The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-26
IOWA DEMOCRATS.

Chairman Fuller called the Iowa State
Democratic Convention to order with the
remark that as Iowa goes in the next Presi-
Dental election so will go the Union.
The idea pleased the convention. 1t was
novel if not altogether probable. Until last
year Iowa Democrats and Vermont Demo-
Gratis had been in about the same fix. The
election of a Democrat in either was a rare
occasion, to be attributed generally to a
blunder on the part of the dominant party.
The election Of a Democrat as Governor of
Iowa last year was effected by conibina-
ton which could only hold together against
the party in power. 1t is generally cOnsd-
cred good politics for minority parties to
combine against the majority party, even if
the minority parties fight out their own diff
fereuces after election. A great many men
who voted for Governor BOies last year are
Republicans on national issues. They were
induced to vote for Governor BOies last year
in the hope that it would tend to bring bout
the ascendency of a third party. Between
the Republican party and the Democratic
they would still prefer the former. The
Democratic Convention appears TO have met
in the belief that all the voters who sup
ported Boes last year had been by the act
If voting converted into Democrats. The
platform is thoroughly Democratic. The
plank denouncing trusts might be inserted
into any platform. 1t does not define any
measure by which trusts may be reached
except the decision of several courts that
public franchises used against the public
good shall be forfeited. Another plank de-
ciares that in the division Of the products Of
labor and capital labor does no. receive its
fair proportion. All trade unions are
founded on that principle. The ground pur-
pose Of these organizations is to attain what
the members consider fair proportion. On
the silver question the convention denouBces
rs unjust aud diShOnestthe provision of law
allowing parties 20 stipulate against pay
ment in silver. 1t is one thing to resolve in
this case and another to perform. The SUI
preme Court Of the United States has de-
Cided that contracts to pay in gold are valid,
as would be contracts 10 pay 10 wheat wool
or cotton. Even if law should be passed
making specific contracts unlawful it could
not reach contracts already made. The plat
form favors liberal and equitable pensions.
What are liberal and equitable pensions?
Democratic organs are dencuncing the pres
ent pension laws as eXtrayagant. Does the
platform ask for the repeal Of any of these
laws, and, if so, which ones? The platform
also denounces the wasteful and extraYa-
CANT expenditures of the last Congress.
Again, there is a lack of that definite asser-
ton which create issues between parties.
Why not let the people know which of the
laws passed by the last Congress entails
wasteful expenditure? But the convention
found courage to declare the sugar bounty a
spoliation of the treasury f1r the benefit Of
special classes and interests. This TesOld-
ton involves either the restoration OF duties
on sugar or the abandonment of sugar beet
culture in the United States. Are the
farmers of Iowa prepared for this alter
natiyc2