The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-16
A BeWildered Party.

| To show the utter absence of principle in the
Democratic party, we give the following from
| the New York Tribune of the 2nd under the
caption of ga Bewildering Platform" The
necessity which has compelled the Democrats
of New Jersey to first adopt the free trade res
olution in the Cincinnati platform was a con-
cession to the formulated creed of the party
generally and that which forced them to de-
clare for a protective tariff, to meet the senti-
ment of the State of New Jersey, is typical OF
the straight in which that party finds itself 1t
wants ''change," so that a hungry horde of
Office seekers may be provided for, regardless
of the people, and the dignity and character
of the government. The Tribune says:
The organized riot which occurred yester-
day in New Jersey under the descriptive title
of the Democratic State Convention adopted
a so-caled platform OF principles. The first
and third planks of this platform are as fol-
lows:
Resolved, That the platform adopted by the Ma
ttonal Democratic Convention at Cincinnati meets
our hearty approval.
Resolved, That the Democratic party in this State
is In favor of such tariff as will best protect
home industries.
Now the platform adopted by the National
Democratic Convention at Cincinnati, which,
the New Jersey Democracy say meets our
hearty approval" contains the following plank:
Sd, Home rule, honest money, consisting OF gold,
silver and paper convertible into coin demand;
strict maintenance Of the public faith, State and
National, and q tariff for reuencee only.
In other words, the New Jersey Democracy
declare in the first plank oftheir platform, that
"a tariff for revenue only" meets with their
hearty approval; in the third plank, they
loudly demand "such tariff as will best pro-
tect our home industries" This is bewilder-
ing. There should be an inquest, or census,
or something. to tell us just where the Demo-
| Gratis of New Jersey do stand on the tariff
question. Which of the two planks is the
| New Jersey voter to beieve-the first or the
third? What is the candidate for Governor,
Mr.. Ludlow-is he Free Trader or Protection
| ist? Or is he both? Where does the State
House Ring stand Are they for "a revenue
| tariff only" or for "such a tariff as will best
protect our industries ?" Where do Senator
| Randolph and Senator Mcpherson, and the
| agile Mr.. Albeit, and all the party's leaders
stand? Two months ago in Cincinnati they
| declared through the assent of the New Jersey
| delegation to the platform that they were Free
Traders; now they claim to be Protectionists.
AT which time do they want to be believed
| in June or in September? And what assurance
have the New Jersey voters that in two months
| which still remain before election they NAV
not be converted back to the Free Trade
views they solemnly affirmed at Cincinnati?
There is q simple explanation of the whole
matter. The leaders of the party became
alarmed at the effect of the Cincinnati platform
in their State, and they sought to break the
| force of it by perpetrating one of the most
bungling and grotesque lies ever told in poll
ties. Every manufacturer and operative in
New Jersey knows that if Democratic Presi-
dent and Congress should be elected they
would be governed by the Cincinnati platform
and not by the platform of the Trenton Con-
vention. The Democratic managers have acted
on the supposition that the voters of New Jer-
sey are fools. This will not help them to
victory, and it is slight mistake which will
cost them votes.