Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-09
THE BASIS OF ATTACK
Democratic Silence on the
Money Question.
VIEW OF REPUBLICANS
CLAIM THAT 1T MEANS STAND
ING PAT" AS TO SILVER.
Platform Adopted Last Night the
Topic in Political Circles at the
National Capital.

when a great political party two
successive occasions enunclates dominant
principle. and the third time remains silent
on the subject what Is indicated? Simply
that the democrats stand pat on the silver
plank of the Chicago and Kansas City plat
forms. Nothing short of positive and eff
fective reputation of those planks could
have rid the democratic party of the domi-
nation of Organism and a tendency to I'M
sound money.
This is the republican view of the demo-
cratic utterances at st. Louis last night
and will be in effect the basis of the OPP
position attack upon the platform adopted
by the democratic convention. Silence on
the money question. the republicans claim.
can he taken to mean nothing than that
the party stands by its former utterances.
There is no other Interpretation to be con-
sistently put upon its action
Must Look to Party Records.
''As there is nothing in the St Louis plat
form on the money question. said a promi-
nent republican in this city today. The
American voters must look to the past
records of the party to find its position
upon 50 important subject. Naturally the
last declaration the Issue is sought. In
the Kansas City platform of four years
platform of eight years ago. There the
democracy is on record as favoring the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. The plat
form of party must be looked to as its
formal declaration OF policies.
No individual statements of party mana
gers or candidates can write into Il platform
what the convention did not put there.
Neither can they cfface anything contained
ia the formal statement OF a party's prin-
c.ples. = party must stand or fall upon its
platform There is nothing in the records
of the democratic party to show that it is
not san nrInlE attached TO the pOlcy OF
free silver. There would be nothing incon-
s!stent II tie enactE,ent os iree coinage leg
islation by the party. II there was a pos
Sible chance for its victory at the polls
next November
Democrats Try to Be Cheerful.
In Washington political circles today the
platform telegraphed last night from St
Louis has been widely discussed. The
democrats. with faces as far from smiles
as a mans adherence for tears admits,
are striving To look at the matter in a
cheerful and hopeful way. They think that
there must have been some very sound
reason for the omission of "A money plank
which has not been made public yet.
They would like TO long statement
from David Il. Hill. In brief. the demo-
Gratis are looking for encouragement to-
day. They can find none in their own
hearts. and are hopeful that some ray of
sunshine will yet percolate through the
cloud of Organism, which seems to have
shrouded the city OF st. Louis.
II even the wavering. timid little plank
contained in the original draft OF the plat
form as prepared by the subcommittee. de-
claring the money question removed from
the field OF political contention. had been
adopted the democrats OF the east would
have been satisfied. The nomination of
Judge Parker would have been greeted
with all the enthusiasm the cold silence of
the distinguished New York jurst would
permit. But today the nomination OF this
favorite candidate is overshadowed by the
sins OF omission in the platform.
The eastern democrats know how quickly
their republican opponents will take ad
vantage of the silence on the money ques-
ton.
1t has not been many weeks since the
men of affairs in the democratic party
were branding the republican platform
platform OF ''cowardly evasion" They
played upon the words for all they
worth. It was the keynote OF every demo-
cratic criticism Now these men realize
the awkward plight in which they will
be placed when the republicans find heart
10 rub II In
The republican feeling today Is to let
the democrats down rather easy. They say
the platform speaks for itself. both by its
utterances and its omissions. To refer to
the failure of the convention to adopt u
money plank as ''cowardiy evasion would
be putting II all too mildly.
At Political Headquarters.
congressional campaign committee this
morning, the rooms wore a deserted and
deSolate look. All of the men in authority
have been in St Louis for the past week.
Chairman Cowherd went there some time
ago, and was followed soon after by Sec
rotary Edwards
Today the clerks appeared meek and ST.
lent. They went about their work in list
less manner 1t was evident from their oc-
caSional conversation that even they realize
what IL means to the party to have IL said
that Bryan is still the dominant figure.
AT the headquarters of the republican ma
tional committee at the Arlington Chair
man Cortelyou and Secretary Dover read
the proceedings OF the convention with
much interest. Mr.. Corteiyou would not
comment upon the platform. In his eye.
however there was the twinkle OF entire
satisfaction. Republicans generally through
out the city are immensely pleased with the
course taken by the democrats and what
ever apprehension the weak-hearted breth-
rem may have ever had seems to have de-
parted.
They are all jubilant today. and declare
that with the milestone of Bryanism still
clinging to its neck the democratic party
is doomed again
UntIl the last few days there was every
indication that the republicans were chafing
under the continued volley of democratic
criticism VI the "cut-and dried" the ''un-
American" convention at Chicago which
placed President Roosevelt In nomination.
The Disorder at st. Louis.
But now that the democrats have met
in national assembiaGe and their sessions
have been marked by such great disorder
the members OF the grand old party are
concentrating themselves that their
toreknowledge of the important events of
their convention enabled them To carry
forward the business of the hour with
dispatch, decorum and dignity.
II was declared today that no more effec-
tive weapon can be placed In the hands of
the republican party workers than a doc
ument containing the newspaper reports of
the democratic convention. 1t is highly
probable that the national committee may
adopt some of the suggestions along
this line that have poured into 1t. At pres
ent the newspapers are doing the work
effectively. but the republican managers
Will preserve the reports In the form of II
document. lest we forget"
The republican speakers will dwell upon
the fact that all newspaper reports agree
democratic. republican and Independent
alike. that pandemonium reigned I'm the St
Louis convention hall durin. a greater por-
ion or the time. They will cite the facts
That the platform was adopted by the votes
OF a thousand delegates who could not hear