National Republican., 1883-07-28
The New York "Tribuno Thinks 1t Shows
Democrats Still Learn Something.
The Times" Says It is an Abject
Surrender to Malone.
The Philadelphia "Press" and Albany "JOurnal
Consider it Splendid Endorsement Of Malone.
The "worId" Says It VIII Commend IT.
self ta Every Honest Man in the State.
oURBONs WHO LEARN.
Nep York Tribune,

NeW Fork Tribune.
The action of the democratic convention in
Virginia shows that there are bourbons who
learn-not much, perhaps, yet something.
The recent appointment by Gov. Cameron of
two coored men TO be public school trustees
in Richmond bade fair at one time to have
marked effect upon the proceedings of the con-
vention. A cry went up thAt Malone meant
TO establish NEGRO supremacy" and Mr..
Fulkerson, who was n readjuster member of
the forty-eighth congress, but has since turned
bourbon again, went over the state declaring
in public speeches that there would be mixed
schools" and then there would be mixed
marriages" This was deliciously like the
time honored argument with which democrats
wero won't to crush out all debate upon
slavery" Would you like to have your
daughter marry nigger Z" Out of this
agitation grew demand that the
state convention should draw tho
"color line" should calls for "a white mans
government" and SO frighton back into
the bourbon ranks white democrats who had
strayed Off among the readjusters. There
was prospect that the Virginia democrats
would actually turn the hands of time back,
instead Of following the party custom of
merely cursing tho clock under their breath.
But it was soon seen that the democrats in
the negro counties, who want negro votes,
were strongly opposed to any such course. 1t
was found possible to teach the bourbons that
this would be folly, and the convention con-
tented itself with denouncing the appoint
ment of colored trustees for white schools,
and the mixing of races in the schools The
fact that there has never been time under
the present school system in Virginia when
Colored men were not acting as trustees was,
of course, ignored.
In other respects, also the Virginia plat
form is remarkable for what it does not con-
tain. For example, 1t does not contain any
N,r,,, ,nff fhn ttxynl md nf fbn
national democracy in the past two presiden-
tial conventions Cor tariff for revenue only"
On this subject the resolution of the recent
democratic convention in Ohio is adopted
literally. Apparently, this resolution, the
most complete shuttle on the tariff question
ever adopted, is to be the device by which
the democratic party hopes to fool the Ameri-
can people into believing that it is not hos
tile to the protective system. The only
thing that can be said in its favor is that a
specimen of lodging it is superior to the plat
form of the Kentucky democrats, who were
disputing in tho newspapers for some time
after the convention as to which
plank it was that referred to the
tariff Like every other democratic con-
vention of the present year, this retraned
from approving the civil service law. 1t
made no demand for a free ballot and an
honest count but denounced bossism" with
the virtuous air of men who had always
favored Une lreGuOul, anu pTdCJlseu
absolute honesty, in politics. The platform
also opposes any increase of taxation, and
any further agitation of the state debt ques-
tion, wants the internal revenue system
abolished, falsely claims the credit of the
present condition of the public schools, and
calls for economy and "real" REFORM This
is all. 1t is not strange that there is not more,
when the party organs were actually advis-
ing the convention to say as little as possible.
The Lynchburg Virginian said to the dele
gates yesterday morning: 1--WE venture TO
express the opinion that there is little need,
ut the present time, for defining our views on
national questions" Yet these very men will
clamor for the control of the national govern
ment next year.
The coming campaign will be the advance
struggle of the presidential year between the
readjusters and bourbons. and will be inter-
esting. The Lynchburg convention showed
that the bourbons will strain every nerve TO
crush Malone Their keenest politicians
were brought to the front. Deserters from
Malone were specially honored Steps were
taken to enlarge and improve the party ma
chinery. Between the two factions the aver
age northern voter will hardly know what to
do with his sympathies. Senator Malone is
identified with various demoralizing practices
in politics and with scheme of partial repu-
diation. On the other hand there is no po-
litical abomination in which the bourbon
democrats are not stepped to the lips, and
their treatment of the debt question has
never been much better than that of the re-
adjusters. The new platform, by opposing
further agitation of the debt question, accepts
all that the readjusters have done. With all
its sins the readjuster party of Virginia de-
serves credit for building up the public schools
of the state, and for improving the condition
of the negro as citizen and a man.
THE VIRGINIA PLATFORM.
Ne1pI IortT Times
The platform adopted by the Virginia
democrats at Lynchburg is an interesting and
suggestive document. In the first place, il
contains an abject surrender to Malone and
the readjusters so far rs concerns the main
issue on which the latter won their triumph
The bourbons accept as final the debt settle
ment which II few months ago they were de-
nouncing as an embodiment Of iniquity and
dishonor and pledge themselves to oppose all
agitation intended to disturb it. This justi.
fics the charge that there was no sincerity in
their pretended solicitude for the honor and
credit of Virginia. Their promises in regard
to the schools of the state are another attempt
TO appropriate the ground of their opponents
They are prefaced by a ridiculous bit of hum
Mug in the statement that the democrats
founded the school system and originated
every act Of legislation which gives it etli-
cheney. In point of fact they well-nigf
ruined the system by diverting revenue;
from Its support, ana the Mahone party gained
much of its strength by promises to rebuild
it, which have been fairly redeemed.
Over their pledges to accept the debt set
tlement and to give liberal support TO public
schools the democrats put the foolish declara'
tion that they shall oppose "any increase OF
taxation whatsoever, directly or indirectly
No more stupid pledge could be made by any
political party than this Every legislature
should be left to regulate taxation according
TO the needs of the state 1t was through
this preprosterous policy of fixing limit ia
taxation regardless of the necessity for reve,
nue. that the bourbons forced the state into
reputation in the first instance and pre-.
vented it from redeeming itself afterward
and starved the school system we'll nigh ia
death The same policy in the same reclxles;
and cxtravagant hands might make il i'm.
possible to carry out the present debt settle
ment," or TO fulfill the promises made in re-
gard to public education.
The Virginia democrats touched on two
important matters of national policy--thC
revenue question and civil service reform
The democratic party has heretofore made
some pretense of having principle ON which
it might at last hope to make gain in public
confidence II has professed to be opposed t.
tariff whose purpose is not primarily t.
furnish the government with needed revenue
but to foster and protect special industries
for the benefit of certain classes and at the
expense of the whole people. 1t has clam
ored for n revenue reform which should dc
nUay with bigb nrotaptiVa Duties and keen