Litchfield enquirer., 1876-07-06
The St. Louis Convention.

The Democrats have put forward their strongest man in Gov. Tilden. Gen. |.Hancock, or Judge Davis might have at tracted Independent votes. but the expe- rience of '72 shows that such a candidate might have lost more Democratic votes than he could have gained from any other quarter. A strong local opposition, main ly from the rammany wing of the New York city Democracy, developed itself in and outside the convention; but it was of such character as rather to help than in- iure Tllden with all respectable people.
 The fight between the advocates of soft and hard money was very sharp, but not at all doubtful-hard money prepondera- ting by a large majority. Still the fnan- cial plank is something of compromise, the repeal of the resumption act being conceded, Tn very ungraeious terms it is true, to the ''softs."
 What we should call the Darwinian plank, denouncing the Republican party for having "exposed our brethren of the Pacific coast to the incursions of race not sprung from the great parent stock, " is pure demagoguery. MT. Tilden needs the vote of California and the convention comedies everything to get it.
 The tariff plank pronounces for a reve- nue instead of protective tariff. and strikes us as a decided improvement on the Republican resolution on that subject.
 Though very demonstratlve in favor of 'civil service reform, the Democratic plat form presents no such practical issue as that made by their opponents against in- terference by Congressmen with executive patronage.
 The platform as whole is powerfully and cautiously written. making the most of the startling official corruption that has developed of late. When it asserts that 'their [the Republican, reformers are voted down in convention and displaced from the cabinet, it pays MT. Bristow a compliment that may perhaps be worth many votes to him when he runs for the Presidency in 1880!
 It is generally conceded fact, however, that political platforms are of less than usual value, this year. It IS the candi- date rather than the platform that is to carry doubtful states, next November; and we cannot deny that the Democracy have put forward the most of Q reformer they had. There is no denying that MT. Tilden turned the issue against the Tweed Ring. There is no denying that he ex- posed most thoroughly the enormous Canal frauds. Republican criticism sneers, of course, at Mir. Tilden's role as a re- former; he was worse compromised with railroading than Blaine, say his opponents; he fought with Tweed, as long as it was safe to do SO. then 'turned and rent him; ;' having thus unwillingly started the bus mess of reform, he kept it up by Canal war, waged not for honesty and economy but for the presidency. Luckily the question of TIlden's purity of charac- ter and honesty is to be tried Ion the ground" The key of the political position, this year. is the state of New York. Tilden cannot be elected without it's vote; Hayes can hardly be elected against it. If the Democratic candidate is genuine reformer, he will carry his own state; and if he is ''bogus" the people of New York will he pretty certain to know it. Of course there will be great clam or of men and papers and platforms, elsewhere, but the real battlefield is New York.
 The choice of Hendrickssas second on the ticket with Tilden. is for special use in Indiana, as the anti. Chinese plank is for special use in the Pacific states. It makes an imitation president possible.