The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-06
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THE OHIO DEMooRATIO PLATFoRM.

THE OHIO DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
From the Chicago Tribune.
The Ohio Democratic platform contains
fourteen resolutions, of which two consist of
a ''caving in" by the Democracy of that State
to the Republican policies concerning slavery
and reconstruction, ten others present alb
stract views with which Republicans gene.
rally will not take issue, and the remain
ing two are occupied with denouncing the
Ku-klux law, and demanding that the five-
twenty bonds be paid in greenbacks Green
backs are now 50 nearly at par with gold,
and the point involved in this question has
been worn so threadbare, that nothing more
remains of it. The denunciation of the Ku-
klux law is not expected to lead to any sub
stantial results, as that statute is likely to re-
main upon the books until it expires by its
own limitation. Altogether, therefore, the
pith of the platform lies in its ratification of
the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth
amendments, thereby pledging the Demo-
cratic party of Ohio to sustain, as accom-
plished facts, the emancipation of the slaves
and negro suffrage. This is the coat which
the Republican party put on seven years ago.
1t has done them so good service that it is
hard to see how the Democracy can get much
wear out of it. Certainly, it cannot be an
nounced as party issue that the Democracy
fOrsake their old ways and accept the Repub-
hcan view of questions, seven or five years
after they have ceased to be questions. In
short, we learn from this Ohio platform that
the Democratic party is sailing so close to the
wind that it actually has lost It's wind and is
drifting 1t is unable to raise single issue
that has point or force Most of its declara-
tons raise no issue whatever, and might as
well have related to the time for planting
marrowfat peas, No issue, for instance. can
be made with the Republican party on the
point that the powers not vested in the Gene
raj Government are reserved to the States or
the people; nor that the States are equal; nor
that the provinces of the General and State
Governments are distinct.
1t the Ohio platform could convey any in
struction or value to anybody, it must be to
Jef. Davis and his rear brigade of invincible
Bourbons, who are determined to believe
that through the Democratic party of the
North they can yet restore slavery and In
some way vindicate secession Mr.. Davis. in
his Atlanta speech, predicts that the ultimate
rebel triumph is to come in this manner The
Democratic party of Ohio assures us that Mr..
Davis is false prophet. His reputation in
that capacity was already very pronounced
but it is not to be regretted that, so soon
after his Atlanta speech, its chief positions
should be shown to be false by the declara-
tions of the Democrats of Ohio
We see in the Ohio platform about all the
timber that could at present be mustered for
a Democratic national platform, and how
weak an effort it would be. Probably the
intention of its trainers was merely to get
the dead issues buried, SO that the party could
come to business" in its forthcoming Presi-
dental race in 1872 Still, the present plat
form would not have been SO tame if the
Democrats of Ohio conld have found any
thing more to say or better worth saving
The truth is that by having stood aloof from
the events of the past ten years, they have
virtually lost the power to do anything of
value for some years to come. They have
neither the leaders, the votes, nor the princi,
Piles that can awaken enthusiasm or inspire
confidence.