Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-27

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/ Party platforms are usually prepared
by few members OF sub committee
and hurriedly considered in manuscript
by the full committee and then passed
over TO reader with sonorous voice,t to
be presented TO the convention. AS soon
as read a member jumps up and moves
their adoption by Uiod Uoce vote. and In
few minutes they are declared adopted
From the time resolutions are nrst
drawn until their adoption by the con
vention they are never seen IN cold type,
and the circumstances make IL impossible
for delegates to consider them with any
critical care Although the platform
when read is imperfectly comprehended
| it is voted for en- bloc, and adopted as a
matter of course. and in the belief that
the actual trainers of the document per-
formed their duties with fidelity and care,
Thus a great convention and a national
party may be made responsible for the
bunder of few narrow minded or in
terested men. 1t Is only such circum-
stances as these that can explain the great
blunder in the platform adopted Thurs
day in the Chicago conventional blunder
so grave that il not promptly corrected
1t will prove a sore burden To the party
The Tribune does not propose at this
time to enter into any discussion of the
republican tariff plank, but desires before
il is too late to ask the attention of the
delegates to the extraordinary demand
for the repeal of the whisky tax. The
platform first declares in favor OF repeal
ing the tax on alcohol used in the
arts and for mechanical PURPOSES pol
III 81. h.,o ha
objection that 1t would be impossible of
enforcement on account of frauds, and
would amount virtually to free whisky
However that may be, the platform goes
on TO declare further
"If there should still remain a larger |
revenue than is requisite for the wants of
the government we favor the entire re |
peal of internal taxes (whisky and tobac>
COZ rather than the surrender of any part |
OF our protective system at the joint be-
hest of the whisky trusts and the agents
of foreign manufacturers"
Four years ago the republican party
pledged itself to correct the inequalities
of the tariff and reduce the surplus. Now
it is made to demand the placing of
whisky and tobacco on the free list in or
der to prevent any reduction of the sur
plus by correcting the inequalities of the
tariff or by reducing the sugar tax. The
republican tariff platform OF 1884 in sub
stance declared:
THE democratic party has failed COM
pletely to relieve the people of the burden
of unnecessary taxation by wise reduc-
ton of the surplus. The republican par.
ty pledges itself to correct the equalitits
of the tariff and to reduce the surplus,
Is putting whisky on the free list an
honest redemption Of this pledge9
1t is hard to believe that the conven~
tion intended to repudiste the pledge in
the platform of 1884 and to substitute
dem and for free whisky. 1t is still more
difficult to believe that republican voters
favor such an extraordinary flop, or will,
under any circumstances, approve the
policy of cheapeniug intoxicating drink
as method of getting rid of the surplus
when there are so many other and
better ways. Can the party leaders
venture to go before the people with snch
a platform and hope that the fearful
committed by the trainers of the
platform will be overlooked or excnsedH
the democrats will not ignore
il. If the blunder in the platform is not
before adjournment every dem
OCratlC procession tnlS Ial VIII carry |
banners stigmatiAing the republican party
as free whisky organization, committed
to the doctrine Of cheap rum and dear
sugar.
There is no precedent for recalling and
platform after its adoption
and PRONUNCIATION. but it ought to be
done in this instance. A precedent
should be made. The committee on
resolutions ought to report an amend
ment striking out the plank in favor of
free whisky and declaring instead that
the tax on liquor and tobacco shall be re
tanned to meet the increasing expendi- I
lures for pensions and for the defrayment
of service pensions. Correction can be
made aud adopted by the convention in a
few minutes. If the frighlful blunder
into which the convention was misled is
pot corrected il will cost the republican
party tens and possibly hundreds of
thousands of votes. The Tribune de- .
'ircs to go on record as insisting with the
/ N ost emphasis that before final ad-
the convention shall recall and
'orrect the blunder in question.
R6On n axuard