Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-14
TIE OHIO pLATFORu.

The Republicans of Mr.. Hayes own State
have met, adopted platform, and adj
journed. Platforms, as rule, are indefinite
articles, indicating more the craft Of politi-
cal trimmers than the honest opinions of
the people the conventions are supposed to
represent. The platform of the Ohio Re-
publicans, so far as it relates to national
topics, is no exception to this rule, and will
not prove celebrating to the occupant of
the White House.
The committee on resolutions has ap-
preached the subject OF the Presidential
title with evident timidity. After throwing
sop to the Southern Democrats suspected
of sympathy with Hayes, they ranble off to
other subjects that they may screw their
courage to the sticking point. When avoid
ance is no longer possible, they plunge head.
long in, regardless alike of truth and reason.
Having pictured the horrors that will follow
investigation into the title of the President,
they declare that
President Hayes having been duly elected
and his title subsequently settled under the
constitution by the highest tribunal and by
the act OF both political parties, it cannot be
questioned, and we recognize in his admins
tratlon the highest integrity and patriotism,
the most sincere effort to promote political
purity and harmony, and secure general bust
ness prosperity throughout the whole country.
Now, the truth of the matter is that
Hayes was not duly elected, nor was
"his title subsequently settled under
the constitution by the highest
tribunal" The electoral commission was
not a tribunal recognized or even contem-
plated by the constitution. It had its exist
ence entirely outside Of the constitution, and
it's settlement of the Presidential title is no
more binding in law than any other extra
constitutional act. 1t is binding simply SO
long as both parties acquiesce in it, and
these platfoTm-creators must be very poor
lawyers indeed to be guilty of such sense
less proposition.
The absence of all reference to the politi-
cal corruption of the day and the necessity OF
investigation in the platform is the more
noticeable from the fact that resolutions pre-
viously read in the convention amid great
excitement and referred to the committee,
declared that SOHO Republicans are not OPP
posed to the investigation of frauds in the
Presidential contest Of 1875, but demand
that all investigation be impartial, and in
clude all States where fraud is alleged to
have been comnitted.'' This was dangerous
ground to tread upon, considering the fact
that four OF more of Ohio's most noted
'statesmen' are seriously compromised by
the testimony adduced before the Potter
committee, and sooner than touch upon il
the platform makers have allowed the infer
ence to go abroad-and it is fair inference
in view of the facts-that Ohio Republicans
are opposed to the investigation of frauds in
| the Presidential contest. AS they have made
| their own bed let them lie in it.
| The platform on the whole is cowardly
evasion of the real issues of the time. True
! it sets up a man of straw-revolution and
Northumberland then proceeds to en-
phatically denounce and valiantly knock
him down. Take away this man of straw
and divest the platform of it's generalities
and absolutely nothing remains. If the
Republicans of Ohio expect to win on such
platform they will be grievously mistaken
or We greatly underrate the intelligence OF
the mass of the people.