Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-20
The Two Platforms.

| We take the following excellent
article on the Democratic National
platform from the New York KraM
and We ask careful reading Of the
same. The Herald is an independent
paper, and its influence has been
with the party in power. 1t is an
excellent review and true presenta-
ton of the differences in the two
platforms on which people arc to
decide this Fall:
Whatever may be said against the
Democratic platform, it cannot be-
denied that it is an honest and busi-
ness like document, and in this re-
spect it is very unlike the Dragging
and clustering Republican platform.
There are, undoubtedly, great
many voters to whom the Democrat
ic propositions will be unwelcome
voters who do not like free ships;
voters who are opposed to a tariff for
revenue; voters who want more sub
sides, and who will, therefore, dis
like The Democratic declaration tina.
the taxes shall be spent only for pub
lie md not private objects. But it
is the great merit OF the Democratic
platform that it says something; that
it proposes reforms to which those
who have benefited by old abuses
will Of course object, but which will
relieve and benefit the people; that
it courageously strikes at monopo-
lists, subsidy monsers and jobbcrs.
Naturally monopolists, jobbers and
subsidy mongcrs do not like it; but
then it was scarcely to be expected
that they would These classes, who
wish to live on the taxpayers as they
have long done, prefer the Republ-
can platform, and they are right.
That platform has nothing in it dis
tasteful 20 them. Where the Repub-
lican leaders did not think it prudent
to encourage monopolythey cautious
ly said nothing, and thsir platform
leaves the door open to all the
abuses, the extravaganza and reckless
waste of taxes which characterized
Republican legislation before the
people and put Democrats i'll control
of the House of Representatives.
1t has often been said that plat
forms mean nothing; but, III the
present instance, it happens that the
National platforms represent pretty
accurately the spirit of the two par
Ties. The Republican platform looks
backward, the Democratic platform
looks ahead. The Republican plat
form deals in the appeals to old end
mischievous sectional issues; the
Democratic platform, though not
perfect, is yet thoroughly National
aud not sectional in its spirit. The
Republican platform flvo~s or en-
courages monopo,ieS; The llomocrat-
ic platform favors the ,aXpayers-the
people.
We have spoken OF the Democrat
ic platform as an honest and busi-
ness-like document, and ono proof
Of this is that though much shorter
than that of the Republicans, 1t
contains all that is good and pertin-
ent in that and q great deal more be-
sides. The Republicans in a cum
brous paragraph speak for free edu-
cation, and in another, equally cum
brous and verbose, for separation of
Church and State. The Democrats
cover the same ground in one ener-
getic and clear sentence, demanding
separation of Church and State for
the good of each; ana common
schools fostered and protected. 3"
The Republicans talk vaguely of plo-
tecting tie liberties of all; the Dem
ocrats boldly declare that " the right
of free ballot is the right preserva-
tive of all rights, and must and shall
be maintained in every part of the
United States" We have looked for
some other points for comparison,
but the Republican platform does
not afford them. It is weak, shall
low, wordy, purposely vague, and
would make the fathers OF the party
blush with anger if they could read
it in their graves; for those men--the
Summers, Andrews, Gidd,nss, Love
joys-~wera not accustomed to the
mincin. gait and cautious verbosity
OF their successors.
The Republicans dsclare that
commerce should be steadily en-.
couraged," which may mean any.
thing or nothing, the Democrats de.
clare manfully for free ships and
a living chance for American COM
merce on the seas and on the land,
which means something definite.
The Republicans say timidly that
"the credit acquired sould never be
impaired" the Democrats declare
for " honest money and the strict
maintenance of the public faith
State and National" which covers
the whole ground without hesitation
or timidity. The Republicans say
in one section that " the rcvivina
industries should be further promot.
cd" and in another, lower down
that the duties levied for the pur.