New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-16
TILE CLNCINNAY CONTENTION

There is to be q National Convention OF LlD-
eral Republicans at Cincinnati, assembling on
the 1st of May next-sO much is certain. II
will meet uncommitted to any course of &C
ton, whether with regard to measures or men.
If it should see fit to construct or adopt what
is called Platform, it will do so; should it
choose to recommend candidates for President
and Vice President it will also do that. But
neither its platform nor its ticket Will have
any higher or other authority than their intrin-
sic worth shall give them If they commend
themselves to your judgment, very well; if
they do not, your perfect right to reject and
oppose them is unquestioned.
On certain grave public questiOns-such as
Universal Amnesty, Civil Service Reform. and
the prOpriety of rendering Presidents and other
dispensers of extensive patronage ineligible to
reelection while in oflice-we infer that there
will be no diversity of opinion. AS to what is
meant by Revenue Reform" there will of
course be wide divergence of views. There
are those who are attracted to the Cincinnati
movement mainly, if not solely, by the hope
that they may make it serve effectively their
sincere, earnest, bitter hostility to Protection.
And these will naturally make themselves felt
in the deliberations and councils of the Con-
ventiOn.
OF course, we shall ask to be counted out if
the majority shall decide to make Free Trade
plank in their platform. The Protection of
Home Industry is of more importance, in our
view, than the success of any party or ticket.
If it should be decided to make Free Trade a
cornerstone of the Cincinnati movement, we
ask only that we be not insulted by the as
sumption that any possible selection of candi-
dates could reconcile us to that decision.
We are quite aware that it may be found
advisable to adopt a Free Trade platform,
despite our repugnance thereto. If the masses
want Free Trade, they ought to be gratified, no
matter though at the cost of repelling this OF
that dissenter. The Convention will, we doubt
not, consider thoroughly and determine wisely
on this point as on others.
All we ashland it is no more than every
honest man has right to asks plain
speaking. If the Convention decides to make
Free Trade a plank in its platform, let II
EXPRESS that determination in plain, IMAM
biguous language. Such Juggling phrases as
Revenue Reform should be secuted from
the vocabulary of the earnest and the truthful
Free Trade as all but universally understood
means not the abolition Of impOsts and GUS
tom houses, but the adjustment of Duties on
Jmports with an eye to revenue alone
He who votes to admit Coal, Salt, Wool and
Pig Iron free of duty, while taxing the impor-
tation of Wares and Fabrics, is no more truly
a Free Trader than we are. lie simply pre-
fers another scheme of Protection to that which
we uphold. 1t may be wiser and more bench
cent than ours but it is not Free Trade; and
he must have studied little and pondered shall
lowly who does not know this.
We do not seek nor desire any utterancC
from Cincinnati in favor of Protection. We
ask only that that freedom to differ on Eco
nomic questions which has always been
cherished by Republicans may still be con-
coded and maintained. We do not ask that
be Protectionists. We only say that, should
Protectionists be virtually ruled out of the
Cincinnati movement, hint without Kick
will suffice them.
The World discusses this topic in spirit
which we have not previously remarked III
that journal. 1t sOundly berates the clumsy
ambiguity with which it Is treated in the
latest Democratic National Platform, and says
If Mr. Greeley had said: remit this question
10 the Congress districts. and take 1t out OF Tho
Presidential canvass his suggestion might have beer
worth considering In the whole history OF our Govern
ment there has never been an instance OF. President
vetoing tariff bill revenue bill OF any description
The reinforcement OF the Constitution that all bills fol
raising revenue shall originate In the House. puts t
subject more peculiarly within the authority OF the i'm
mediate representatives Of the people than any other
the whole scope Of Federal legislation; and
there IL accordingly no subject on which right
minded President would feel much reluctance in inter
posing hist negative. We accordingly hnd that, In th'
eighty three years since the organization OF the Govern
nent no revenue bill las been yeoei' ana there ~ h'
likelihood that one Will ever be II Nj OIeeoJ Hns0'