Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-08-25
WILMINGTON. THURSDAY. AUd. %.
The Republican Platform.

W PiAhp eo-ihy thG toAb VI tue pldL-
form adopted by the Republican State
convention at Dover Thursday. 1t is,
in the main, q pretty straight deliver
ance from Republican standpoint. 1t
glides gingerly over the Force bill, like
a small boy over very thin ice; it re-
Dukes by plain implication the Republic
can Senate for passing the Stewart free
silver bill; it makes ridiculous claim to
the credit of paying of floating debt
with almshouse bonds; it breathes
bitterness of scarcely yelled reproach to
such Republicans as John Pilling and
A. B. Richardson for their support Of
the Five Commissioners bill; it piles
rather more taffy upon President Harri.
son than the Raum refrigerator and
, other scandals will justly warrant; it
neglects to specifically eulogize the tax
on tin plate and to commend the beauti-
full exemplification of working the office
holders for Presidential denomination
which characterized the Minneapolis
convention; but in the main it is almost
as satisfactory document 10 the Demo-
Gratis of Delaware as though it had been
prepared with their collaboration.
The opening tariff and reciprocity
,planks are put forth with gratifying di-
rectness. After some abortiye rodo.
montade-which rather serves to render
the mountain of discomfort and unrest
conspicuous than to roll il away-about
the prosperity" built up by the steady
policy OF protection, in which no allu-
sion is made to the militia of three great
States now under arms. presumably be-
cause there is entirely too much pros
perity to the square yard under this
benificent policy-the platform proceeds
to BOLDLY take the ground" that it is
both constitutional and right to tax
nine-tenths of the American people for
the protection" OF the remaining one
tenth, and to point with pride to the
--latest, most comprehensive and philo-
sophie application" Of this policy in the
Mckinley bill. We are told that this
remarkable piece Of legislation, which
Mr.. Blaine said would not open
the market for another bag Of
flour or barrel of pork, has not
only raised wages Certainly not in the
New Castle WOODEN mills or iron works.
but has "also lowered the average rate
of expense OF living for all classes of
people"-a queerly worded sentence
which may mean what it seems to say or
may mean gracious knows what. Then
comes in the regulation sop to cont.
mental free trade Except with Canada,
since along our northern frontier two
farmer women cannot exchange a setting
of eggs without calling in at least two
customs officers) under the label of 'reci-
procity," which, emasculated though
it be, goes far enough to discredit
the soundness and sincerity of the
whole high tariff profession OF
the party. But why did our Re.
publican brethren 60 on to "Ghroni-
Gle with interest and pride the
adhesion of England's great statesmen
to it, Reciprocity as a necessity, il
England is to retain her foreign com.
merce unimpaired 7" Who are these
"great statesmen" of England and what
have they to do with the Mckinley bill
and the so-called reciprocity that Mr.
Blaine fairly bull-dozed out of the Reed
Congress? Why not German states.
men? Germany is the great European
nation that, after 10 years trial of a high
protective tariff, has lately been forced
bydomestic discomfort and Englishcom.
petition to let down the bars and con.
.clude reciprocity treaties with some OF
her neighbors--but these are real re.
ciprocity treaties, conditioned for a
period of ~ years which even the AFRO.
giant young Kaiser with his "sic yolo
sic jubeo" dare not raise retaliatory
club against.
Akin to this praiseworthy taxation OF
the barber and the bricklayer for tho
benefit of the Hungarian colony al New
Castle is the hope expressed in the plat.
form that a Republican Congress may
-ubsidize somebody to restore to the
cas- the shipping which our high tariff
policy has driven to other flags. The
Republicans might justly have claimed
share Of the credit for the recent legis.
lation which has made the City of Pari:
and the City Of New York American
vessels in name as we'll as in owner.
ship and is to furnish the Cramps with
IAN opportunity to redeem their promise
to build as good vessels here for Is little
money as they can be built for on tic
Clyde, but they seem to have feared
that there was something too practical
and too devoid Of passing the hat about
this to merit their endorsement,
The Force bill comes in next, but
although the platform starts ont "with
great emphasis" to endorse this, i;
winds up with such pitiable plea for
/ an opportunity to avoid the enactment
Of further Federal statutes" that we
haven't the heart Mt present to pursue a
subject upon which the authors of this
document evidently feel so tender.
Then comes in a long and rambling in
dictmer. VI the Five Commissioners act
and Of The Australian ballot system,
which, despite Republican professions
Of desire for honest elections,n has
lever been popular with that party in
I Delaware. It was Republican House
that kicked out, in 1899, the Graham
bill, by the solid vote of every majority
member excepting only Mr.. Clark, for