Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-29
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favor OF James G- Blame Tor PRESIDENT,
and if the Convention should instruct the
twelve delegates to the National Conven-
ton to vote and work for Mr. Blaine that
action would meet the approval of the
party. As regards the question of plat
form, there is plenty of room for sugges-
ton, but it must be remembered that in q
Presidential year it is the National Con-
vention which formulates the issues upon
which the campaign is based, and that
therefore very little significance can at
tach to any resolutions now adopted,
unless they are calculated in some way
TO affect the policy of the National or
ganization. To produce such an effect
it would be necessary to rise above
the commonplace ideas of such occa-
sions, and to advance some clear-cut,
bold, and perhaps even aggressive PROPOSE
tons. The constitutional timidity of poll
ticians generally causes them to shrink
from any action of this kind, and will
probably have that result in the present
case; but we have no doubt that it would
be possible to infuse good deal of en-
thusiasm into the party by the adoption of
a course somewhat out of the usual line.
An anti-third term resolution would GER
tainly be Endorsed by very large number
of Republicans, though the politicians are
! %, h, -fr,,I 81 Is kl,a
tingency of Grants ultimate nomination.
In several Eastern conventions, where the
delegates have been instructed for Blaine,
Sherman, or Edmunds resolutions have
been passed to the effect that the party
would stand by the nominee of the Ma
tional Convention, whoever he might
be. 1t has been objected to this,
with considerable force, that it is
covert encouragement to the ma
chine politicians who are working to
foist Grant upon the party, and that it is
equivalent to telling them that they have
only got to pack the Convention success
fully to be assured of the support of those
who are opposed to them. Of course such
resolution is entirely gratuitous, the ma
tural presumption being that the party
will support the Chicago nominee provided
he is not SO Objectionable as to force
revolt in which case it is perfectly clear
that the promise made beforehand to sup
port him would amount to nothing. 1t is
the plain interest of all who desire the
nomination CT any other candidate than
Grant, and who do not believe that the
party could succeed with him, to do all in
their power for the candidate of their
choice, and to refrain from doing anything
for the candidateto whom they are opposed.
The Republicans of California would per-
haps also do well to take the position that
the Republican party is the party of JUS
tice to all that it does not sympathize"
with any class or section, but that it de-
mands and insists on even-h handed fair play
for all classes and interests. There has
been too much leaning, now to one class,
now to another, of late years, as though
any citizen of the republic could be better
entitled than any other citizen to the equal
protection of the laws. The Republican
party is naturally the exponent of the
most enlightened and advanced sentiment
of the country. 1t embraces the largest
area of intelligence, education, enterprise
and patriotism. 1t is the one political or
ganization through which real reforms of
any kind can be accomplished, and because
this is so its members ought to lose no
opportunity of indicating it from the
misconstruction, and purifying it from
the abuses, which a few machine
politicians have embarrassed and degraded
it with. Ii the present Convention should
recognize the growing demand forrevision of
the tariff, and should formulate the demand
of the Pacific coast for greater freedom of
trade, and for the opportunity to establish
manufactures, it would not impossibly
strengthen the Western States generally
in that direction, and hasten the presenta-
ton of that anti. Protection issue which is
certain to be brought forward before long
in any case. California has so consistent
and creditable record on the currency that
she is in duty bound to add her mite of
approval to the financial policy which
under Republican administration has
given the country a resumption Of
specie payments, which has secured
the economical refunding of the ma
tional debt, and which has raised the
national credit to an unprecedented pitch
of stability all over the world. On the
Chinese question no suggestions are re-
quired. A resolution taking the bull by
the horns on the expediency of modifying
the naturalization laws would be exceed
ingly seasonable, and would be received
with hearty approval by the Republican
masses but in this as in many other ques-
tions we fear the habitual conservatism of
the politicians would deter them from
taking so bold course 1t will have to
be done one day, but probably nothing
short of impending ruin will make it pos
sible A plank in favor of Civil Service
reform ought to be inserted in the plat
form, but whether it will be or not is quite
another question.