New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-13
THE GILDED DEMOCRACY.
What Free SilUer Men Repudidted
20 accept Parkfr's Gold Standard.
IFRon TIE TRIBUNE BUREAU


1900 It's committee on resolutions, deYotinS
large part OF IT'S memorable sixteen hours ses-
sion TO the money question, rejected the tiInld
and evasive financial plank q the tentative plat
form. submitted By the committee, and final
y, In the interests Of harmony literally be-
spr!nkled with cowardice !gnored the question
altogether.
Long before the platform was read 10 the
convention b. Senator Daniel It was known 70
every delegate that al! reference 20 the money
problem had been carefully eliminated. Inc Golo
Democrats sullenly acknowledged their deIeat'
while Organism. triumphant and unchecked
boldly proclaimed that the entire absence OF
Reputation in the platform was tantamount to
4 rearlrmatioa OF the party's financial doctrine
The platform adopted. Judge Parker was nom
mated amid scenes OF carefully manufactured
enthusiasm and then came the rude awakening.
Parkers startling telegram jolted the conVen-
ton out OF its position Of fancied security, and
forced it to write in its platform what was
equivalent to a declaration favoring the gold
standard.
Representative Democrats who came on the
Washington from ST. Louis have not yet re-
covered from their amazement and disgust over
what they privately characterize as shrewd
confidence game, and they have begun TO eX-
anime the records OF the erstwhile valiant silver
champions who ran UP the white rag OF sur
render when the gold bugs charged their posi-
ton.
They have found many interesting speeches
and declarations made in recent years By the
white metal leaders who climbed aboard the
gold bedecked band wagon at the crack Of the
candidates whip They cannot figure ou1 just
how Bailey. and Daniel and Tillman, and John
Sharp Williams, and Champ Clark. and other
rampant silver shouters OF four years ago could
have so changed their views 10 permit them
to indorse the Republican gold standard policy.
unless it be on the ground of eXpediency. They
wonder curiously if the editorial COM
ment that moved the Sage of Esopus" to his
dramatic pronunciamento has had a similar eff
feet on the late white meteal enthusiasts. or If
they simply changed III If minds between
O'Clock on Friday evening. July S. when the plat
form was adopted and twenty-four hours later,
when the Parker telegram made public
WHAT CHAMP CLARK ONCE SAID.
Champ Clark was the permanent chairman OF
the convention, and was presiding when the
delegates repudiated their platform and
voted. by a decisive majority. to telegraph Par
ker that they were sorry for what they had
done. and that they had not done anything.
anyway, that he could object TO. BY that vote
a declaration for the maintenance of the gold
standard became part of the party's platform,
the silverites precipitately abandoning their
principles and joining in the stampede. Four
years ago Clark. then a Representative in Con-
gress. on December 16. 1900. while denouncing
the gold standard bill, then under consdera-
tion said among other things:
"Consistency's Jewel" II Hamlet Prince Of
Deumark, were speaking OF the political morals
of the supporters of the Atlantic money BILL"
he would change his far resounding eXclama-
ton "Fraity, thy name is woman" SO as to
read, 'Frailty, thy name is latter day Repub-
lcanism"
With consciences of india rubber and the
cheeks of Hindoo gods. Republican Representa-
tives and Senators are now doing the very thing
which we charged in 1886 they would do IL
given sufficient power, which orators and
editors west of the Aleghanies with one ac-
cord denied bitterly and vehemently as Peter
denied his Lord and Master. But the die is cast.
This House Will pass the Gold Standard bill,
and the Senate will pass it, something equally
as bad our appeal is not 10 the members of
this House but to those who make and un-
make representatives-the great body OF the
American people.
THE Record" also discloses that Mr.. Clark
scathingly denounced those Republicans who
had previously declared for bimetallism. but.
having seen the error of their ways. changed
their views. He also declared that the former
speeches of those who were then stultfying
themselves by supporting the Ubiquitous
ure would make rare. rich and racy reading
when their authors We're arraigned at the bar
of public opinion.
'Out of their mouths will these high and
lowly political somersaults be condemned" no
Numbered. He then had this to say about sill
yer:
fee, and who expect none-know exactly what
they want. They want the free and unlimited
coinage Of gold and silver at 16 TO l. and this
they intend to have We would stultify our
selves by changing position in front of the enc
my Even as a matter Of eXpedency, by such
move for every vote we gained in the East we
would lose half dozen in the South and West.
Those who have been looking up Clark's silver
record are wondering how he will explain away
his sudden "somersauiting' at ST. Louis.
BAILEY AND FREE SILVER COINAGE.
Senator Bailey. of Texas was in 1890 a mem
Der of the House. and. when Representative Dal-
zeu asked: 1.-THE gentleman (referring TO Bailey
still thinks that silver ought 10 be coined at
the minis at the ratio of 16 to II" said. 81 DO.
Continuing, he declared:
II a remorseless and unrelenting Republican
majority will not relieve the people by opening
orr minis to the free coinage Of both gold and
silver, we rejoice that human greed has found
more mines TO provide a more abundant gold
supply.
Four years after enunciating this doctrine,
Senator Bailey, a Southern leader and OF
the most influential Democrats in the country,
went over bag and baggage to the Republican
gold standard policy taking with him the en-
tire Texas delegation at ST Louis.
On December &C. 1899. Senator Carmack, of
Tennessee. then member of the House. said
The gold standard bill was never intended by
those VINO urging its passage TO strengthen
or reform the currency system OF the country.
1t Is not being pressed by them in obedience to