Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-08-03
Stolen Platform Timber.


publishing what they call their party
creed, the platform Invested of its SUI
perfluous verbiage, and dressed up in
short and pithy aphorisms, as for in
stance, 1--WE believe in free ballot and
q full count" 1--WE believe in free in
ternal competition" "We believe in
railroad regulation" ave believe in
home rule for the Territories" ave
favor the utmost facilities for educa-
ton, as worth all they COST" "We be-
ieve in big merchant marine and in
American ship yards" and dozen or
more such truisms which COM
mon sense readily endorses. We
have taken the trouble TO read this
"creed" from beginning to end, and
as steadiast as the STANDARD has been
in the advocacy of principles it be-
lieyes to be essential to popular gov
eminent, it can find in it nothing to
condemn but the tariff plank. and the
principle upon which it rests.
What Democrat objects to free bal
lot? Has not that been the very prin-
ciple he has contended for the past
twenty years? Had there been an alb
solutely free ballot in the South after
the close of the war, until the election
of Mr.. Cleveland did away with the
bayonet rule and returning-board tao
tics which finally resulted in the infa-
nous Republican theft of the Presi-
dency in 1876? Was not Gen. Han
cock maligned and bounded by his
superiors in Office because he refused
to become party to the plan of recon-
s.ruction, and use the military power
at his command for the subversion of
the civil authority in States that had
been reduced to the condition of de-
tendencies for the express purpose of
preventing q free ballot and fair
count? Is it not astonishing that the
Republican party now claims that as q
newly discovered object of reform with
the history of the past so fresh in the
memory, and without particle of
justification for its use since the ballot
has become indeed free under Demo
cratic rule?
We believe in railroad regulation"
declare these crafty converts to Demo
cratic doctrine. Has not this been a
living issue the past quarter of CEN
fury of that party, advocated persist
emily in opposition to the sway which
corporate power held of the Republi-
can partyf Has anything been done
in Congress, or out Of it, to regulate"
railroads, that had not its origin with
the Democratic party? How many
acres of unearned lands were restored
under Republican rule! And was not
the Interstate Commerce bill Demo-
cratic measure, which passed the
Senate only because popular clamor
became 20 loud that it could not resist
the demand? Il not this tardily ex-
pressed belief in railroad regulation"
= mere subterfuge to catch the votes
Of those whose memory is short and
whose credulity makes them the vic
Tins of designing demagogues?
We believe in homesteads and
good homestead titles for our citizens"
declares the "creed," and who does
not! But which party can show faith
by its works? Can the Republican
Administrations which allowed the
grossest of frauds to be perpetrated
under the several land laws by which
millions Of acres fell into the posses
sion Of sordid spectators? Were not
thousands of these same citizens, for
whom the Republican party now pro-
fesses 30 much friendship, despoiled of
their just heritage by these Ubiquitous
practices, condoned by the Govern
ment, under Republican rule?
Each and every plank in the Repub-
lican platform, when the slivers and
splinters are removed, exposes Demo
cratic timber, with the single excep-
ton noted-a prohibitory tariff. Its
trainers were nstute politicians. They
had carefully noted the drift of popular
sentiment. It is broad enough to hold
all who may be deluded into closing
their eyes while their ears are RECALLED
with pleasing platitudes designed to
deceive.
The issue is, therefore, narrowed
down to the simple question of the
tariff, but this, rightly understood, is
broad enough to revive all the tradi-
tons and perpetuate every principle
that has antagonized the Democratic
party from the formation of the Gov
eminent to the present time. Another
article briefly states tho Gallant ,,o;.