New-York tribune., 1876-07-24


CONCEEAlNG PAdifOhAS'
The fabrication of political platforms de
wolves, for the most part. by sort of natural
selection upon gentlemen who adhere to the
theory that the faculty OF language has been
developed IN mankind as means OF conceal
ing ideas. As matter OF history the promises
OF National Conventions nave proved lIiuSory'
and the popular faith III these uiteIanceN,
lOOsened long ago, has become i'll the times
present entirely subyerted. And yet the com
mttco on resolutions survives, the "decara-
ton of princplcsn is framed and promulgated
with all circumstance and seriousness, and the
shrewd. American citizen whose mobile pcnc-
tration has explored the sham in all It's hollow
ness continues TO make IL the theme of ms
OratOry and quotes II against his unregcneratc
adversary as if it were the very TeXin' Rcccp-
tus of his political gospel. But although these
platform mummcucS mean nOtmng o. them-
selves and are almost too transparent to be
called imposturcs, they have some interest as
revealing the motives oi tEclr trainers. iha'
is, it is worth while to consider why the sham
in given instance assumes one shape rather
than another.
FOur years ago, for instance, there were
uttered at Philadelphia some brave words Tor
Civil Service Reform. Oi course NOBODY hc-
licyed these tlatucnt dehverances"t con-
YentlOn which Immediately ploceedcd 20 re-
nominate Gen. Grant, for the eccentl1cllcS oi
the soldier statesman IN the matter OF appoint
ment and removal were as well understood
then rs they are now in these days OF Fisher
and Yaryan. The Convention didht believe
them, the committee dldht ptHeNe thciii, nor
did they 0ehcVe 'haC alfpooy eiso "oai" "',
icve them. Bnt then there were many Soo'
people addicted TO voting the heIuonc'h llckc'
with whom our civil service had dropped INTO
some discredt, ana who had begun TO believe
that the system might DC reformed ana tia'
perhaps 1t ought to De rcscneratcd' ana there
fore the resolution "as li'hlco - !uih'Sn 'he''
brethren with nee niue IolmuA 10 repeat
until they conld support "cn. Grant "l"rl
the prctcnse OF ha'lhg pcr7u'ueu 'hehSci''s
that MS elec'iOh meant Il T'ioiih"uoh. Anu
now thc htpuphcah p'TF j. S'"ic'iS ''o
weaker iof these hoiio" proieS'io"9 al" Oi"he"
pledges, ana even IT'S enemies 90 nos quote
them to Its oscomh'are, because 'he'o was
never suHpicioh OF anything genuine OF 'uo-
Stantlal III tHe "hoio 'rahSa''io"' ""' nom 't!'
beginning IL was recoShNeu - d o""h'.i'vi'
a nnlI'y' vi more ihhicoir'e il'ci''' 10 "'c
It. Ions. manifesto eSpecia''S '""V Po'"o" "
the rhetoric "ihcn Is "i'iico i''Ii'i N'Hu',s II
me Seherai ui'ec'.oh oi INC '"iI'H., P"o.''o"'
IL Is Sa,e 10 S'S 'ii'' nO ,o'.' ",.' W. =,
anime .''' p"p'I - ,'ia; :,
'he pohcy VI D1''io'i"'0 '"''''''' am -
that parry Shou'h 'ii'n'o ~ s'' p0''''''',' VI
the Government bnt 'ne document j.
the convention oiu noc u'io ~ ",ni"'
W.T. lliien y suIiosIu ~ i",Ji " t"i.'u,S e
uce'i'''io III '.'o -, ~ ~ ~, an.n
o'' ''io p''',io'"' "''' ~, I,'o
menu ior 'i"oo ','''o'io'p ""V Ia 81
S'aggeiIDs i"''" ~ au,',',,'''' pl",''''
meoiuin-a o,Ii'"'J as ''PoiU''' ".'u
as poSS.oe' ihoio - ,'''''l9 . .
o''''n''ion n;aia,,,t cant 10
",o.VS' .''" cu ~ - ~ ,I,a a,a 81 r,o l,r,a,.