The Portland daily press., 1878-04-20
A Sound Platform.

The following despatch from Washington
published on Thursday is good reading and
will bear reprinting:
1t is stated that the President read the fol-
lowing platform from an Ohio paper to the
Cabinet yesterday, saying that nothing yet so
fully met his views:
I. Resumption of specie payments in gold
and silver
2. Resistance OF all schemes for initiating
the present volume of the currency
8. A fair and moderate tariff that will
afford reasonable protection to American in
dustries.
A. An amendment to the Constitution pro-
hibiting the uss of money raised by taxation
for the support of sectarian schools.
o. The speedy completion of all public
works, such as river and harbor improvements,
public buildings and Notifications, now that
need employment, and liberal policy for the
improvement of great national channels of
commerce like the Mississippi river and its
tributaries.
Secretary McCrary suggested that there
ought to be clause added, declaring IN en-
phatic terms opposition to the payment of all
claims Of disloyal citizens for damages and
losses growing out of the war, and the pay
ment of pensions to persons disloysl during
the war.
With this amendment, which the Cabinet
present all accepted, the resolutions were pro-
nounced very proper and a complete presenta-
tion of the views of the administration.
This includes the essentials OF the Republi-
can creed and affords common ground where
on all Republicans may stand. The fifth
article should be received with caution; but
with prudent limitations, such as can be
made in the individual cases as they arise,
may be fairly adopted by Republicans. The
rest OF the platform can be fully and heartily
endorsed, and the party may confidently 90
to the country upon it. 1t is entirely in the
spirit Of the PRESS article of Monday last,
wherein we suggested that minor differences
Of administration be held in allegiance until
the great dangers of financial quackery now
threatening the nation are overcome. The
plea was made in a spirit of concliation for
the purpose of effecting union on essen
tials through the crisis, and of postpon-
ing wrangles over minor matters until
safety on the great issues is secured. While
these suggestions were received with general
approval, we regret to notice rather snarl-
ing disposition among some of those who
seem to think that the method of appointing
custom-house men and postmasters is the
most important matter before the American
people. These people think they have in
this question great political stock in trade
which they don't like to lose. They think
they do God service by sneers and slurs at
Republican Congressman, whose influence
and strength they seek by all means to weaken
while the common enemy grows strong and
confident. They make issues about minor
places and preferments, while the gravest
interests of the nation are at stake. This is
unfortunate because we need their help and
they are in general on the right side of things /;
perhaps they will think better of it on re-
Election.
1t is good to see that the President and
Cabinet have abandoned this attitude The
above platform lays down, and the letter of
Secretary Sherman emphasizes, the things
which are essential and valves discussion of
the non-essentials. The two things which
have excited the most rancor among Repub-
licans are the concessions to the South and
the civil service question. The former is
settled beyond recall; 1t is of no use now to
discuss whether 1t were wise or unwise to
give away so much or to trust so fully to the
good faith and right feeling of the ex-Rebels.
Let bygones be bygones on this point, but let
us unite to oppose the impudent aggressions
of the Southerners who seek to make the
victors pay a war indemnity to the van
qushed-who adopt brandnew theory that
to the vanquished belong the spoils. The
President very sensibly omits from his plat
form all mention of the civil service regula-
tions. He sees that, for union and strength,
minor matters must be waived and stress
laid only on essentials. Let us all adopt the
same theory and the better elements of the
nation may easily find common ground for
united action against the menaeing attitude
of the South and the threatening outbreak of
communism.
We cannot better close this appeal for
union on essentials and mutual tolerance on
non-essentials than by quoting the closing
paragraph of Secretary Sherman's letter to
the Ohio Republicans to which we invite
particular attention:
The only threat that endangers the public
peace and safety is the restoration of the
Democratic party 10 power. Emplttered Dy
being out of power, composed largely Of the
elements that warred against the government
and having no sympathy with the measures
that now are in the course of successful execn-
tion, and from the nature of their position in
terested in policy as to the Southern claims
which would impoverish the Treasury and
arouse anew all the bitterness of sectional
strife, L cannot but regard its restoration to
power as the only danger that really threatens
our public peace and safety. 1t is far better
that we should meet and resist this danger than
to quarrel among ourselves about smaller
questions of official patronage aud official in-
reference in elections