Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-09-10
A DISHONEST PLATFORM.
The Demagogism of Ohio Democrats
Shown Up.

Inc DemagOgiSm OF Ohio Democrats
Shown Up.
From the New York Tribune
The preamble of the resolutions
which the Democratic State Convention
of Ohio adopted asserts that that body
and those for whom it acted relied Cup
on the intelligence of the people," If
this statement were true it would neces-
sarily follow that the intelligence of the
people was at its ebb tide For many
OF the resolutions in question are little
less than an insult to anything which
would pass for intelligence among any
people whose intellectual advancement
was equal even to that of the average
Piute Indian
One Of these resolutions reads that
'the Democratic party by its record has
proved itself steadfast friend of the
labor and producing class" What is
the fact? The fact is that the record
attests that during the years when it
was most powerful the Democratic par
ty was the right arm of system under
which millions of laboring people were
held in bondage, cruelty oppressed,
robbed of the fruits of their industry.
The history of ballot reform in this
state also fatty contradicts this lying
resolution. ''The labor and producing
class was heartily in favor of the Saxon
bill, realizing that if it became a law it
would work to the advantage of the
poor man whether he was an aspirant
for public office or merely voter. But
although the leading labor organizations
throughout the state did their best to
procure the passage of the measure, the
Democrats in the Legislature voted
against it and a Democratic governor
vetoed it. Another of these dishonest
resolutions denounces the Republican
party for it's duplicity to the soldiers
What is the fact?
The fact is that ever since Sumter was
fired upon the Republican party has
been the true and steadfast friend of
the boys in blue. 1t cheered and sus-
tanned them by every means in it's
power while they were CALAMITY fight
ing the battles OF the Union, and it has
treated them with the utmost consider
alton and generously ever since. Not
so with the Democratic party. None
but Democrats took up arms against the
Union, none but Democrats were coop
perheads;" it was a Democratic ma
tional convention which rendered aid
and comfort to traitors by speaking of
the war as failure" it was the state
organ of the Democracy of New York
which a few years ago asssailed the
Grand Army of the Republic in terms SO
harsh and emphatic as to attract
widespread attention. Hence it is that
when the Democracy poses as the cham
pion of the soldiers it excites the con-
tempt of persons with memories. Again,
these Ohio Democrats resolve that the
Federal election bill is ''the most dan
gerous and revolutionary measure ever
devised to thwart the will of the people
and subvert our popular form of govern
ment." Nothing could be further from
the truth. It is dangerous to nobody
except those who are opposed to fair
play at the polls; it is revolutionary only
in the sense that any measure is to be
thus characterized which aims to bring
about a radical reform; instead of
thwarting the will of the people, its sole
purpose is to provide for its perfect ex-
preston; instead of subyerting our pop
ular form of government it would put an
end to the most serious of the evils from
which it now suffers.
However, one must not be too hard
on Democratic platform makers. Theirs
is an onerous task. They are expected
to give their own party frst-rate char
acter-to point with pride to its achieve
ments, and they are expected to ar
raign the Republican party as untrue to
the country S best interests; as bad and
untrustworthy public servant. Of
course they cannot fulfill the contract
without formulating absurdities, such as
those to which we have called attention.