Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-13
A Bold Attempt to Deceive.

The platform which the Ohio Republi-
cans adopted at their State Convention
Wednesday, at Springfield is curiosity
Its authors appear to think that the peo-
pie do not read, or that they have remark
ably short memories.
Its first provision contains a condemna-
ton of ballot-box stufing and illegal vot-
ing, and a charge that Democratic party
got control of the National Government
by encouraging intimidation and ballot
box frauds.
A charge Of this kind made by Ohio
Repu needs no denial. Every one
who is familiar with the political methods
which were practiced by the Republicans
in Ohio last fall knows that this charge
against the Democratic party is only an
effort 10 draw attention away from their
own illegal and fraudulent practices.
Who does not remember that at the
Ohio state election last October the city
of Cincinnati was practically put under
the control of hundreds Of brutal men,
many of them non-residents, who wore
the badge OF deputy marshals, and who
were furnished with pistols by Mar
shall Lot Wright? Was not this same
Marshal removed day or two ago for
being an offensive partisan, and wasn't
his own party friends compelled to refuse
TO pay the enormous bills he presented to
the government for money paid out for in
timidation Of voters?
There never was, perhaps, such a bare
faced attempt to carry a State by unfair
~
Ohio in 1884, and yet in the platform which
they adopted Wednesday they say that the
Democratic party, which owes its ma
tional victory last fall to wilful suppress
sion Of the ballot, cannot be looked to for
the enforcement of the laws for pre-
serving the purity of the ballot-box, and
the hope of the friends of equal laws and
equal suffrages is in the Republican par
ty."
The Ohio Republicans evidently think
that they can make the country believe
that they are honest and patriotic if they
insist strongly enough that they are.
There is one other point in the platform
that win command attention. 1t is that
provision of it in which the deepest re-
greet is expressed for the failure of the
present administration to promote the
reforms of the civil service so auspIciOus-
ly begun under the Republican admins
tration."
AS everybody knows there never had
been any sincere attempt at civil service
reform before the present administration
was inaugurated. President Cleveland is
entitled to the credit Of having begun in
earnest the WORK of reforming the civil
service. 1t is true that the civil
service commission was created UNI
der a Republican administration, but
1t owes its existence to a Democrat. The
Republican party would never, of It's own
accord, have suggested or adopted the
civil service law. A few years ago, in
compliance with the demand Of public
sentiment, it enacted civil service law,
but it took good care not to enforce it.
In view Of the history of its experience
with civil service reform, this effort OF the
Ohio Republicans to pose as the friend of
that reform is amusing. The Republican
party cannot, Of course, act an honest
part, but it ought to be little more care
full to conceal its insincerity and its dis.
honest purposes.