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Show Tlir. TROtTBUtaOm IHtTK, Time was when tho tarifl jucstion presented itself to the democratic party us very troublesome and distracting. 1'or tunny years the leaders were forced to equivocate and tfraddle in their platform plat-form declarations, and during more than one battle they were at great disadvantage dis-advantage as a result of their double-dealing double-dealing and cowardice. It was not until Mr. Cleveland forced tho party from under cover and exposed their dissimulation dissimu-lation that they found relief from their long-time embarrassment, Now the leaders are in a precisely similar attitude, atti-tude, and how to escape from il is a problem which gives them no little concern. con-cern. The troublesome issuo is free coinage; and it is proposed to evade it under th pretext that free coinage cannot can-not be secured as long as a republican president and scnato stand in I he way, and that all that is necessary to In: done now ia to call for an internaliniial mmi etary conference. No intelligent voter fails to percoivo 1h.it this is mero shtillling and do. -op t ion. It is tho suspension or the surrender sur-render of a principle for the sake of , expediency. The leaders fear to demand de-mand free silver lest (hey should drive away voters who are opposed to tho white metal. What will be tho result should this cowardly course bo persisted in? The Philadelphia Mcrord minces no words in pointing out tho true method in dealing with this question. It insists that the parly shall moot the issue frankly and honestly honest-ly that there shall he "noilouhlc dealing, deal-ing, mental reservations or shtillling,'' luit a itraightout declaration against fron coinage. Wo ittote; "There must he an assitranco Loth in the democratic candidate :nul in the platform that the free-silver phantom shall not again arise to alarm tin? business interests in-terests of the people. There tire hundreds hun-dreds of thousands of democrats and independent voters to whom tho democratic demo-cratic party owes its victories of tho last two years, ami who care little whether the Loss politicians on one side or the oilier shall control the distribution of spoils in the next lew years, liui these Voters), who arbitrate between contending contend-ing parties, have a profound interest in such solutions of political issues as might Lest promote the public wel-welfaro.-' There is not the remotest probability that the national convention will declare de-clare against free coinage, nor will it hare the courage to pronounce in favor of it. The policy will be one of evasion and iivoid.ace. |