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Show B j There were two things in the St. B L Louis convention which made that fl gathering conspicuous: The light for m y the platform, and the party's nominee B :i finally making a spec I He declaration. m '! Again wc can reduce those two m 1 actions Into onc,--a declaration of the B I rightfulness of the Republican Hnan- B j cial policy. When Ilryan and Hill B ; conciliated and did nothing with the B gold plank thereby making it, as Ex- B ! Senator l'ettigrew stated, "a treatise B I rather than a plattorm and have sue- H cccded In producing a large volume B without saying anything"; when they B did this, their sphinx spoke forth as H did liullaam's ass, and stopped the fl march of that party. B The tight, Indeed, was a memorable H one. Ilryan, with the mighty courage fl of his convictions, locked horns with B the mighty cunning. So great were B these two forces that, In the end, prin- H j clples were laid aside and the plain H question asked, "Inasmuch as wc can- K not agree on principle, will wc follow H a course to get votes?" And Invari- H ably the answer came "yea, any- B thing for votes." As Mr. Cannon, K of Utah, said that "victory" was B " the paramount Issue and Mr. Hryan B retorted by saying that such was not H the case but that if a question were j not settled right it was never settled H! at all, then the Democratic platform BB' ', can hardly be said to be a declaration B ' of principles because no one potent BB' principle was settled one wayoran-B1 wayoran-B1 BB However, when Mr. Paiker sent his B , tclegn.ni declaring for the gold stand- B ' ard and stating he desired his name BB withdrawn if the convention did not H1 look upon his views as satisfactory, he Bl ' ' viitually dictated the position of the B ' party on that Ksue. As the conven- BB, tlon forced themselves Into harmony BBi ) and held the Judge as their candidate BB;' thoy practically hold the gold stand- BB , ard views. This brings no great issue BB ' of principle Into the coming campaign BB and reduces the matter to "Roosevelt BB' or 1'arker." |