The herald., 1896-06-15
PLATFORM PLANKS
Civil Services Declaration Wanted-Also, Q
Straddlo

StfaddIo
ST. LOUIS, June H-The committee
on platform may have to wrestle with
an important question when Abraham
Gruber of New York presents this pro-
posed plank:
1.-THE Republican party demands that
public officials be thoroughly qualified
to perform the services required of them:
that civil service examinations be con-
Quoted only by men who from exper-
ience know that the duties to be per-
formed by, or the work required of per-
sons holding office and that the questions
asked Of applicants be only such as d.
rectly concern the service to be per-
formed"
It is expected that this plank Is a
shrewd move to draw the convention in
to the civil service controversy now on
state constitutional provisions and the
appointment Of sixty or more officials
to carry out the provisions Of the new
liquor law. The convention will un-
doubtedly refuse to have any part in the
matter and decline to express itself on
the question.
New York still intends also to interfere
in the platform making by insisting
that not only shall the word gold" be
used, but that the declaration shall be
for the payment Of national obligations
in gold of the same standard value and
f1neness as that now in use."
Mr.. Lauterback will propose this in
committee. A New York delegate close
to the well-spring of information. said
tonight:
"Mr. Lauterback will introduce this
simply to please the Wall street men.
He will, when pressed. withdraw 1t and
then claim that he has made g. conces-
sion."
Senator Warren Of wyoming. who ar
rived here tonight from Washington,
believes that the best way to settle the
dispute over the money plank is to leave
the whole question open. Mr.. Warren is
q free silver man, but was instrumental
in securing declaration by the conven-
tion of his state against bolting. He
thinks 1t would be wise policy, rather
than attempt to frame a financial plank
to be acceptable to the extremists, on
both sides, which must, IN the nature OF
things, be unsatisfactory to both, to
leave the whole question open to the
public for solution.
"If could have my way" he said, II
would make no eQuivocal declaration.
Let the Republicans of the country
frankly acknowledge the difference
which they fully realize; on tariff and
other questions we are united. On the
money question our differences seem ir-
reconcilable, but west, east, north and
south, we believe in the trueSt discharge
of our obligations. No Republican wants
anything but the soundest money, and
no one desires reputation at, home. or
abroad. Let us say that upon that we
are of one mind. But let us stop there
and allow the Republican party in the
future to work out the problem as to
the manner and extent of silver coinage.
There should be no postscription on one
side or the other. II the members Of the
party honestly differ let them honestly
say So"
There was conference tonight at the
Southern hotel, at which the following
states were represented: Maine, New
Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Tennes-
see, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The question of q financial plank in the
platform was discussed, and the follow
ing was agreed upon as satisfactory
and will be presented to the committee
on resolutions:
We favor the maintenance of existing
gold standard, and are opposed to the
free coinage Of silver except by interna-
tional agreement for bimetallism with
the leading commercial nations Of the
world.
The men in the conference were those
who will probably represent their states
in the committee on resolutions.