Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-01
From the Boston Journal
st. Louis Platform "Revrsed anu
ImnrOycd."

Improved"
The Interesting discovery has been
made that the democratic platform adopt
cd a, St Louis with so much enthusiasm
has undergone several important changes
in the official copy of the document; and
the declaration of principles recorded OIL
cially is by no means the same thing that
the St. Louis democrats threw up their
hats for. Here now is a fine opening Tor
democratic investigation the democrat
i, voters, unless they have grown so &C
customed to being pulled around by their
leaders as to be Indifferent as to what d.
rection thew take, would.probably De in
tere>ted in knowing who has taken the
liberty of tinkering, clipping and mutilat-
Ing that magnificent reversible, double
back-action platform SO laboriously con-
structcd at St. Louis. Possibly the indl-
viduals entrusted with the sacred duty OF
making the official copy of the platform
became so crazed by the vehemence with
which it demands and entreats for "re-
form" that they imbibed the mania and be-
gan reforming their platform in the dis
tant hope of reforming their party. The
changes made, however, are of so radical
character that they shut out this theory. as
well as That of a clerical mistake. The
fact is that one plank in the platform has
in the official copy been sawed off short;
and another plank has had piece knocked
out of it and another piece put in its
place very cleverly, but not enough SO to
conceal the job.
The financial plank of the democratic
convention, as adopted at St. Louis, after
charging that the policy of the republican
party had always impeded return to
specie payments, closed with this morsel
of political wisdom
GAS such hindrance we denouncc the
resumption clause, act of 1875, and we
here demand its repeal"
AS the repeal of the resumption clause
of the act referred to would leave the rest
of it authorizing unlimited issue Of money.
this was really tub to the imitation whale,
though gaily painted in hard money col
ors. The paragraph above quoted has un-
undergone decided change at the hands
of the Washington manipulators. The
word "clause" has been stricken out and
the word "date" substituted, change
which makes the platform call simply for
a ch ,nge in the date OF resumption in
stead of claiming for the repeal of the clause
permitting resumption. This is doubtless
change for the better, but it is a new
thing for a national party platform to be
submitted after its adoption to the tinker
ing OF individuals, and it is questionable
whether the change will be quite to the
liking of the Western section Of the party.
The other change is even more anus
ing. When Me-. Dorsheimer at the st.
Louis convention read the Chinese plank
in the platform he omitted what he said
was in pencil, explaining that he could
not decipher it, but the clerk would read it
after he had finished the rest. This ex-
PLANTATION was not satisfactory, and the
Pacific Coast delegates insisted that it
should be read This was finally done,
after some confusion, and the clause
proved to be a demand that the present
treaty with China should be so modified as
to prevent the further importation of the
Mongolian race. This was read and
adopted as part of the platform, but
ii has disappeared altogether from the Off
cial copy.
These facts serve to show what ex-
cellent material there Is for reformers
among the democratic leaders. Tricksters
who cannot refrain from covertly tinke err
ing their own platform have peculiar
adaptation, it must be granted. to the ex-
ecution of great reform projects. A grave
suspicion comes in here that the great
reform Governor" may have had an inter-
est in these notifications. While his as
sociate, Mr.. Hendricks, has been laboring
so hard to get Congress to repeal the Re-
sumption Act, can it be that Mr.. Tilden
has been engaged in quietly strengthening
the party platform SO that he can stand
upon it3 This would explain Mr.. Til
den's delay with his letter of acceptance,
for how could he indorse the platform I'M
til it had been fixed to his likingp 1t may
be safely said of these democrats, as of
the immortal joey Bagstock, that they are
"devilsh sly"
\ Sample of Tildon Reform