Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-09-05


adopted at the recent convention in
which Brother Quay wiped up the floor
with Hastings, Martin, Magee ct al.
The platform is something more than
remarkable. II is nothing short of
eudacious. 1t is the handiwork of
Brother Quay himself, and shows in
full relief the mental characteristics
cf that eminently successful political
9akir.
One does not know whether to laugh
ut the ludicrous attitude in which
Quay has ventured to place his party,
ar to applaud the daring Of the thing.
fhe laughter or the applause must de-
gend upon the way the people take the
Flatform. II they are hoodwinked by
ouch talk, Quay will be entitled to the
aind of applause always given to the
adept in legerdemain.
This audacious platform makes the
most virtuous demands for civil service
reform. 1t would take policemen out
of politics; insure absolute freedom
and fairness in bestowing State, county
and municipal contracts; and recognize
and reward ability and fidelity in the
public service. II is, in short an ideal
platform from the standpoint of the
civil service reformer. just specimen
sentence from it will serve to show
how strenuous it is in this direction:
We demand that public office should
be for. the public benefit, and its term
IN subordinate positions should lie
during good behavior. No public em-
ploye or officer should be permitted TO
influence primaries or elections, nor
upon any .pretense be assessed upon his
salary, and all unnecessary positions and
salaries should be abolished and expen-
ditures and taxation reduced.
Think of the nerve it took for such
a spokesman and corruptionist as
Brother Quay, with such record as
he has made, to stand up and dictate
platform like that And the conyen-
ton which put IT forth, on Brother
Quay's say-so, was composed of the
most practical politicians in Pennsyl-
vania. They were men whose whole
political creed it is to twin at all haz-
ards 1t would scarcely be more
audacious il the devil himself were to
turn up at campmeeting to deliver
sermon on brotherly kindness
The way in which this platform
handles the new tariff is equally i'm
pudent and presumptuous. 1t admits
that the measure of prosperity which
this country enjoys to-day is due to the
new tariff, and then actually has the
granite cheek to claim credit on that
score for the protective policy and the
Republican party. How is that for an
exhibition of nerve?
With much circumlocution and twist
ing Of phrases the platform reasons that
the original Wilson bill proposed in
the House was by nature ruinous, and
that the Democrats are to be blamed
for it; but that the Wilson bill as il
finally became a law WAS full of good
features forced into it by Republi-
cans. In the course of this tortuous
reasoning Brother Quay succeeded in
especially thanking himself by name
g for his heroic resistance to the bill
throughout many weary months, lead
ing the Republican opposition TO ita
enactment, and finally compelling the
Democratic majority in the Senate to
agree to the substitution of MANY pro
tective duties for its free trade pro
Aaar1aa;a.... -.
,aaa "s'e's,'9 80 !. - ~ VI" hepunil
brought about by the new tariff, per
haps it is the only resource left to
them. They are in an awkward fix
about the tariff. The good times which
the new tariff is bringing TO the coun
Try, closes every door of reasoning in
their faces. Brother Quay has the dar
ing spirit, and says in his platform, in
effect Come boys, the doors are all
closed. Let us climb the fence. Let
us claim that this good new tariff is
our own. We forced the Democrats to
make it this way
1t remains to point out ono moro
piece Of audacity displayed in this
unequalled platform. After claiming
that the Republicans have put all Of
the good features in the new tariff, it
proceeds to declare
- For two Nnarg tho Dnroocr.,t;, ,.,,.t,
has had complete control Of III II eE Eer
tive and Legislative branches of the ma.
uonal government.
80 we see that this platform has the
courage not only to contradict facts
put also 70 contradict Itself.