Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-08
FRIDAY. JUNE 8. 1888.
The Platform

No onoman Is wiser than all men; or, as
The Scripture has II, ain the multitude oil
counsolers there IS wisdom" The ST. Louis
Convention was truly representative body.
Il knew what the people wanted and ex-
pected, and 1t granted their wishes.
Mr.. WATrERsON was made chairman OF the
Committee on the Platform by the votes OF
New Jersey and Conneclcut--the votes OF
those States being cast for him, however, by
Governor ALBEIT and Mr.. a. L. BURR, who
did not sympathize IN his opinions on the
tariff question, but who hoped by conclia'
tory policy 10 bring him TO reasonable
terms. Mr.. WATTERsON, from the subcom-
'lni,tee, favored tariff resolution which the
full committee by vote Of p to 10 refused
20 adopt.
The substance OF the tariff resolution In
The platform is that the Democratic party re-
aGirms the platform adopted by It's repre-
Yentaiiyes I'm the convention OF 1854; en-
dorses the views expressed by President
CLEVELAND in bis last annual message to
Congress a. the correct Interpretation OF that
platform upon Tie question Of tariff reduc'
lion. and endorses the efforts OF our Demo-
cratic representatives. in Congress to secure
n reduction Of excessive taxation. There are
other references to the tsrifand to the surplus,
hut The main plank Is as we have just stated
il. II is, Of course, a compromise resolution.
No other could have been adopted; or il an
unyielding one had been adopted It would
have been voted down IN November. We
trust that there is to be no further wrangling
within the Democratic party on the tariff
question. There is a difference OF opinion
on the subject which cannot be trsmpled out
by violent remedies and hard words. This
is abund1nty proved by the fact that after
the convention had adopted the resolution
referred to above it again tackled the tariff
question in second resolution, but again
found it necessary to explain It's meaning
Is follows;
Our established domestic industries and
enterprises should not and need not be en-
dsngered by reduction and correction OF
burdens Of taxation. On the contrary, a
fair aud careful revision OF our tax laws,
with due allowance for the difference be-
tween the wages Of American and foreign
labor. must promote and encourage every
branch Of such Industries and enterprises"
g.. &c, sc.
SO we have the tariff plank OF 1914 twice
endorsed in the platform Of this year.
The rest OF the platform will attract less
attention. IT boasts that the Democratic
party h1s reclaimed the public lands; has
paid out more money for pensions and boun.
ties tban The Republican party ever paid
out; hes excluded the Chinese from this
country; has protected and guarded the
rights and welfare Of ali our people OF all
races and sections; deuounces bitterly all
trusts and combinations; and demands re-
duction OF the surplus.
no doubt there VIII be many 10 regret that
The BLAIR hill was overlooked, and that the
abolition Of the tax on tobacco and fruit
brandes was not recommended. But we
cannot expect the Democrats Of the whole
Union TO agree upon all the details OF their
party creed. We in the South have abun-
dant reason for supporting the Democratic
party without reference TO its creed on po-
liticO-ecOnOmi9 questions. II Is the party
which through evil report and through good
report has stood up for the right Of the
southern people to govern themselves In
their own way. IL IS the party which has
relieved us from all fear OF having
our State elections controlled by soldiers, or
bv minions of the Federal Government. 1t
Is the party which has dared TO appoint nu.
merous sO.caled "Tebels" 10 high Office,
and has thus certified to foreign nations that
the southern people are and always have
been IN favor Of free government and did
not go 10 war TO destroy the Union, but, as
they honestly believed, TO defend themselves.
1t is the party which, as the platform ex-
presses 1t in Chief.Justice CHAsE's phrase,
believes that this il can indissoluble union
Of indestruciible States"
Mr.. WATTERsoN and Mr.. GORNAS both
express themselves as satisfied with the plat
form--the one representing the RANDALL
wing and the other the anti.Protectlonist
wing of the Democratic party. Mr.. W. l..
SCoTT says d" it is first-rate platform" He
speaks for Mr.. CLEVELAND. +. w. LEHMAN,
Iowa: "lt is a good platform, aud will
please the West" Tx. Governor ALBEIT, OF
New Jersey [Protectionistl: al think 1t the
best tariff plank we could have agreed upon.
We took long time in discussing, debating,
and agreeing upon it, and the tariff question
was perhaps never before so discussed in all
its debates by any deliberate body. Will it
be acceptable to New jersey! l am 80 con-
fident Of II viii make a speech before the
convention seconding its adoption"
Resolutions, not part OF the plstiornl
were adopted for the admission Of severa,
Territories into the Union as States; express
Ing sympathy with Ireland; in memory OF
Mr. HENDRICKS, Mr.. TuDES, Mr.. SEYMOUR,
and General HANCOCK.
And then the greatest OF the conventions
which this country of conventions has seen
adjourned without day.
What was Endorsed.