New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-04
4 HFNCOOP FOR A Goat.

a hencoop for me goat | dunno ~ was the sal
utation of an Irishman to the proprietor iOf a
country grocery recently. In suddenness and
in general lucldty the platform adopted by
the Indiana Democrats on Wednesday closely
resembles this inquiry of Pats. 1t is the work
of the Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks, who
emerged from his political grave to write it,
1t bears the trademark of its author IA straddle
rampant. There is only one issue in Indiana
this year, and that is of prohibition amend
ment to the Constitution. The people of the
State are 80 profoundly stirred upon that
question that all others have been eliminated
from the canvass in advance. The Republi-
cans have taken their stand in favor of the
amendment. The Democrats have been sorely
perplexed by the situation, and they assem-
bled in convention considerably divided con-
corning the wisest course TO be followed.
Conscious that crisis had arrived, Mr.. Hen
bricks and Mr.. English, companions in defeat
for the same high Office, resolved to take the
party in hand and lead it in the way it should go.
Mr.. English called the Convention to order
and startled it with the announcement that he
had retired permanently from politics We
say startled for every man in the Convention
supposed that that particular job had been done
for Mr.. English by the people in 1850. He
then struck out boldly against temperance
legislation and declared as plainly as possible
for an open Democratic alliance with the
liquor interests. This was Mr.. Englishs part.
Mr. Hendricks followed with his which was
the construction of a platform. He had it
ready made in his pocket and presented it in
person. Ii starts of with an old-fashloned
drubbng of the Republican party for all kinds
of wickedness, and after enlarging upon this
subject for about two thirds of its entire length
drops suddenly upon the temperance question
in a resolution which cannot think of giving
otherwise than in full:
The Democratic party is 1t always has been.
opposed to all sumptuary legislation, and 1t is especially
opposed TO the proposed amendment to the Constitution
OF Indiana known the prohbltory amendment, and
are In favor Of the submission OF SAID proposed
amendment, well IA all the other proposed amend
mens to the people according to the provisions of the
Constitution for It's amendment and the people |
have the right to oppose favor the adoption OF any
all OF the amendments at all stages OF their considfa
ton and any submission OF Cons itutiOnal amendment
the vote Of the people should be at time and under
circumstances most favorable fun vote and there
lore should be at general election.
If that is not hencoop for n goat what is |
It'll 1t declares against the amendment, but |
favors its submission to the people What Mr. |
Hendricks hoped to do was to catch the liquor |
sellers by the first part, and the temperance |
advocates by the last, but he only succeeded |
IN making both angry. The liquOr-scllcrs SAID |
they did not wish to have the Legislature sub |
nit the amendment to the people, for its adop-
ton was almost certain to follow. What they
wanted Democratic Legislature for was to pre-
vent submission. The temperance people said |
the IN i
ton between the temperance element of the
party and the whlskey advocates, and that
could not be done. But Mr. Hendricks moved
the previous question, shut of debate, and had
the platform adopted. lie left the Convention
with fresh stradde. His party will probably
be defeated in consequence, but that is the
usual result of following Mr.. Hendrickss lead,
and nobody will be surprised.
We have laid especial stress upon the tenn
perance plank in the platform, but the ear
marks of its author are apparent in every part
Thus on the civil service there is demand
tor such reforms as will again result in the
" employment in the public service of those only
who are honest and capable" which simply
means that Mr. Hendricks is in favor of putting
none but Democrats on guard On the tariff
there is this luminous utterance @We favor
such an adjustment of its provisions within
a the revenue standard as will promote the in
: dustries of the country and the interests of
labor without creating monopoies." Another
lencoOp for a goat We have no doubt Mr.
Hendricks had Presidential nomination in
view while he was constructing this platform.
lie has been pegging away III the same fashion
or about quarter of a century now-always
building hencoops, and discovering when he
las finished that he has merely imprisoned !
himself.