Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-06-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Jun

1t Is still the same Old democratic
party. 1t can no more change IFS
methods OF campaigning than Ebe
leopard can change his spots. Tboss
who were looking forward to =
straight fight between the two par
ties on a sharply defined issue, are
greatly disappointed by the action
Of the st. Louis Convention iu adopt
ing platform that means anything
tl voters may want 1t to mean.
protection in one place and Tree
trade III another.
The platform is thoroughly char.
acteristic of the democratic party
which has not for thirty years had y
single principle gifts own, but has
always relied upon stealing those
OF its opponents, for use in National
elections. 1t is not pleasing to any.
body. Democrats do not hesitate
to denounce it. Representative
Sowden, of Pennsylvania, good
democrat. says of it: "The plat.
form is weak. 1t is a straddle of
the worst kind, and fraud upon
the people. 1t insults the intelli.
gence of the American people. If
the Convention approved the Mills
bill, why did iG not have the courage
to say so in the platform 1t was
an exhibition of the most deSpicahle
cowardice and subterfuge."
Representative Brown, OF Indiana,
voiced the average republican opln,
ion OF the so called platform when
he said: "a party that could com.
bine in one platform the platform of
1884, which is for protection the
Presidents message, (which is for free
trade and the Mills bill, which is
nothing, ought to secure the ADM.
ration, if it did not challenge the
support OF all mankind"
The platform has not one single
word to say for civil service reform,
the issue upon which the mugwumps
claim to have supported Cleveland
IN 1884.
The nomination Of Cleveland aud
Thurman by the st. Louis Conyeu.
ton was received here without crea.
ting a ripple of excitement. And so
far, | have failed to discover the
faintest bit of enthusiasm for the
ticket. On Thursday night small
crowd of Office holders got an old
cannon and fired a few rounds, but
there has been no other effort at a
public demonstration.
Judge Thurman is expected here
this week and a great effort is being
made to get up a semblauee of en-.
thusiasm to receive him. He Is com.
ing to invite the President and Mrs.
Cleveland to attend the Ohio Cen.
tennial to be held ut Columbus next
September.
The democrats will discover IN
Novem Der next that 1t isn't red
bandannas, but voters that elect n
President in this country. And they
know now that the Haunting of II
million of these symbols i'll the cam
paign is no comparison in effect to
the recent largely increased republi-
can majority in the state of Oregon,
The one may rouse enthusiastic sen
timent, but the other illustrates sub
stantial results.
Congressman Henderson and
Gear, of Iowa, left this city for Chi
cago on Saturday night Of last week,
to make arrangements for the com
ing Convention.
But little business of Importance
was transacted by Congress last
week, owing to the large number OF
absentees who were attending the
st. Louis Convention.
Gen. Zachary Taylor is TO have a
$50. 900 equestrian statue in this city,
He was President, you remember
from 1916 to 1S49.
The President has approved the
act of Congress providing that pen
sions heretofore or hereafter granted
to widows Of soldiers of the war oil
the rebellion shall commence at the
date of their husbands death, This
law applies to all widows claims
which have been filed since July 1st.,
1880, but not to those filed previous
to that time.
Notice has been given by the Pen
sion Office that in the settlement I'M
der this law of claims already allow
ed no formal application will be re-
quired, and the services of attorneys
will not be necessary. Widows en-
titled to back pension need only
write letter giving name, postoiliee
address, and the number OF the GER
tificate now held by them, and the
claim will be allowed with as little
delay as possible,
Grave fears are entertained among
the republican leaders here that The
Chicago Convention will result in a
| deadlock between three or four oil
the most prominent candidates; from
all the information in sight it is pref
ty well assumed that on the first
few ballots Mr.. Sherman will have
the lead followed by Gresham, Allis
on, Depew, Harrison, Alger and pos
slbly one or two others. The inter
esting question is where will the
votes Of the lowest candidates go in
the break-up2
"Little Phil y Sheridan is still bat
thing with death, bat the chances are
decidedly against him, and it now
looks as if he we're engaged in 4
fight in which he was bound to be
defeated. 1t will be his first defeat