The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-10
o'clock, whom ~ the ala of the Federal
military, the citizens were able to check
This Years Issues.

This Years Issues.
recently thea Spirit q the Valley ex--
pressed its surprise ,that Democrats who who
supported MI. Bryan In 1see should now 10Y
have the assurance to condemn him for
standing UP for his principles. III those hose
prtnciplcs wore. sound III 1896 and 1900, :,
adds the Spirit Of the Valley, they are
sound now, and Mr.. Bryan would be "a
donna gokuo und q tln,e-server IL he dc de-
serted then' Y,
Tho South Boston News, which wns
one ofsNtr, SSt,ryanss most loyal support!
crs III 1896 takes issue With tho Spirit
Of tho Valley, and says: Nj sS.
i..condtlons have changed Expert
ence has clearly demonstrated that Mr.!
Bryan's policy aud the measures he SO
nbly advocate In bothtof his celebrated
campaigns. 1906 and 1000, were discounted
BY a very large majority Of the people,
and thntIStipprecedented prosperity nus
followed thea principles and policies that
Mr.. Bryan and his followers SO strenu-
ously denoinccd. AS u matter OF fhct,'
the principles advocated ny Mr. Bryan
were not. sound, and the very mon VINO
wcro Ills most ardent admirers md sup
.portcrs In 1890 and 1900 arc thoroughly
convinced s,of that fact. and will now
heartily oppose what ut that time was
thought 10 DO best for the interests or
tie entirc country ms we'll as for the
success or tho Democratic party. Ihcto
is certain class that never change, you
know. Tho next great battle VIII %
fought on different lines and perhaps
with better results as to the success o.
the Democratic party"
Our South Boston contemporary makes
sufficient answer to the Spirit Of the
Valley when It says that conditions have
changed since 1896 At that time business
wns terribly depressed. Money was
scarce, and many believed that the rem
edy for the evil was an Increased sup
ply ofgmoney. Therefore, they advocated
tho FREQ and unlimited coinage OF Sill
yer at the ratio Of 10 to !, and were
eli tirely honest and conscientious in their
position. Since that timo, however, there
has been Il large increase In the supply
OF gold, and many who advocated free
silver contend that the prosperity which
followed our increased gold supply rori-
flies their contention that greater vol
Juno Of metallic money was needed. But
as tho supply has been met with the
yellow metal and ms prosperity has
come, the demand for free coinage. OF
silver has disappeared, Z
1t is Idle to so into a discussion OF
this question at. this Into day, for all
such argument is matter Of theory
and speculation. But It Is factrthat the
volume Of gold money has boon enorm-
Dusty Increased, thatprosperity hns come
under the gold standard, and that there
is no occasion for. any change In our
standard OF value. 1t Is useless to dis
cvss the question as to which side was
right and which side was wiring. Demo-
Gratis were honestly disagreed, but there
is no longer any occasion for disagree
,rent on that score. tits sensible, there
fore, for Democrats to put this dead
issue aside and unite heartily and ear
nestly5 In an effort to elect their candl-
date thisgyear, It is no abandonment OF
principle for Democrats to abandon free
silver, any more than ittwas an aban-.
Comment Of principle for the Southern
States to abandon secession after the sur
render ut Appomattox.