Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-09
Satisfied.

Democratic party, in convention assembled,
have nominated President Cleveland Tor re-
election aud ex-senator Thurman for vice
President and have declared that the tarln
plank Of their platform shall be interpreted
in accordance with the low.taIiif recon-
meudations contained in the Presidents
last annual message to Congress"
We trust that the Gazette will take that
paragraph for its text, and stick to it.
Nevertheless we call our Alexandra
friends attention to a plank in the St. Louis
platform which comes after the one men
toned by him, and must therefore be ac-
copied as an explanation OF it. This ex-
panatory plank reads as follows:
"Our established domestic industries and
enterprises should not and need not be en-
danrered by the reduction and correction OF
the burdens OF taxation. On the contrary,
fair and careful revision OF our tsI-iaws,
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 by
giving them assurances OF au extended mar
ket and steady and continuous operations"
The doctrine OF protection u here openly
avowed. II not, we canRot understand why
II was declared that "dus Allowance" was
10 be made ".for the difference bet,ceen the
cages of American and foreign labor"
How is this "allOwsnce" to be secured in
making "a fair and careful revision OF our
tax.laws" unless we resort TO protective
duties2 Anyhow, our Alexandria contem-
porary's Washington correspondent states
that Mr.. RANDALL is also satisfied with
the tariff plank Of the ST. Louis Convention,
We quote:
"Wben Mr.. Randall entered the House
his face was wresthed in smiles and he was
loudly appIauded by the Republicans, who
say he has forced the National Democratic
Convention To endorse him by rC a1rming
1.-THE Democratic platform Of 1884, which he
prepared"
The correspondent aforesaid is an anti.
RANDALL man 10 the backbone, aud made
this statement that Mr.. RANDALL was ap.
plauded by the Republicans in order to ex-
cite prejudice against him. But il the Ga
zeite and Nr. RANDALL both like the St.
Louis platform, why should not q truce be
declaredi We quote again:
"Mr. Randall was interviewed this morn
me on the subject OF the platform Of the st.
Louis Convention. He says the 5000, and
unprecedented, Republican majority in Ore.
gOn scared the convention and induced II 10
rCsthrm the platform which he prepared for
the convention OF 1894; that he thinks The
Democrats Of the House will now desist from
their attempt 10 pass any radical low-tariff
bill, and cannot succeed il they do. Respect
ing the conventions declaration that the
platform Of 1884 IL TO be interpreted by the
Presidents iow-tariG message, be says such
a declaration is absurd, as the platform re-
Serred TO aud the message are Numerically
opposed to each other, and that 1t would be
lust as reasonable 10 declare that Catholicism
should be interpreted by Calvinism."
Mr.. RANDALL and the Gdzette'S CORE
spondent need not quarrel abOu. this. The
convention explained for itself what it
meant. We quote again:
Representative OFerrall. OF Virginia,
being asked to-day what he thought OF the
action OF the st. Louis Convention, replied
that under existing circumstances 1t was
probably as well as could have been expect
ed. Mr.. Thurman, he said. could not help
but strengthen the ticket, and that though
The convention had reatiirmed the platform
~
should he Interpreted by the Presidents
low.tarifT message, 1t should satisfy the tariff
TeiOrmers."
The Alexandria Gazette IS satisfied. Mr..
RANDALL Is satisfied. Colonel O'FERRALL is
satisfied. And the Petersburg IndeJ-Ap-
peal, the champion protectionist organ in
Virginia, is satisfied, but only Latter a
fashion," 1t says;
ali II be true that statesmanship Is but the
art Of compromising, then the ST. Louis plat
form Is, indeed, q most statesmanlike decu-
ment, for it compromises in a manner that
puts the most antagOnistic and irreconcilablc
views In harmonious relations as tantf
plank. ReSnirming the platform Of 1884, it
declares that Mr.. Ceveand's last aonual
message Is correct intsrpre,RtIo Of that
platform, regardless OF the fact that the mes.
sage favored continuance Of the internal
revenue system, while the platform OF 1884
denounced the system as 'war tax As q
compromise the platform will either please
everybody or NOBODY. But be that as ii
may, the compromise was necessary 10 save
the party from a rupture that would have
doomed " 10 certain defeat next November.
Cliraists OF both factions will, perhaps, de-
nOuncc IL as cowardly and evasye, but
IN this case do not seem 10 realize that the
real iield OF the tariff hight lies in the con-
eressional districts.
I'VE csndldly admit that the platform Is
not what we would like TO have nad. Nei.
tier Is Il what MIR. Watterson, Mr.. Carlisle,
and other Free Traders desired. But the
tune Is not yet ripe for the Democratic party
20 sacrifice all other issues to one. and so all
differences on this one have been practically
adjourned for the present. 'rhe Democratic
Free Trader Is no less q Ffee Trader now
than before the compromise. nor is tue Demo-
cratic Proteclionist any less a friend TO the
American policy Of fostering home indus
tries and protecting home lsbor because be
upholds the principles OF local seli-soyern.
rnent and seeks to maintain the ascendaucy
OF virtue and intelligence 10 the management
OF local affairs. These are the issues OF para.
mount importance, and these are the objects
for Which the Democratic party contends,
and which another Democratic Administer.
ton will secure. Then and not ti then will
realignmeDt OF parties on the tariff ques.
ton be In order, and II the Democratic party
then pins It's faith 10 the theories OF Carlisle
ana Wstterson, II will inevitably 90 down ia
Disaster"