Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-10
The Republican Platform.

The platform of principles adopted
by the Republicans at Chicago seems
to be as wishs-washy rs the ticket
made up of Garfield and Arthur.
Even leading Republican newspapers
are disgsuted with it. Hear the New
York Times;
When the Committee on Resolutions
turn from their account Of the past to
consider the present and the future,
they fall, we regret to say, even further
below the level OF the task assigned
them. They fail to clearly understand
the issues which are actually involved
in the pending contest, and they ap.
pear incapable of formulating the sen.
timent and conviction of the party
with reference TO them either with
accuracy or vigor. For this failure and
for this incapacity sincere Republicans
have a distinct right to criticise them
with severity. The committee unques.
tionably had vague idea of the gener.
al views of the party-its conviction
that the National Government has the
power and should assume the duty TO
protect every citizen in the free and
complete exercise OF tho suffrage in ma.
tional elections and its desire that the
results which have been obtained from
the financial policy OF the Government
while under Republican control should
be made secure; but upon both these
subjects they have expressed them.
selves with singular lack of precision
and completeness. They make not the
remotest reference to any possible poll.
cy for the future regarding the curren.
cy, either the legal tenders or the silver.
Their allusion to the tariff is foolish
repetition Of the platform of 1876, and
shows that they have no conception of
the change which has taken place in
the sentiment of the party and OF the
whole country since then, or OF the
duty and the obligation which present
themselves in this connection at the
present moment. On the other hand
the committee have seen fit TO intro.
duce several declarations which in no
wise reflect the general opinion of the
partf, and which are calculated to ex.
cite dissent and confusion. OF these,
that against the Chinese is, perhaps,
the most conspicuous for its maladroit-
uess and its obvious spirit of buncombe.
IL iaintendsd TO catch votes on the Pa
ciic coast. but bids for sectional votes
are not in order in a national platform.
and this one adds to the fault of mar.
~"u@sehs that of ambiguity amounting
alfnost ~ duPiIcfty. THO resolution. asLs
nothing sufficiently definite for legisla.
tive action, but only seems TO ask what
purely local and by no means entire
ly rational sentiment for the moment
requires. Another of the declarations
which do not express the general senti-
ment OF the party is that in favor OF an
amendment TO the Federal Constitution
forbidding appropriations by the sever.
nj States in aid of sectarian schools.
However opposed so such appropria.
tions Republicans as individuals may be
and they are not entirely unanimous
even in this-not one in q thousand OF
the party has even considered the no.
ton of forbidding them in the Federal
Constitution. The proposition is an
i'll considered one; it is not fair ex.
preston of any conviction of the party.
and 1t does not deserve a place in a
national platform.