Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-09
mn DEUoCnArrc PLATFORM.


In discussing the platform adopted
by the national democratic convcn
tion we can follow the partisan rul,
Of condemning II because il is demo
cratic; or we can throw party pre-
judicc aside and judge il by it.
merits AZ fairness demands such
discrmiuativc criticism and useful
ness recommends it, we will devote
few paragraphs 10 its candid con.
sidcration
IL starts out with indorsing
President Clcvcland's free trade
message to ocongrcss, and then de
votes several sections to showing the
wisdom and necessity such policy.
This is foolish. The American
people have made up their minds on
this Issue, and 10 convert dccur-
alton Of principles into u text book
on fiscal science isa striking instance
Of inappropriatcncss.
Then we are treated 10 game Of
blum. A searching scrutiny ntoth
conduct of public affairs is chnl-
lengcd, and the assurance given
that 'iidclityn and "dcvotiOn 10
pledges viii be found. All rcmcm-
bor the magnnnimuus talk of Grover
Cleveland, when hc was elected, /.
about "public office being Il public .
trust, and how lac would subor- .
dinntc party rule to the public
interest II was nice talk. Every
political rciormcr looks forward to
the time when merit will rule In the
civil service, and the name Of demo-
crt and republican will hc uu-
known. such IL practice would rc-
move the chief incentive to place
and power aud the country would
be delivered from the disguccful
scramble for office which now marks
every change of administration,
Devotion to pledges" should not be
named In "a democratic confession Of
mith because II calls 20 mind the
thousands Of victims sacrificed to
offensive partisauship," and he
large measure of liberty allowed
those democrats appointed to sue
cced, Says the old aduge, cone
man may steal "A horse cwhilcauothcr
may not look over the hedge" +,
Cleveland no doubt, meant we'll
hut he did not adequately estimate
the momentum Of party that had =,
been kept out In the cold a quarter ,
of u century lie was brushed !,
aside like pcelings of onions aud d,
the democratic tiger grcodily dllcd -
out It's guuut and nveuup sides.
CWdltiS taken for having "p~ ;,
stored to the people lOOulO,UnO acres y,
ot valuable land rhcrv is no over y
wcvniug modc~ty in this statement. W
The amount !, largely ovvstatvd, ".
aud good portion recovered as m- "
earned grants to railroads was -o T.
worthless that the grantee com- "
panlvs would mulvno expenditure ID,
Ia sccuW them SIN credit is due
~ccWtay Lamar tor having spolt
many "a snug hud steal, aud his ud- IS
mlnistmton of thv.iuJydor depart m
mont Is on the whole yvditublr. ol
Notwithstanding he retains the in W
'tlnvts ofun uupyonstructld rtbel. ol
'nd his devotion to needy neigh to
'or and tlrt Wiic's rhuvcs Huvd ~,
very Indian agcucy with unit cm- W
'loyvs. IA
"All unnecessary, taxation is m- ~
ust taxation" SAYS this democratic w
Hendricks used to shout hr
hls la hls speeches ull his hvanrs Ca
ad ltOrnt Il by heart, hr pointed to s',
lac hoapi of wealth lying m tho MAJ th
.onal Treasury vaults, and promised Go
hat it hc and Cleveland. Mn. na
hendricks alW8ys dovlap'd that her ht.
ushand WAS the brains of the me,
o6etl wcre elected, that pile of hn
ioney would get into Jho channels
circulation, and every working
ian would haNv guod times. '"'
'earlN tur Nvar oi democratic ul Ia h''
as no' shown any sucy,,s,nll s,ulu, ""'
dealing with thv huauc,,. Tho W'
ahlic rNasuuv is h6v th, SNOW iu '"I
eW York during th, hJ, ,touu ''
pa may moNcit NOM oue plaot to "''
iothvr at whatever o,,J but ul, a"
lil then. Mvan tempted Jo Quot, ''' u'''
aeiy hm thr platform. I'.
The money nov lying in thv f,d, II.
Al ,rvasupl Insulting fvm supvr. no,