New-York tribune., 1876-06-16
THE PLATFORM.
Douglass.

The platform is plainly the manifesto OF a
party which feels that it has few votes to spare.
1t is the result of an attempt to reconcile
conflicting interests without any real
sacrifice of principle, and to render
disputed truths as little unpalatable as
NAV be to those who do not like them. Upon
the whole it seems to have been constructed
with art, and the Republican party has
reason to congratulate itself that tho faults in
it are not more serious. and that the good
points are SO strong.
The currency plank is the worst of it. To
be sure there is nothing in this mild resolu-
ton to which a hard-money man can reason
ably object; hut it falls far short of the manly
and decided utterance of Gov. Morgan, far short
of previous promises of the Republican party.
and far short of the bold language which the
time demands. A pledge to redeem United
States notes in coin at some day not
specified, and to make steady progress
toward specie payment at rate and by
means not defined, has surely no great sIgniii-
cance The Civil Service Reform resolution is
equally vague We have not a doubt that all
Senators and Representatives, will agree un-
hesitatingy that they ought not to die
tate appointments" but that the party
in power ought to have neverthe-
less all "thOse places where harmony
"and vigor of administration require ITS policy
"to be represented :" and then matters will go
on in the old way. The recommendation to
Congress to investigate the question of Chinese
| immigration is Objectionable rather for what 1t
implies than for what it says; it does not COM
nit the party to the hostile legislation which
the Pacific slope is asking for.
The Common School resolution is modelled
upon Mr.. Blaines proposal for an amendment
| to the Constitution, and it was received as
might have been expected with yociferous
cheers. All parties are sure to concur in it
To the opposition to land grants, to the call
| for the pacificatiOn of the South, and the
| equal protection of all classes of citizens, to
| the denunciation of sectiOnalism, and to the
promise of respectful consideration of the
| demands of women, all good citizens will
say "Amen" There is, in short, a great dea
of sound sense and valuable counsel in
the body of the platform, and if there art
planks which ought to have been better ii
may safely be predicted that the corresponding
portiOns of the Democratic structure soon to
be put up at st. Louis will be great dea
worse.
But after all, neither party will win this
election by its platform. Tic resolutions OF
conventions are cheap. The people have
learned to look upon them AS promises made
to be broken. They are only to be taken
as indications more or less accurate OF the
temper and purposes Of the party leaders foI
| the time being, subject to correction whenever
| it may be convenient. The Republicans and
the Democrats in the coming campaign
will be judged chiefly by the character
of their nominees, the tone of their
public men, the spirit of theil
legislation, actual or attempted, and the record
they have made in power. The average voter
seems TO be particularly alert this year. He
will act with his eyes wide open. He will sus-
tain that organization whose general course
has been consistent with his ideas of right
and whose ticket offers him the fairer pros
pect Of decent, orderly, and upright admin
| istratiOD.