The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-01-25

| ever did, but do not believe in making
that question an issue this year The pro-
auction Of such large quantities of gold
| SINCE 1875 has demonstrated the correct
ness of the position of the free-silver peo-
1 pie that more metallic money was needed
by the business interests of the country
and the world than was being produced
alone Of gold prior to 1896.
| 'INEXPEDIENT. SAYS McLAURIN.
| This great production of gold since has,
IN my opinion. made it inexpedient to in
ter1ect the sixteen-to-one issue into the
coming campaign. The fact is that every
| real, nght-thinking. free-silver- man has
always favored the ratio only that would
| rake the dollar of gold and the dollar Of
silver equal In value when both are equal
~ an1Sr aairly treated treated by T. the Experiment."
| This talk of sixteen to one is non
| sense. an utter absurdity. The times have
changed: and l think the Democratic par
| " appreciates that fact. Conditions of
ls6 and 1890 do not obtain in 1904 Had
we put only the free silver plank in the
| Psa.,orm pau I' OF 1885 we would. in my opinion.
the metallic money of the country was at
! that time the real-the burning-question
with other things that compelled us to 20
INTO the campaign and explain instead of
putting us where We could make an ag-
GresslVe and winning fight.
mo PLANK is SACRED"
No man has the right to say that any
plank of any platform is sacred for all
time. A plank. timely and opportune In
ever You might as well say that all bat
ties Should be fought out on the same
plan. II the men who believed in the
which the party was twice defeatedEpur-
pose going to st. Louis to force those
Ideas into our platform. the success of
endangered. We should get together, ali
OF the party, and construct such a plat
form as will present the real issues OF the
platform Democracy will win the fight"
Representative Hugh A. Dinsmore of
Fayetteville, Arkansas:
without unanimous action in the par
ty. there is no hope of success whatever.
put by unanimous action / think there Is
bright hope that We shall win the presi-
dency.
I'm order to get together the conflict
ing elements of the party, We all must
each concede something and. so far as
know. all that is asked by the people who
did not agree with us who advocated the
free and unlimited coinage of silver in
1896 and 1900 is that we do not distinctive
ly reassert approval of it in the platform
ION the other hand. we are unwilling to
accept any man for the nomination who
did not vote the ticket as an evidence of
his support of Democratic principles and
organization.
NOTHING TO BE GAINED"
while still believe the party right on
the question of bimetallisrn in 1896 and
1900. 1 can see nothing to be gained, in
view of conditions existing at this time.
by distinct reaffirmation of that princi-
that should be done. much may be lost.
Bimetallism is not all of Democracy by
any means 1t is Of the highest import
ance that there shall be a change of ad-
ministration for the preservation of popu-
lar rights and the welfare Of the Repub-
lie.
oppose the party if it fails to follow his
ideas as to what platform should be
adopted. 1 believe he is a patriot and
DEN pnmo;rat ,S and that he is in full accord
principles of the party that are of the
highest concern to the country and its in
Representative Alfred Luecking of De-
troit, the only Democratic Representative
from Michigan. said:
As early as February. 1895, l told Mr..
Bryan 1t woulH be unwise to put free
silver again into the platform of 1900, as
the party could not win OH that issue :
Il think any expression such as he is
Lincoln and in his Interviews is ill-timed.
COUNSELs MODERATION.
II do not believe reaffirmation of the
free-silver idea will be seriously consid-
cred by one-tenth of the delegates to the
spirit viii prevail there and "a platform
will be adopted upon which all Democrats
can stand. 1t should include anti-imperial-
ism and opposition to the rashness and
headlong tendency of the present admins
trafion. which IL continued will be con-
stant threat Of foreign complications,
leading to wac.
Personally. 1 admire Mr.. Bryan very
much. but he should be more moderate at
this time"
Representative John R. Williams of Ill
nois said:
Il hope to see the Democrats of Illinois
and OF the entire country united on the
issues now before the people. and have
been doing all that is within my power
Senator Edward W. Carmack of Mem
phis. Tenn, said: :.
THE laws of the Medes and Persians DO
not prevail in Democratic conventions. and
there Is no immutable law in the matter
Of platform making. When the Demo-
Gratis OF the country assemble In conven,,
tion, in 1904 the Democratic party will
make its platform"
Senator Carmack Is opposed to making
free silver an issue now.
Senator James H. Berry of Arkansas
said 1t had heet his unchanging rule since
entering public)ife not to submit to inter
views; views and hf therefore declined to be
orHER OPINIONS. 4
Representative Gilbert B. Patterson OF.
Maxton. n d.. said:
II the Bryhn Democrats and the Cleve-