New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-04
TIE MISSOURI DEMOCRACY.

COMMENTS on THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS con-
FEDFRATEsD NoMINATED-A RECORD OF JOBBERY
ATTACHED TO SOME OF THE CANDIDATEs-RATIIER
LAME ExCUsEs-REFoRM NOT INDICATED BY THE
NOMINATIONS
lFRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE'l
ST LOUIS Aug. 3l.--The platform constructed by
the Bourbon Democracy of this State at their Con-
vention last week, needs no comment. III READS the
same in st. Louis and in New-York, means very
little and is not defended by the better class OF
Democrats, who really did not help to make it and
had very little influence i'll the Convention. The ST.
Louis Republican, which, as an independent Demo-
cratic journal represents that element in its
party opposed TO Rings iD State politics and Wild
cat theories of finance denOunces some parts OF this
platform as inconsistent with each other, and other
parts as unnecessary and after adding that while
il supports Mr. Hardin and other candidates on the
Democratic ticket, it is not bound to approve or de-
fend the platform, simply claims that 1t IS not as
bad as IT might have been. 1t might have gone the
whole length Of the Pendleton doctrine and de-
manded the conversion of the entire bonded debt OF
the nation into gTeenbacks and it might have in
dorsed Senator Bogy-and The Republican is duly
thankful that it did neither.
But as the platform far as il relates to National
issues viii have very little influence III the solution
of the all-absorbing question now presented TO the
people of Missouri. which is how to secure an hon
est efficient, liberal administration OF State affairs,
we may turn from the resolutions to the candidates
of the Democratic party to whether the cause of
reform is likely to be promoted by their election.
At the head of the ticket is State Senator Chas ii.
Hardin. who is understood to be The Repubican's
candidate although his friends had very little hope
of his success when the Convention met. Mr.. Har-
| din belongs TO the class known in Missouri as
"Haystack Confederates"-that is nen who SYM
| pathized with the South during the Rebellion,
| and perhaps, served the Confederacy in a
| civil capacity, but never fought for it, lie
| sat in the State Legislature before the war
| antfwas a member of the celebrated Secession body
known as the Claib Jackson Legislature" whose
fortunes he followed to Neosho. There it passed
ordinance of secession elected Senators to the Con-
federate Congress and then disbanded. Mr.. Hardin
| was one of those members who returned home and
| there remained until the close Of the war. Since
the war he has considerable service in the State
Senate and it is the record he has thus made that
be must stand fall in the estimation of honest in
dependent men who really desire reform. This rec
| ord has been most savagely attacked by The st.
Louis Democrat, the organ of the Peoples Movement,
and, as The Republican, Mr.. Hardns especial cham
pon, has been able to make reply, at best to
| suggest very weak Defense the charges that are
made against him seem at least worthy of eXamina-
| ton.
The first of The Democrats accusations is that
Senator Hardin was the champion of the " Niedner
| Infamy" During the session OF the Democratic
Legislature of 1861 act passed to establish
uniform system of publishing notices of judicial
sales and other legal notices in ST. Louis County,
State of Missouri" which was simply an act TO
authorize a contract to be made with one Niedner,
for twenty years. for the exclusive publication OF
all legal and judicial notices in this city, OF course
it was an immense job; it took all the legal
advertising from the regularly established
newspapers and gave it to Niedner who,
| on the income thus assured, started paper
| 1t held the rank in journalism that certain
| Sunday paper started in Washington did at the
time the shepherd Ring, IN 1871, WAS paying sucD