New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-10
mr. CIPHER FATTY.
agencies !

The search still goes on at Chicago. plat
farm without a meaning and n man without u
record are wanted badly. This spectacle, now
ever has a meaning in itself. 1t tells the very
story that the Convention strives to hide. WIN
thoughtful and dispas,Onate voters. TINS
anxiety of party to escape its past ana to con
ccal its future will have more weight than any
form of words that platform makers can devise
Why has Governor Cleveland more votes
than any one else 7 Because less is known ct
him. Nobody can tell. his friends reason,
whether he was for slavcrT or against 1t, loyal
man or Coppcrhcad in favor ol or opposed to
negro suffrage or equality of civil rights, for pay
mcnt of public debt or reputation. Tor hard
money or unlimited initiation. for protection or
free trade. lut for this supposed advantage
Grover Cleveland would not have fifty votes
The glamour of his election In lSS2 was dis
pelcd by the defeat of his candidate last year
The prctcncc that hc is n rciormrr. independent
of rings. aud applying business methods to pub
lie service, was swept away 10y his bargains
with Mclaughlin and Thompson his usc oI
pntrnunpr tn secure rutps aud his shielding of
corrupt officials. Ills sole recommendation IA
that ho hls had ne part IN the hlsto y ol ma
party aud nobody knows what hs beliefs are,
# he has nny. about vital questions OF National
concern. Vet 1t H. doubted II even tina recon-
incubation will hold. aud. little nH rs known Of
HIM, the ehroWdout Democratic leaders IRE ~ u
panic because too much n known. What they
need IN political VA candidate who docs not
rrprc.cn the parry 1T all and ol whom nbso-
lulcly nolhng iH known.
I'm the Committee ON Resolutions, eighteen
were for Morrison and eighteen lol Converse,
The heavy states, New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio, vote oolldly against the word "only'
or any other word that has meaning. For
weeks it has been certain that the platform
would be- "A dodge. The Convention hopes to
escape the record of the party by adopting a
maze of words, with as many meanings as II
finds readers. ON matters not IN Issue NJ pres
ent, il has the courage to say something just rs
the most cowardy preacher will come down on
the ancient Jews with all his might. But o.
every question of living and practical interest,
the Convention takes all possible care 20 please
both sides. Loyal and diSloyal white ana
black, "gold-bug' and Grccnb"cker, rclolmer
and corrupt boss, Protccu0nist and Free Trader
are all to be told that in this polished platform
they can see their own faces. The Convention
means to make it a looking glass, IN whlch
every man can see his own opinion reflected.
But at the touch of history the glass will break,
and the platform will become an open window
through winch one looks back upon forty years
of nlamy.
Voters who mean to do right will pause here.
Can any party be trusted that tries to hide its
purposesi Why this anxiety to find tricks of
phrase that mean nothngi Why tins pltiable
search for IA man who like the patent juror,
can swear that he has formed no opin ON !
sure instinct tells the people that the real aims
of such il party are those which it does not dare
to aVOW.