The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-11
THE FRAUDULENT DEMOCRACY.

IhH FRAUDULENT D6mUUhAO1s
The Pennsylvania Democrats, in conven-
ton assembled, are much like Democrats the
land over, in and out of organized meetings.
The third resolution of the State platform
adopted at Allentown on Wednesday, upon
the reading of which the convention "broke
into cheers" recalled "the fraud of 1876 and
1877, by which S. j. Tilden and Thomas A.
Hendricks" etc. The alleged enthusi-
asm was high in contemplation Of the inten-
ton of righting the monstrous wrong perpe-
trated against these two great and good men.
1t was a touching sight to witness the
fact that eight long years had not suficed to
obliterate the feeling of indignation expert
enced on account of the outrage put upon
the partys favorites. But, by strange in
consistency, the explanation of which does
not accompany the resolutions adopted, the
section referred to is not supplemented by
another calling for denomination of the
Democratic candidates so foully dealt with by
the Democratic chosen electoral commission.
The fourth resolution, written, doubtless,
while the statesmen who drew up the third
were still picking from their teeth the frag
ments of the funeral baked meats, refers to
the tariff, and does not say "turkey" to either
of the great defrauded. Worse still,
when the eighth and last para
graph was reached, the whole con-
vention incontinently forsook the bier of Til
den and Hendricks and unanimously passed
an Endorsement of Samuel J. Randall as the
choice of the Democracy of Pennsylvania as
the candidate of their party for President.
The little old man in the whispering gallery
in Gramercy Park may well wonder what this
all means-why Democrats periodically shout
themselves hoarse over the wrong done him,
and then calmly arrange to have the repara-
ton made not to him, but to them and some
other fellow The hiatus in the reasoning
from wrong to remedy suggests an explana-
ton. If the party is sincere in the belief that
great wrong has been done Mr.. Tilden
and Mr.. Hendricks, the proper thing
WOulu We W pun IloIH peloIo OH0
people again, make an appeal on that issue,
and, if possible send them to the head of ma
tional affairs. This idea, however, does not
seem popular among Democratic managers,
whatever may be the sentiment of the rank
and file The men who Elk things" for Dem
ocratic campaigns intend to work 'the fraud
racket for all it is worth, just as was done i'll
1880, with what effect the history of the cam
paign of that year shows. But they do not
care to trot out the nag from Greystone. His
record is not exactly what it might be- The
cipher kilograms would all be reproduced, the
C1onin business would be brought up, and
the best United States document-attemp to
buy a Florida elector would all be
recalled, to his embarrassment and the dis
comfture of the party. It is apparent, there
fore, that the victims of the "great fraud of
1876" must be divorced from it and not be al
lowed to claim alimony in the form of re-
nomination. They want to use the old tickets
misfortunes to appeal to the people in taking
up a collection of votes, but the proceeds of
the collection must be applied, not to the vic
tins of the wrong, but to the Democratic
party The ratiocination by which this re-
markable conclusion has been reached is not
clear to ordinary minds, and perhaps never
will be. Great is Democracy, and the cry of
fraud is its profit.