Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-12
National Platforms.
To he Editor Of the Dispatch

Making platform for q national cam
paign in a presidential election IL q very
| different thing from constructing one for
q State canvass only. We have vast
! country; its interests are not only divcrsi-
fed. but largely diverse. Hence political
parties have bad often serious difficulty IN
harmonizing and reconciling those inter-
! ests In their national contests. At one
/ time slavery, internal improvements, the
| bank question, distribution. and tariff had
| all to be Larmonized IN one presidential
platform. IL was difficult job. Some
questions were straddled; ambiguous
planks were inserted, and sometimes great
parties had to modify their contentious.
Nv own opinion is that the Wings did IN
| 1910 purposely modify their plans when
they put forth their successful ticket of
"Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" instead Of a
more pronounced one, such as Clay, Web
ster. General Scott, and Bolts might have
preferred.
The Democrats Of the South indicated
their support of Martin Van Buren, by dub
| bling him 1.-THE northern man with southern
principles The Wings suspected him
before they did. and this was once ex-
pressed by the witty Johnson, of Hanover
| county. in a toast at a public dinner. He
said. The Northern Mn with Southern
Principles.
He wires in and he wires out
And leaves body still ia doubt
Whether the snake that made tho track
Was coming South or going back"
The Wings became holder and did nomi-
| nate Mr. Clay. Van Buren, expected TO be
the nominee of his party and the belief was
| that he aud Mr.. Clay agreed to throw the an
nexation of Texas out of their approaching
campaign. But the Democrats of Virginia
prevented this game. Mr. Van Buren, was
| laid aside and James X. Polk, with an
nexatiOn, was taken up. The DISPATCH
| lately referred TO this and seemed to make
annexation about the only issue Of that
! campo On. OF course, Mr.. Polk was salts
factory to the South on the slavery and
the tariff questions. but how was it in re-
gard to Pennsylvania and the tariff? One
Judge Kane, | think, Intercepted the
Democratic nominee on TINS subject ana
Mr.. Polk wrote his celebrated Kane letter,
which, by its adroit and Modified express
sions, enabled him to carry Pennsylvania
despite annexation. His political oppo-
nents charged in vain that the Kane letter
was a trick and q fraud and designedly
ambiguous.
Here let me state fact which impressed
me some years ago. 1 was in Philadelphia
when the University Of Pennsylvania took
possession Of its fine new buildings in
West Philadelphia. The celebration of
tflls tNtub WAS otNttdl
and very gladly accepted an invitation
to attend. One Of the principles which |
heard openly avowed was this, that what
ever changes might be allowed in other de
partments, constant care should be taken
TO have the chair of political economy
filled by one who advocated the protection
by the Federal Government of American
manufactures. / had read Mathew Cary's
works and had heard John Sargent and
other Pennsylvania orators. quite o num-
Der of them, ut the celebration above re-
ferred TO. Thus what we believe to be
error was to be perpetueted as part of the
education of the better class of Pennsyl-
vanians. But very probably the appointing
powers of many colleges take like care on
the other side.
The Democratic party has not yet made
any presidential platform for 1892, and it
has been almost universally admitted that
it is premature to discuss the question,
Who shall then be the candidate of that
party? Yet many of those who admit that
such discussion is untimely have entered
into 1t and shown O disposition to choke
off certain distinguished gentleman be-
cause his views on one important subject
are known, IN favor of certain others,
whose views are not known, ana who may
now even be tempted to trim and veer in
order TO secure the nomination.
The Democl attic party have not yet au-
thoritatively adopted the free-colnage of
silver as one Of their tenets or issues,
though public opinion in certain dIrec-
tions Is tending strongly in its favor and
its friends promise us enough benefits
from its adoption for il to be espoused by
all patriotic men. Discuss those benefits,
but do not seek TO kill off supposittious
candidates by premature action. More
over, it is also admitted that there are
certain contingencies by which good
part of the controversy INDUCED in might
be obviated and rendered useless. Why
not have waited until those contingencies
committed cannot be wholly repaired; but
more forbearance and better judgment
may at least be shown in the future. NJ.