The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-11
The Platform is a Masterpiece.

The Republican platform produced at
Minneapolis is n document OF rare interest
to the student OF opinions and to the critic
OF style. 1t combines the direct and al
most infantile simplicity OF the chap-book
with the mystic mistiness of the second
story-back clairvoyant. No one man can
understand it. To take it in comprehen-
sively and interpret it inteligently would
require the best endeavors of joint ses-
sion Of a Kindergarten and BROWNING
club. No one man wrote it. No one man
could have written it; not even Col. ABE
SLUPsKY himself.
Wonder ceases when We remember that
this masterpiece Of political literature is
tho achievement OF a committee OF forty
eight. operating through five sub-comlnit-
tees OF five each. and all under the imme-
diate and active superintendent Of JOSEPH
BENSON FORAKER. There was no Eub-com-
mittee on the preamble. The point-with-
pride department was evidently managed
by FORAKER in person and alone. The we'll
known flrc-alarm rhetoric is here In undi-
luted strength:
Tho representatives of the Republicans Of the
United States assembled in general Convention the
shores OF tho Mississippi River the everlasting bond OF
an indestructib!e republic. whose most glorious chap
ter of history Is tho record OF the Republican party
congratulate their countrymen tho majestic march
nation under tho banne with the prin
cpes OF platform Of 1885, vndicaed by victory At
the polls and prosperity in nelds workshops and
mines"
Is the everlasting bond OF an indestructi-
BILE republic the Mississippi River. or the
general Convention on Its shores3 Is the
nr1 ~ fh., ri ha
glorious chapter OF the Mississippi River.
or OF tho general Convention. or Of the in
destructible republic. or of tho everlasting
bond Is the majestic march OF the nation
indicated by the Democratic victories at
tho polls in 1890: and why should 1t need
vindication. inasmuch rs tho nation
walks right along. whichever party wins ?
Is tho agricultural. manufacturing. and
subterranean prosperity referred to by
FORAKER vindicaton OF tho majestic
march. or Of the Republican partys ban
ners. or OF the beaten Forco BILL or OF the
Billion. or OF what2 FORAKER knows and
could toll. Probably Col. ABE. SLUPsKY
knows likewise.
But this is only the whipped cream on the
pudding. We come next to the tariff plank.
1t reaffirms tho American doctrine OF pro-
lection. which was recently reallirmcd by
the Democratic State Convention In New
Hampshire. and which only the craziest OF
Clevclandites dream Of attacking. 1t points
to the benefits of a policy which was the
policy OF the Democratic party while
tho Republican party was still I'M
seen In the mists OF the future. 1t do
clares that the duties levied on I'M
ports coming into competition with
American products should be equal to the
differences between wages at home and
abroad" This Is a distinct and specific
declaration. almost the only one In the
FORAKER platform. It Is taken directly
from the Democratic national platform OF
1884. the platform on which GROVER CLRvE-
LAND was elected; but it is not exactly the
principle inscribed on the Republican ban
ners OF 1885, or embodied In the MCKINLEY
revision. Then the platform goes on to
predict that Mr.. BLAINE's brilliant reel
procity idea. something not inscribed on
the banners OF 1883. and therefore not Hndi-
Gated by victory at the polls and prosperity