1900, for instance) is very
funny.
1t is sad, too.
But they can console themselves
with the thought that it all depends
whose OK is gored.
Good August Literature.