New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-23
AFRAID OF THEIR PRINCIPLES.

more than it meant to say. Sometimes doug"
ING il eloouent What this convention refused
to say was definite and clear right or wrong, IL
meant something. What it did say was pure
emptiness. But this very hesitation and timld-
ity in such a State as Kentucky casts flood OF
light upon the course of public opinion on the
tariff question.
The Democrats of Kentucky have been free
traders since the daya of Henry Clay Cncom-
promising and fat footed free traders, too, they
have ever been, if the votes Of their members OF
Congress, the sayings of their leading men and
Journals, and the resolutions OF their conven-
tions, mean anything. The LOulsuHe Courier
Journal is 10y all odds the most Jealous III al
vocacy Of free trade among all the reaIlY III
nuential Democratic papers OF the country
Senator Beck was not unnatufaliy called the
Ajax of free trade, in debate near the close oil
the last session, because of his power ana his
zeal III the prolonged contest. In shoitthtrc Is
NOT q State in the country in which the Demo-
cratic party might be expected to declare ITSELF
all the ftime and most unequlyocally Tor Tree
trade if not in Kentucky The convention had
before IL, too, a very clear and strong Tcs0lu-
ton affirming that the Kentucky Democracy
d,nouncc the Tariff act OF Jhe la, Republican Congress
n. monster piece OF Inequality injustice and wrong ana
they demand OF the next Democratic House OF i'rpir-
sentative, measure Of relief and reform based upon
the organic law The Democratic party. DECLARED at ~
Iou., ID 1916 and roanirmed at Cincinnati III l7-O'
VIII ch requires thai n custom house ta&aton shall Le Tor
revenue only
This resolution was rejected. The conyen-
ton. on the contrary, said about the tariff ucs-
ton lust this and no more
tDafunrrley ~ Kentucky convention assembled
rcnr our unaltrrcd confidence in and affection Tor tho
principles end policy embodied IN Tho organic law OF the
democratic party adopted at the National Democratic
convention held IN - Louis IN 1870 and ratified at IN
| cinnnti ia ! D.
To all men who know anything of public
affairs it Is Known that nothing can be mOIe
cmpty and meaningless, As respects any qucs-
ton upon which dispute exists, than vague
and pcrfunc'ory affirmation of unatcred con-
Gdencc IN and affection for" some dead and
gone platform of the past. To reatlrm bodily
| q rlatform upon which national campaign was
! conducted seven years before would in any
case be weak enough. But the Democratic plat
form of 1876 was considered an insult to the
| positive opponents OF protection III the Demo-
| cratic party, and the platform OF 1SSO was IN
| teipreted and made supremacy ridiculous by
| General IIancock's " local issue uttcrances
| Within the Democratic party there has sprung
No demand for a more honest and manly
| treatment of this question, and that demand
| has nowhere been more strongly expressed than
| by Democratic leaders and organs in Kentucky.
| II would be childish to pretend that this eva
| sion By the Kentucky Democrats means
nothing. Let it he supposed that the Republl-
cans of PENNSYLVANIA for instance having be-
fore them Il resolution emphntically approving
a protective tariff, should drcidc not to adopt
that but TO sreanrm the National Republican
platform of 1864 Would there be any room
TO doubt that the Republicans of Pennsylvania
had either changed their convictions, or become
afraid to put their beliefs into plain words
Yet Uarty in power can always appeal to its
acts. If it says nothing, and promises
nothing still its past record forms its platform.
! Bat party out of power, minority tying TO
get into Office, has nc such excuse for silence.
If it does not dare to say what 1t intends To 10,
| its feticence is more eloquent than any speech.
| The Democrats of kentucky have not changed
| their purposes. But they unwttlngy bear tes-
timonv to the growth OF public opinion In favor
Of a protective tarih Even in that State, 1t is
no longer thought prudent TO confront this
growing sentiment. Even there tho Democrats
who want to be manly and 0utSpoken are
pushed to the rear and the trimmcrs and
trickstcrs take the lead. 1t is not pleasant
thing TO see. The Republican party has never
been afraid to utter its convictions on thiSsub-
ect. and it would ask nothing better than to be
met by an equally frank and candid opposition.
But the Democrats, even in Kentucky, prefer 10
evade and to dodge. Probably they will gam
nothing by this course. a party out of power,
and trying to recover public confidence, never
gains anything 10y cheating. Before they can
deserve to be intrusted with the vast response
blities Of government, men must first have
enough manhood 20 avOw their intentions. If
they lack either the caudor to say OF the ability
to determine whether they approve or oppose
an existing tariff, they have something to ac-
dure or to learn before the country will trust
| them.