Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-05
SEPTEMBER s. 1891.
The pennsylvania Democrats.

We cannot say that we point with
pride" to the action of the Democratic
State Convention of Pennsylvania on
Thursday last. There was in that body a
manifest desire TO sink national issues and
make the fight this year upon the petty
issues OF the local politics Of the old Key
Btone State. Chairman BLAND referred to
GRovrs CLEVELAND as Pennsylvania own
prophet and was Justify cheered there-
for. but spoiled the compliment and threw
a wet blanket over the Clevelandites by
adding, "but We are not going into ma
fional issues" The same policy Is recon-
mended in the platform, which declares
that 1.-THE State election Of 1891 in Penn
sylvania involves no issue of Federal poll
tics"
Governor PATTIsoN's administration was
warmly commended. What we have said
above affords sufficient reason why he
was not recommended for President of the
United States. II would not have been
Just to HIM 10 declare that the pending
election involves no national issue. and
then recommend him for the highest of
national Offices.
I
form declares that the Pennsylvania Demo-
Gratis renew their pledges of devotion to
the principles OF our party in 1.-THE coun-
try at large" as declared in the platforms
of the national conventions of 1884 and
1888. This would have been significant
declaration during 1Ir. RANDALLs life
time and whilst he led the Pennsylvania
Democracy; but il has now lost most of its
force. Possibly habit had something to do
with the peculiar wording of this plank.
The telegraph tells us that there was
no show Of opposition TO anything that
was on the slate" This reads as if it were
slang. or, to say the least as if the Demo-
cratic State Convention of PENNSYLVANIA
represented not the people of that State,
but the rings and cliques and would-be
Democratic leaders. However, we are not
inclined to be uncharitable; and so we will
charge this unfortunate expression to the
telegraph. There was no "slate." let
Us hope. If there was, the platform was 10y
that fact rendered Of comparatively little
value.
The platform also declares for ere
form and revision of the tariff" but this
is all that it says upon that subject. We
suppose, as we have Just said, that the
Pennsylvania Democrats have not yet
ceased to revere the memory of their great
leader, SAMUEL j. RANDALL. and naturally
are not so outspoken as the Democrats Of
the other States when it comes TO O con-
sideration of the questions involved in a
tariff law. such as incidental protection.
protection pure and simple, and other like
troublesome features of the tariff.
We cannot even claim victory in Penn
sylvania for the free coinage of silver.
The resolution which touches this ques-
ton partakes of the ambiguous nature of
all the utterances we have already noticed.
1t declares for "a sound and stable cur
rency based ON gold and silver coined and
circulated in such proportions as will keep
them on parity" We regard this decla-
ration as utterly worthless. 1t favors no.
thing that everybody does not favor. The
Republican conventions of O number of
States have adopted resolutions which are
o. acceptable Go the friends of free COIN
age as Is this resolution of our Pennsylva-
MIA friends.
The Pennsylvania Democrats do not
seem to be at all sure that they stand upon
safe ground. That State always votes for
the Republican nominee for President of
the United States. The Democrats seem to
col,cede that there isno hope that the Demo
cratic candidate will carry it next year.
At least either this Is the meaning of their
language or they were very unfortunate
In choosing their words.
We shall hope for better results in Penn
sylvania than are foreshadowed in the
Democratic platform. As the campaign
grows near tho Democrats will grow in
strength, especially If they will champion
the cause Of silver.