The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-16
THE CONVENTION.

and wisdom were In the ascendaney.
The platform, an official copy of
which we publish, is unexeeptionable,
and raises the issues on which the Repub-
lican party is to be superseded in its con-
troll of the Government by the Demo
cratic party. The tariff plank-the
rock on which it was feared by some
and hoped by others, that the party
would splits clear and satisfactory
statement Of the position of the DemOc-
racy with reference to the sources from
which the public revenue shall be
raised, and the principles to be consulted
in the enactment Of the revenue laws.
Whether this plank be considered as a
tariff for revenue only, or tariff for
revenue with incidental protection, is a
matter Of small moment, because in the
opinion of the best constitutional law
yers, whether they be Democrats or Re
publicans, there is no power to collect
taxes for any other purpose than the
support of the government.
A curious feature of the Convention,
in connection with the tariff plank, was
that Mr.. Morrison, the author of the
Morrison Bill, and Mr.. Converse, bit.
ter opponent of it, united on the floor
of the Convention in indOrsing the Com
mittee's report; and a more curious
feature still is that Mr. Randall ex-
pressed his approval of the platform.
When in our issue Of the I'd inst, We
said that we were "for that declaration
concerning the tariff which will secure
the most electoral votes for the nomi-
nees, whether it be phrased by Mr.. Nor
ison or Mr.. Randall" we were charged
by some with abandoning the principles
of tariff for revenue only, but now it
happens that the tarifffor-revenue-only
men and the protectIonists of the party
have united in a declaration which is
satisfactory to all, and we claim that in
this the position we have taken from the
outset has been sustained to the fullest
extent.
Bat it may be asked, how is it that
men who have been so bitterly opposed
to each other have been able to harmon
ize their differences? This question was
satisfactorily answered by Mr.. Waiter
son, prominent revenue reformer, and |
an ardent supporter of the Morrison
Bill, when he said that after an inter
change of opinions among the several
members Of the committee, it was
found that there was not as much |
difference between them as they had |
thought there was; and this is a salts
factory explanation of the differences
of opinion on this subject between mem
bers of the Democratic party in this
State. All along we have had an abid
ing faith that all Democrats would en-
dorse the declaration concerning the
tariff which the National Convention
would make, because we believed that |
the wise men of the party would be able
10 formulate an expression which would
be the embodiment of the best thought
,n the subject, and because we believed
hat much of the disagreement was the
-esult of limited knowledge. We see
low that those who have devoted most
.ime and Study to the subject have been
lble to agree, and il will be more than
to us if our party friends do
lot now endorse aud applaud this re.
sensible plank Of the platform,
md our course-in asking that the sub
ect be referred to the National Cohveh-
ion for settlement.
Aside from the tariff plank, it will be
cen that there is not an utterance from
me end of the platform to the other,
which will not find favor with every
,atriot in the land. The relative posi-
ions of the two parties before the coun
ry are contrasted in mastery manner,
md the achievements of the Democratic
,arty and the failures of the Republican,,
re brought into significant prominence.
The nomination of Governor Cleve-
and was inevitable from the outset.
more than majority of
he delegates started to the Convention
to vote for him, and but few
f these were so far influenced by the
ierce war made against him at Chicago,
hat they were not willing at any
ime to cast their vote for him if their
,otes were necessary to secure his nomi-
ation. OF those who went to Chicago
nth Cleveland as their first choice, some ,
Tere so solieitous lest they might make
mistake, that they voted for other can
idates, not SO much with the desire of
ominating them as that the delay con.
equent upon successive ballots would
evelop some certain indication of the
roper course to be pursued. But even
hese could be relied on to vote for Cleye- )
ind unless some radical change in the
onditions under which the first ballet d
as taken occurred. In addition to
, his positive and primary strength he /
ad friends ON nearly every delegation $
no were voting for candidates who did 2
OF have the ghost of chance for the :
so that as each candidate re- B
red the vote of Cleveland would in
ease. 1t was easy to ascertain that he 1
ould get the bulk of the Pennsylvania
,te after Randalrs retirement, aud it
as Just as easy to find out what North
arolina would do at the proper time. l
ID the proper time was when the vote
that State would make his nominal n
N reasonably certain. Added to all :
is was the indisposition OF many of
E delegates, and especially those from =
E South, to enforce the two-fhirds rule ).
practice though they were opposed to II
abolition; the prevailing sentiment en-
ing that except in extreme cases the $ $
ndidate receiving a majority of the u
tes should receive a two-thirds ma Al
ity. This has been the custom of ou
Itional Conventions. "a
Only two of the delegates from Missis- 70
pi voted for Cleveland, Messgs Bram- on
and johnson, the latter not until IL Il,
second ballot. Both thesegentlemen
re actuated by the belief that Cleye- M
d was the most available candidate. = =
ose who voted for Mr.. Bayard be- the
red that he was not only the most Ter
liable candidate, but that he was the Is Is
ice Of the people Of our State, and POI
the absence Of some more certain in Ia
atiOn of the strength of the several IS IS