Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-03

"Tilden and Reform, and actually inn
agined that they were taking part in a
moral crusade. When the event showed
the real character of the man whose pro-
fessions they had believed, the fathom-
less deceit of the party of pretences and
the methods which were concealed be-
meath this veneer of virtue they became
confirmed infidels so far as any future
pretensions of politicians, individually
or collectively, are concerned.
Since then the descent of the platform
to mere conyentionality has been rap
I'd and unimpeded. Every days reports
bring news of half dozen conventions
but the curious antiquarian searches in
vain among the resolutions for an hon
est and unequivocal expression of opin-
ION ON any great question of the day
The Democrats turn and twist and mag
Nifty into all kinds of distorted shapes
the iniquity of political assessments and
all the Republicans yearn in like man.
ner for civil service reform. II any one
wishes to learn the ludicrous extent of
insincerity to which the platform car
penters do not hesitate to 90 let him
read an account Of the proceedings of
the Democratic convention in Ohio: a
state of sufficient Importance to either
party to call for honesty and a position
which cannot be mistaken. The latest
platform founding declares, first of all,
'for equal rights to all and first of all a
free and incorruptible ballot" Yet not
a man Of that convention would raise
finger to secure these at the south. 1t
says, 1--WE denounce the attempt of tho
Republican congress to reduce taxes on
those articles which will inure to the
benefit of the rich, and then the Dem
ocrats fight desperately in that same
congress the battle of the tobacco man
ufacturer and the distiller. 1t reioices
in perfectly incomprchensible tariff
section; mere iumble of "actual
needs" and encourage productive in
dustries" and compensate labor and
without creating monopolies.'' 1t de-
mands farcical inquiry into foreign
outrages and it voices a great discovery
namely; that the constitution provides
for maintaining both gold and silver as
money. And in this whole mass of
verbiage there is not a pledge that can
dupe the veriest lamb in political prac-
tice and not single honest and positive
declaration save one that ''the Demo
cratic party is opposed to legislation
merely sumptuary."
1t is this single and lonesome appear
ance of real belief in anything at all
that suggests deeper reason for the de-
cay of the party platform than the SUI
periicial one usually mentioned and CIV
en- above. The platform, which is but
the concrete expression of the belief of
an organized body of men has degen-
Grated into a mere form because belief
itself has fallen into n trance. When
there are no issues upon which either
party cares to risk taking decided
stand, how can there be any resolutions
which are the chrystGlization of issues?
In Ohio they have one issue clearly de-
fined and accepted because it cannot
any longer be evaded This is the ques-
ton of the sale of liquor and the OBJ
seryanco of Sunday; and when the Dem
ocratic convention puts its party in OPP
position TO merely sumptuary legisla-
ton everybody knows just what was
meant, and the party will stand or fall
accordingly. From this point of view,
which is probably the correct one, the
degeneration of the platform as an in
stitution is not in itself a significant fact
but only one Ease and aspect of a differ
ent fact. When there are no subjects
under discussion for which the majority
of voters care u button what better can
committees and conventions do than to
talk platitudcs? When the long-expect-
ed new parties shall be sprung upon us
or when the old parties shall be reor-
ganlzed upon new lines, there will be no
lack of issues clearly and sharply i, fined
and the platform will renew the vigor
of its youth. Until then we must be
content with it as it is; and not expect,
while sunk i'm heavy and material indif
ference to the course of political affairs,
that those to whom we resign the work
of expressing our opinions will talk like
saints or sages. And until then, also,
it would be good thing for the cause
of morality and for the proper hatred of
lying in particular if the party platform
could be temporarily abolished. ST
Pau Pioneer Press