Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-07
The Chicago Platform.

signifying nothing. 1t is a good plat
form for the party whose representatives
adopted it without discussion, while
fighting for week over the candidate to
put upon it. The Chicago convention
makes it indecently apparent that the
Republican politicians are selfishly con-
testing for power and the spoils of office,
first, between themselves, and next
against their political opponents. There
is absolutely nothing of principle at the
foundation of their zeal, and why then
should there be any found in the party
platform Whatever is there is put
there from no conviction of its sound
ness and with no intention of making
any sacrifices in its defense. The plat
form is meaningless, even when it speaks
sensibly, for there is no subscription to it
by it's supporters further than expediency
demands. The party has been so long in
power that it has become thoroughly dis
honest. 1t is impossible for it to achieve
a reputation for honesty, when the whole
world recognizes that it has maintained
itself in power by fraud, and when it has
time and again demonstrated its indls-
position to enact reforms that it has
faithfully promised to introduce.
Civil service reform is one matter in
which this Republican weakness has
been SO strongly exhibited that it does
seem that the Chicago convention should
have been ashamed to refer to it again in
the platform. Some feeling of this kind
perhaps animated the committee on reSO-
lutions in refusing to put it in the plat
form. They know it was farce to put
it there, meaning nothing, as the past
record of the party shows; and they
had good reason to fear that the people
would recognize the insincerity of the
declaration and hOOt ut the Republican
orator who should attempt to claim it as
Republican doctrine 1t would have been
better to have ignored the subject and
the committee was wiser than the con-
ventiOn. That body, however, could not
well help itself, when the demand was
made by some of the impracticables that
it should once more affirm policy to
which it has given so many words and
80 little substantial aid. The demand
being made in the sight of the public
there was nothing left but to renew the
declaration, or abandon it with the
frank statement of the Texas delegate
who declared that the convention had as
sembled only for the purpose of securing
Offices.
Mr.. Flanagan, of Texas, spoke the
truth, and nothing but the truth, as
everybody knows. The spoils of office
and they alone animate the present lively
struggle of Republican leaders for their
control. Civil service reform
would render such scenes as Chicago now
witnesses impossible, and would be Il
very good thing in that regard. Whether
it is practicable to introduce the reform
remains to be shown. 1t never will bt
proven 10y Republican administration
1t has now at the head of the government
a man who has proclaimed his faith il
the idea on every occasion, and who has
as steadily refrained from executing it
Something must be done to check the
rapacjty of politicians and to turn such
wolves as are now bowling at Chicago
away from their prey. To Demo
cratic craftsmanship that charge must
be given: in Republican declarations the
people will no longer place their trust.
The Chicago platform claims credit
for the party for its twenty-one years ad
minstration of the affairs of the country
and claims that the record entities it tC
be left in possession. That is the queS
tion for the people. They will be apt tt
decide it otherwise. They ybe ready
to declare that the party has done admi
rable things, but they will just as surel.
affirm that it's deeds have not all been il
luStriOus, and that it has survived
its period of usefulness to the country
The second resolution seems to be de
signed to put the party in position as ia
voring the increase of federal at the cos
of state power; which is where the part.
is understood to stand. 1t is an ole
issue which has always separated thu
Democratic party from its antagonists
and we are quite willing that it shall re
main political distinction between us
We are strict conStructionists of the
constitution and desire to hold the fed
eral government aloof from interference
with the domestic affairs of the state
This platform goes so far, in its fOurtl
resolution, as to recommend the adoption
of constitutional amendment to pro
hibit the states from appropriating pub
lie funds to the support of sectarial
schools. That is matter for the state!
to consider themselves, if anything is; il
would be the extremity of impropriet!
and impertinence for the nation to die
tate to the states what they should dc
with their money. The states would moi
be wise to eXpend it for sectaria1
schools; but if they choose to do so it i!
nobody's business but their own.
The third resolution declares that " the
work of popular education is one left e
the care of the several states, but it is the
duty of the national government to aid
that work to the extent of it's constitu
tional duty" There is nothing very
alarming in that declaration, and We
quote it simply to express our concur
renee in the general principle that it is
the duty of the nation to do it's cOnSti