New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-17
PLATFORM CHANGES.

| where General Butler is expected to thrash the
waters into foam New-York, which the whole
country vii, watrh with interest to see whether
| Governor Clevelands 900 majority is fol-
lowed by solid Republican vote, and Repub-
lican majority: Ohio, which is interesting az
| the single October State and Virginia, where
the Bourbons will strain every muscle to crush
Nahcne.-outside of these States politics prom
ise to be dull this year. Thus lar about a
dozen Conventions of The great parties have
been held. and the declarations of principles
| adopted indicate the drift of political discussion
which the campaign is likely to follow.
The Republican platforms show that the
| tariff question, which was summed up IN
single clause in the body of the Chicago plat
! form of 1850, is fast pushing its way to the
| front of active debate. The Ohio, Iowa, hen-
lucky and Pennsylvania conventions plauted
themselves squarely on the issue of protection
at the outset of their recitals OF Republican
principles Much has been said already IN
these columns Of the shudling treatment OF
this subject 10y the Democratic conventions.
| Three-those in Ohio, Virginia and Penn
| sylvanIa-adopted the OHIO straddle, which Is
simply meaningless balancing of words. The
Virginia DOurbonl Convention, and tie
PENNSYLVANIA Convention, however, coupled it
| with a demand for the absolute extinction of
| the internal revenue system. The declaration
| BIZ the Virginia Convention arose, OF course,
| from a hostility TO the taxes on tobacco and
whiskey, especially the latter that OF the
! Peunsy lvania Convention from the desire prob
| ably, TO make a bid for the support of the pro-
lection sentiment of the State, which II not
| likely to be pleased with the thickness OF the
| plank on the tariff. 1t is Of some interest to
| notice that the demand for the abolition Of the
| internal revenue system-certainly an easy
| and inoppressive way OF raising money Tor the
| support Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES thus FAR only
| from the Democratic conventions. There Is
small school of Republicans, of which Judge
| Kelley is the chief, who have favored aboil-
| tior. But the plan has never met with favor IN
| Congress or in the party at large, and the Penn
| sylvania Republicans VINO might be expected
| to look upon It 40 "A means of Strengthening
| the protective system 10y making necessary
| tariff high enough TO pay all the expenses Of the
| Government do not advocate IL in their plat
J form. Two Democratic conventions, held IN
| hopelessly Republican States,-lowa and Min
nesota, --avowed the real sentiment CT the party
against a protective tariff Tho Kentucky
| convention lodged the whole subject
| The keynote of the Democratic conventions is
! the much alleged abuses of Republican rule.
| This is true of all the Platforms even of those
which are largely occupied with State affairs.
| The conventions in the six States just men
toned profsss to favor CT sill Service Reform, but
they have only one plan to suggest for its &C
| complishment This is, OF course. to put the
| Democratic party in power. BY these extrav-
| nf
| the National Government, the Democrats, if
they are accomplishing anything at all, are only
| helping their opponents. The average intelli-
| gent voter is not likely to believe much that he
| reads in Democratic platform, and is quite
| likely to discount what he reads in any plat
| form but he will be too shrewd not to know
that, if any part OF what is wildly alleged OF
| the condition of the Government service be
true, the last remedy to be thought of is
wholesale expulsion of the entire force, and
| letting down OF the bars to rough and hungry
crowd of office seekers lie will be too wise not
| TO know that the party which has already begun
| to enact remedies INTO law, and expects to con-
| tinue the process, is mere to be trusted than
parry which insists that the evils are very great,
but has no remedies to propose.
Some interesting MINOR questions make their
appearance in these platforms. The Minnesota
| Democrats urged that the President be given
| the veto power over the items of appropriation
bls-a most desirable change, which, however,
| It W ould seem more natural to hear Democrats
opposing as movement toward "centraliza-
tom The Pennsylvania Republicans suggested,
and the Pennsylvania Democrats denounced,
the Wharton Barker surplus plan; thus far it
is a local idea. The Pennsylvania Republicans
preached the plan of holding the primaries on
the same day throughout the State method
which would give them something of the same
excitement and Importance as general cleo
ton, and would, doubtless, make it more diff
cult for party managers to manipulate them.
The Pennsylvania Republicans demanded tie
redemption of the trade dollar. The railroad
question 10 still of interest in Iowa. Both con-
ventions adopted resolutions on the subject, tho
Republicans favoIing also a law against free
passes. The Ohio Republicans urged the erea-
ton of National Bureau OF Labor Statistics.
Both conventions In that State made special
references to the duty on wool. The Penn
sylyania Republicans denounced pauper immi-
grafton, aud both conventions In Iowa adopted
resolutions ON Irish troubles which showed solicit
tude about the Irish vote. The Ohio and Penn
sylvania Republicans acknowledged tue care of
Congress in preserving to the soldiers In the
new Civil Service law, the preference In ap-
pointments already secured to them.
This may be called the first crop Of platforms,
and there will be much larger growth within
few weeks. Bat they show the drift Of poll
tics and illustrate something of the change that
is taking place In party issues. The world is
moving, when the Bourbon Democrats In Vir-
GINA where 1t was unsafe. NOT 30 many years