The record-union., 1894-09-05
THAT Bo1LER-pLArE MATTER.

UNION was hasty in condemning the
action of the Republican State Central
Committee in proposing to send out
boiler-plate Republican literature during
the campaign to such papers as would use
the plate in their columns. Our critic at
tempts TO show that the use of such plate
viii increase instead of diminishing the
employment of printers.
OF course our esteemed contemporary
In this instance is Republican. 1t is a
superstition prevalent among journal
lists that criticism upon the party manage
ment is treason to the party and the prin-
ciples it processes. The sooner that
tradition is abandoned the better it will
be for journalism, for politics and for po-
htical organizations.
Take the instance under consideration.
The Republican State Central Committee
sent out circular addressed to Republi-
can newspapers, offering to furnish the
Republican State plaJtorm-about two
columns-and Estee's speech-eight col
umns-for immediate use, and proposing
to furnish other campaign literature from
time to time in plate form to such papers
as would accept it. The simple object of
this was to save the composition. The
first offer is for ten columns of matter in
plate form. The plates would be pro-
duced from one setting of the type. If
one hundred papers published the matter
by using the plates, there would be 1000
columns Of matter published, for which
the printers would be paid for the compo-
sition of ten columns. There is no gain
saying this. 1t was not q matter of
significance from the pretense of friend
ship on the part of all parties for all kinds
of labor. The Republican State Conven-
ton would have repudiated with scorn
the proposition to compete with the mem
bers OF the Typographical Union to
cheaper their labor, to adopt devices
where composition might be saved dur
ing the campaign, in order to get a large
volume of campaign literature published.
Both parties declare that they are the
great original friends of labor; that all
others are base limitations; and yet the
Republican State Central Committee de-
liberately proposes a scheme whereby the
maximum of Republican literature will
be published with the minimum employ
ment of printers. This is the simple truth
of this situation: Every column of boiler
plate matter which the Republican State
place a column of composition in the
paper using it. If one hundred papers
use the boiler-plate, then the one hun
dred columns which would have been
filed by the work of printers will be oc-
cupied by boiler-plate which contributed
to- the cost of setting but one of type.
This is plain. Every printer in the State
understands it. Every editor, whether
he be a printer or not, is sufficiently ac-
Quainted with the facts to know whether
this is true or not, and q Republican
paper only exposes its insincerity by de-
nying it; nor will such denial accomplish
any good for the party. The denial may
tend to establish reputation for party
subserviency, for unquestioning funkey-
ism, and for docile servitude; but it will
not be an evidence of anything like can
dor on the part of the paper making it.
The Democratic State Central Committee
cannot, since the matter has gained some
notoriety, enter upon the practice of fur
nishing boiler-plate. three-ply Demo-
cratic literature to the organs of the
party; but its Executive Committee
would in all probability have done so.
The question of economy underlying it
is very taking. But what the political
parties are looking for is votes, and they
make their professions with reference to
attracting the votes of workingmen.
When their professions and their prac-
tices do not accord, when the pretense of
love for the laboring man is made on the
one side, and means are adopted to re-
duce his employment on the other, as in
the instance under consideration, the
party will have less to lose and more TO
gain if its organs prove that they are pos
sessed of independence, candor and man
illness. by promoting party practice more
consistent with party profession.