The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-21
The anew Party and Its Fool Plat
form.


The "New Party" and Its Fool Plat
form.
An alleged new political party was
started yesterday at Cincinnati by a
convention composed Of all the semi
insane and mi-dishonest tricksters
and cranks who hang on to the skirts
of national politics. In so far as the
proceedings were not ridiculous they
were mischievous, and in SO far as
they were not mischievous they were
ridiculous. The net result is first a
platform and secondly an executive
committee. the former being regret
able because it will dazzle and mis-
lead some weak and ignorant people,
the second comparatively harmless
because it will probably never be
heard Of again
TO q person who takes it up without
fanatical prepossessions, the plat
form damns itself in its opening para
graph, an utterance which embodies
more misconception and more mis-
statement than we ever remember to
have e condensed before into the
same number of words. Here it ISL
1. That IN view Of the great social, Industrial.
and economical revolution now dawning upon
the civiiixed world: and .henew and living issues
that the time has arrived for a cnrystaliization
OF the political reform forces Of our country and
the formation OF what should be known as the
Peoples party Of tho United States Of America.
As for the literary style of this ex-
tract there is onlyone word to describe
It. 1t is simply fiabbergast. 1t is the
wordy emanation OF conceited igno-
rance and pompous pretence. 1t is
only possible to point out a few Of its
errors. As the world and the United
States appear to us, there is no revo-
luton dawning in social, industrial or
economic matters; there is zone nee
essary. Such changes as are in prog
rsss or at hand are comparatively in
significant, and are simply phases OF
the gradual development, which is
the law Of human existence, and
which, It may be doubtfully claimed
has been more rapid in the present
than In many preceding centuries.
We do not observe that the American
people are confronted with any new
issues Of a vital character. nor do we
believe that a really new political is
sue Is possible. We cannot find any
special occasion OF opportunity for q
disqualification OF political reform
forcesr-assuming that that phrase
means anything-at this time, which
did not exist at all other times, nor do
we see any hope of political work OF,
any sort in the association OF
people who differ on matters
Of principle, on a basis of accidental,
temporary and non-essential errors to
be corrected and abuses to be
remedied. Therefore we would be
obliged to regard the ~so-called "Peo-
pies Party if it were by any chance
established. rs a party without princi-
pie, without any real reason for its
existence; a party growing out of the
situation OF a moment, and as a
cent as the moment which saw its in
ception. We have seen such political
parties before in this country. We do
not believe this one will ever get to
the point Of concrete existence. II it
does, its history will be equally brief
with theirs.
W. might take the platform, section
by section. and use up columns of
space in pointing out its errors and
evil tendencies. The attack on the
National banks, the demand for un-
limited silver coinage, the curious
misunderstanding OF the doctrine of
equal rights which requires that none
shall enjoy a right which some from
conditions peculiar to themselves can
not share in. the advocacy of the i'm
practicable income tax system and the
demand for State control of the tele-
graph and railway lines, ara declara-
tions of ''principlen which hardly
need elaborate refutation. We
will confine ourselves to no
tieing just two paragraphs of
the platform, believing that they
demonstrat conciusively the min
gled Stiffness and triekery of those
who engineered the movement and
framed the document. Here are the
passages:-
Eve demand that all revenues. national.
State or county. shall be limited TO the necessary
expenses Of the Government. economically and
honestly administered.
Resolved. That while the party in power ia
1850 pledged the faith Of the nation to pay O debt
In coin that bad been contracted ON a depreci-
ated currency basis and payable in currency,
thus adding nearly s1,oo0, o0o. 90 TO the burdens
Of the people. which meant gold for the bond
holders and deprecated currency for the
soldier; and holding that the men who imperilied
their lives to save the life Of q nation should
have bsen paid in money a good as that paid to
tre bondholder, we demand the Issue Of legal
tender Treasury notes in sufficient amount to
make the pay OF the soldiers equal 10 par with
coin or such other legislation as shall do equal
and exact justice 10 the Union soldiers OF this
: -try.
AT . fosmer Of these paragraphs is,
we believe, the most beautiful plati-
tude in the world We believe it has
figured In every Political platfor IN
that has been adopted in the last half
century. II the Peoples party
boomers could only satisfy rs as to