The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21
They Nominated Candidates
Who Voted for Free Silver.
People CAN FORGIVE ERROR
Wiki b Now Prsc tically Admitted.
bst win Not Trust the Party win
Power Because Of Tie
Blundef.

crates startling statements which lateP
On are proved TO be absolutely false,
his further utterances on any subject
whatsoever are liable not 90 be taken
seriously, and this is putting the ease
mildly. Even though the statements
were uttered in honest belief as 20 their
accuracy. the fact that they were later
on proven to he wrong, furnished evil
dence Of mental capacity to make fur
ther gross blunders from time to time.
In this respect the record Of the Dem.
oc.atic party on the silver issue has for
that party the same sinister significance
that falsi6catiOns from an individual.
who is found out, would have for that
individual.
We may all be willing % chsritably
admit that in its sdvOcacy Of the great
free silver error in 1896 and 1900 the
Democratic party was honestly wrong.
There - no patriotic American who
would like to think. hint. or suggest,
that Bryan was not Actuated BY hon.
est and sincere belief In his cause when
he uttered his famous Gross Of Gold"
and Grown Of ThOrns'' speech in 1884,
nor 10 there any American with Opti-
mistic faith in the honesty and patriot.
ism Of the leading public men Of The
United States who would want to think
for . moment that Alton h. Parker. the
candidate Of . great political party foe
President OF the United States. voted
against his honest convictions as to what
Was for the good Of his country when
he voted for free silver in 1896, and
then again voted for free silver in 19O0
Cannot He Trusted.
But while the American people will
never impute dishOnOrable motives 70
the leaders Of the silver cause in 1893
and 1900. yet nevertheless il will hesi-
tate in the future to place implicit trust
in those who sought 70 lead them into
a disastrous error in those years. Had
the majority Of the voters Of the cOunr
try in 1896 and 1900 not been Of bet
ter judgment than Judge Parker wac
during those two years the United States
would have had the silver standard; all
the currency Of the country would have
been debased 70 the bullion value OF sill
OF over fifty per cent; the labOreF,
whom the Bible says is worthy Of his
hire" would have been paid his wages
in cheap dollars Of not half the value Of
the honest dollars based on the gold
standard; the country would have suf-
fered unparalleled hard times; its credis
would have sunk rs low rs that Of TuS
key. Venezuela, and of other nations
which repudiats their just obligations.
Il was for such calamity as this that
the Democratic free silver error stood
in 1895 and again in 1870. and Parker
and Davis both times stood with this
error, contributed money to further u
along, and voted for II.
Now the error is practically admitted.
Both Parker and Davis. while refusing
to say that they now believe in the gold
nevertheless say that il 10
''irrevocably established BY law-that
is when on December 10. 1893, ths gold
was established BY . vote oe
179 Republican yeas and only II Dem
ocratic yeas, against 1l2 Democratic
nays and no Republican nays. N the
House OF Representative, and By vote
Of a Republican and Gold Democratic
yeas against q Democratic and only one
Republican nay in the Senate. IT WAS
SO WE'LL ESTABLISHED THAT
PARKER AND DAVIS NOW CON-
SIDER 1T ''IRREiOCABLY E6TAB-
LISHED."
''0llenco 10 cooNesssoa."
The American people will be willing
10 forgive the Democratic record on the
silver question. They will not demand
verbal confessions from
leaders of the fact that they
we're terribly wrong in 1896 and 1909.
AS Daniel Webster once Silence
is cOnfessiOn"-and the fact that the
Democrats nov want silence on the
paramount" issue OF 1896 and the tan
tamount'' issue OF 1900. is sufficient con-
ression Of past error.
But while the American people in Fe.
ceiving Democracy's silent confession Of
past error, can forgive. yet it cannot for.
get. It will not be in haste TO put into
he White House the representative Of Q
party whose free silver principles
pnt in jeopardy the business stability Of
he country. 1T WILL NOT VOTE TO
HONOR WITH THE HIGHEST
OFFICE IN THE LAND A CANDI-
DATE WHO IN 1896 AND AGAIN
IN 1900 VOTED FOR A POLICY
THAT WOULD HAVE FINANCIAL
~ DISHONORED THIS COUNTRY
MD MADE 1T LOWER THAN TCR-
KEY AND VENEZUELA IN INTER-
OPINION As TO IT'S
CREDIT