Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-04-01
The Massachusetts, Convention.

Convention met in Boston last week
and declared in favor of Speaker Reed
for President.
The platform adopted is likely to be
followed closely by the st. Louis con-
vention, unless there is split in the
party, because it emanated from the
highest republican authority. Mr..
Lodge dictated much of it, and of
course consulted Mr.. Reed fully, and
carried with him to Boston whatever
of wisdom the latter could add to the
counsels.
AS it is expected that this platform
will be the basis of the national one,
it is interesting to note it's salient fea
lures, and trace in it the signs of ap-
preaching events. Of course the mon
ey and the tariff are the leading issues
The declaration on money is as follows
eve are entirely opposed to the free
and unlimited coinage of silver, and to
any change in the existing gold stand
ard except by international agreement.
Each dollar must be kept as good as
every other dollar. The credit OF the
United States must be maintained at
the highest point, so that it cannot be
questioned anywhere either at home or
abroad. Every promise must be rig
idly kept and every obligation redeem
able in coin must be paid in gold"
Wall street could have done no more
Here in terse. clear, unequivocal Ian
guage is what the republican party in
it's heart has determined shall be the
standard of money in this country. 1t
is Gold nothing but Gold. When in
western states, or in the south, repub
lican conventions declare for bimetal
ism, they are only toying with rhet
ORIG, and stultifying themselves.
Those states had just as well under,
stand this, and either fall in line or
leave the party entirely. There is to
be no middle ground and no Sinking.
The bid is for New York and with it
they feel sure they can win. and with
such platform as opposed to bimetal-
ism there can be no question as to
which party will carry that State
The only terms on which they say they
will submit to bimetalism is by inter
national agreement, which relegates bi
metalism to such dim futurity no
hope can be entertained for it
On the tariff they were more mild
OF course the Wilson tariff bill was de
nounced and the present condition Of
the country ascribed to its effects. But
a return to McKinleyism was MOI
vouchedsafed, though pr election is tt
be mighty feature in the campaign
mendable, in that it does not seek to
straddle the vital question, but was
framed boldly, and with succinctness
that is particularly refreshing.
| The Cuban resolutions which have
been discussed in the Senate and
which have received the support of
Senator lodge were so modified as to
be scarcely recognizable, and are pa
cific in the extreme.
| Free silver was no more an issue with
these republicans, than was free trade
neither was heard of or thought of
and had any person possessed thu
temerity to suggest either, or advocate
either he would likely have been ex
PEELED from the convention as a dan
gerous fanatic.
This is the only set back Mckinley
ism has received for some time. and i
is the only boom the Reedites have en-
ljoyed for season.
| 1t was not to be expected that Mas
Hsachusetts and especially dominant ant
cultured Boston would have support
led Mckinley over Reed.
Reed hates the south, he is the bit
terest of partisans, he is a pronounced
protectionist, he is gold bug, he is an
A. p. A, he is the more cultured, h.
fuses the broader a, and he is not ''s
Vulgar westerner." For these an(
other reasons the gentleman from thu
Atlantic coast was preferred to tn,
one from the already too aggressive
and egotistic west.
| The country must see in this conven
ton the harbinger of what will be bit
terly fought for at st. Louis, and wha
| will be accomplished, unless the fret
silver element is stronger IN the party
than we have ever thought it coul6
possibly be.