Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-21
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. q, 1894.
The Ohio Democracy.

That was a notable State convention
which the Democrats OF Ohio held on
Wednesday last. Many threats had been
made as to how Senator Brice was TO
be reproved. but either the delegates
thought better OF the matter or else they
found that the Junior Senator. as he is
styled. had so much strength in the con-
vcntlon that no resolution disappearing
his course could be engineered through
that body. IL must be added that the
two declarations which were adopted
bearing upon the tariff question. though
both were contained in the same resolu-
tion, are hardly to be considered as ex-
actly consistent the one with the other.
The Brice tariff declaration reads as fol-
lows:
We congratulate the country upon the
repeal of the Mckinley tariff and the
enactment OF a tariff law In its stead under
the operation of which trade and business
are reviying and the country is again be-
coming prosperous
This was an endorsement of the German
tariff. The other tariff declaration reads
as follows:
The Democracy OF Ohio in convention
assembled hereby expresses its hearty
commentator Of the efficient. economical.
and honest administration of President
Cleveland. We adhere To the declaration
OF the Democratic party I'm its national
platform that protection Is a fraud. and
we recognize the beneficial reduction OF
duties on imports just made by Congress.
We favor such further reductions IA
can be made. holding in view the revenue
necessary TO be raised for support OF the
government. to the end that the injustice
Of purely protective duties may be
abolished
This hit at protection was hit at Mr..
Brice. but IL was smoothed over by the
declaration that the convention reccg-
nized the beneficial reduction" Of duties
on imports just made by Congress. The
law Gust passed by Congress" IL the
German law. However. the resolution
winds up with slap at the injustice
Of purely protective duties
On the silver question the convention !
gave no uncertain sound Unlike the Chi |
cago platform. the Columbus platform adj
mits OF no misconstruction. And why |
should any convention leave a doubt as
10 its position on this, or any other. |
question? The people are not SO stupid |
as to be unable to understand that dou-
ble-tongued platforms are intended to de- ,
ceive them. But nobody can msconstrue |
the silver plank Of the Ohio convention, !
Here ii Is:
1--WE dissent from the Presidents views, |
construction, and treatment of the silver |
question. and. therefore. believe that sill
yer should be restored to the position
IL occupied as money prior 10 its demone-
tization by the Republican party; and
70 that end We favor the unlimited free
coinage Of silver at the legal ratio OF ID to
i, and with equal legal-tender power"
A Cincinnati delegate predicted that If
the above resolution was passed, the Re-
publlcans would carry Ohio with a rush
at the next election. But the threat had
no influence upon the convention. Allen
W. Thurman denounced the gold-bugs,
and accepted the issue rendered 10 the
free-silverites by the Cincinnatian; and
the silver plank went into the platform
with a "hurrah."
Here let us mention that Mr. Finlay was
speaking In the interest OF Senator Brice.
when he declared. as he did that GER
tain resolution was an indirect slap
IN the lace OF the nun anu al the HlcH
who in the Senate OF the United States
had made tariff reform possibility,
and had stood between the people and
the Mckinley law.
The Ohio piatfoi charges home upon
the Republicans all the evils which their
bad legislation has brought upon the
country. II is, indeed. "a powerful in
dictment Of that body. The declaration
in favor OF liberal pensions 10 worthy
soldiers, sailors and orphans shows how
strong the old-yeteran element is in the
North.
In ohio. as in so many other States. |
President Cleveland was found TO be so
popular that the same convention which /
gensured a portion Of his policy, never |
theless eulogized the man. and endorsed |
the rest OF that policy.