New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-11
THE NFW KFYNOTF.


After tbe Democratic State Convention
which assemblies at Albany to-day has settled
the aIl-absorbing questions concerning it's
organizations. and found ont what kind OF a
Democratic Convention it is, the Formally
Known ~ the adoption OF platform VIII nave
IA he attended TO. To both these preliminaries
great public interest almost always attaches
And 10 both for the same reason: that there Is
always a doubt as to the action OF the ConVen-
ton concerning them. IL cannot he told before
hand with any degree of certainty either what
kind of delegates will he admitted or what kind
of platform will be adopted. Very often the
admission of the one affects the adoption of the
other. and the character of the platform Is pre-
figured by tie report of the Committee on Con
tested Seats The rule of the tanner is fol-
lowed, that the tail goes with the hide y; and
in this case il might be added that the horns
and noofs are wrapped inside. Ordinarily
however, the chief interest hinges on the con-
tested seats, and that interest centres in this
city. which never fails TO send twoAnd some
times three CIR four sets of delegates. To the
Convention to-day there go only three sets:
the organization of the Centurions, or County
Democracy the Tammany faction; and the
Irving Hall crowd-the first two with brass
band each and the last with much brass bat no
band. The discussion over the claims and
merits Of these three organizations mas been
so absorbing that up &c this time little has been
said regarding candidates. and nothing as 'othe
platform. There are two or three Democratic
journals, more seriously disposed than the rest,
that evidently resent the omission. They are
just beginning TO present some views con-
corning the platform.
One of them, The Buffalo Courier, endeavors,
in the midst OF the everlasting Tammany and
Anti-Tammany wfangle, 10 impress upon the
delegates the necessity Of having u platform
that shall be SoulspOken and courageous"
And it may lie here remarked that advice 20 be
"out.poken and courageous" is always good.
So good that nobody ever thinks of giving any
other. Who ever heard of party being adj
yised to be soft-spokcn and cowardlyG Still II
must be admitted that success does not always
follow the adoption of the outspoken and cour-
ageous course. For instance, the Democratic
party.at It's last National Convention, under tho
tutelage of Henry Watterson, David 4. Wells
and n few others, resolved in the most out
spoken and courageous manner in favor Of free
trade and a tariff for revenue only There
came time when they were very sorry they
had been so outspoken aud courageous, and IL
was thought by some people that had they been
a little less outspoken and courageous they
might have stood some chance for success
But our Buffalo contemporary does not, il we
correctly understand it, advise q repetition of
that experiment. 1t is in another direction
that il desires its party to be- frank and bold
to wit upon the subject of Civil Service Re-
form and upon this it desires the Convention
to "strike the keynote of the Lext National
contest" Federal patronage, it wisely OBJ
serves, has been the cause aud source OF n
great deal Of mischief to the Democratic party,
and it will be very great mistake il IL should
now, Sby silence OF half-hearted utterance
sustain the political system and methods
(which have overwhelmed it so often, In the
idle hope that it will ever be permitted 10
aenjoy the advantages OF the spells system it.
self" 1t adds that nothing is more certain /
than that the Republicans will become a Civil !
Service Reform party so soon rs they lose
power and asks if it would not be wise TO am
ticipate them.
The earnestness OF our Buffalo contemporary |
is very commendabe, and its argument is GER |
tainly sound. The thing for the Democratic |
party TO do is unquestionably 10 come out for |
Civil Service Reform and strike the keynote of |
the next National contest. Indeed, we do not |
see anything else that it can do. 1t has tried |
pretty much every issue that has been aHoat in |
the past twenty years, and been defeated on |
every one, and this is really about the only |
thing left. All the old slavery and reconstruc- |
ton questions upon which the party did such |
desperate fighting have been closed up by wise |
Republican administration and legislation; tue |
financial quackcry favored by the Democrats |
has received its. death-blow from Republican |
hands the tariff they have learned from ex- |
perience that it is dangerous to touch so that |
there is absolutely nothing left TO them but to |
strike keynote on the spoils system. And |
they will do it undoubtedly. Four or five hun |
dred representative Democrats at Albany, of |
whom probably less than fifty have any other |
means of existence than what they obtain |
through some form of the spells system, will |
solemnly resolve that the present great danger |
to free institutions grows out Of the spois sys-
TEN, and that they are determined to wipe IL |
entirely out. For twenty years they have been |
ON the wrong side of all living questions and |
consequently confined TO the enjoyment of |
local spoils while their opponents have had
the Federal patronage they coveted. So now,
having struck kev-noteg on slavery cDercion