The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-23
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
A Remarkable Statement from the
Hon. Charles II GrOsyenOr.

into the political history of the United
States. The platform is being widely and
severely criticised, not SO much for what
it does say as for what it does not say
and very much and very justly for :he
crude and seniie manner in which it is
stated.
Il want to state as matter of fact
| connected with the history of this Con-
vention, that the following resolution was
agreed to be put into this platform and
was handed over to the gentlemen who
undertook its final revision and whose
handiwork in destroying all the elements
Of good statement is manifest; and l as
| sert. upon the statement of Senator Fora
ker, that the plank, which l will now re-
produce, was understood by the commit
tee to be a part of the platform, and
without the knowledge OF the committee.
kept out of the platform.
1T is as follows:
| We reassert the principle which YVES
| the watchword of the Republican party il,
its first great battle, of which Abraham
| Lincoln was the first illustrious champion,
and on which he was elected President,
that Congress has full legislative power
over territory belonging to the United
/ States, subject only to the fundamental
safeguards of liberty, justice and persona
! rights.
This plank. Straightforward, intelligent
and written in good English, agreed upon
! by the President himself, and afterward
| by the subcommittee, was driveled out by
a driveler from New York, who had
charge of that branch of the work.
| Upon the greatest question of the hour,
upon the question about which the he
IubiIcans in Congress fought and won, this
driveler performed this act.
Again, it was agreed and understood
that the following plank should be part
! of the platform. This. too, had passed the
scrutiny of the leaders OF the party:
Our dependence upon foreign shipping
fer nine-tenths Of our foreign carrying Is
a growing national loss and danger. It's
sudden withdrawal in the exigency of Eu-
ropean war, always possible, would cripple
our expanding foreign trade
e Our national defence and naval efn-
cheney require merchant auxiliaries as
nursery for skilled officers and trained sea-
men. For the restoration of merchant ma
rine, which was our carly glory on the
seas, we advocate such legislation as VIII
enable American ships to again carry our
foreign commerce.
THAT was to have been the ringing SEN
timent of the Republican party, and instead
beg to give the drivel that we have:
Our present DEPENDENCE upon foreign
shipping for ninet enths of our foreign
carrying is a great loss to the industry of
this country (This is q statement OF an
elementary factJ
a. 1T is also a>seriGus danger to our trade,
for its sudden Withdrawal in the event OF
European war, would seriously cripple our
expanding commerce. This is another
fact that everybody knew before it was
put into this platform)
The national defence and naval eff
cheney of this country, moreover, supply
compelling reason for legislation which will
enable us to recover our former place
among the trade-carrying fleets OF the
world
Otherwise the platform, although bad
ly written and in poor English and with
out angularity, conveys in a mild sort Oh
driveling way the best Ideas OF the Repuo-
lican party.
There is one thing that Republicans ev-
erywhere are today rejoicing about. Two
of the ablest speeches ever delivered on
the American continent in the opening OF
great political campaign were incidents oil |
this Convention and Wolcotts great
speech. and the scholarly, comprehensive,
vigorous. and angular declarations of
Lodge will be the platform OF the party
in this country. Read those two speeches.
and then read the platform, and you VIII /,
see that either struck away from the plat
form or the platform ran away from them !
..Tbapk God for the speeches. They Will
be the storehouse, the encyclopedia, OF the |
campaign and nobody will read the plat
form after he has read the speeches.
Now then, how about this whole busi- |
ness? Counting the result as a great tri-
umph for Senator Hanna, at the beginning |
of the Convention it may be that he would |
not have nominated Roosevelt, but 1t re- /
suited in this proposition in the end.
Roosevelt would not be candidate unless
nominated by reclamation. He could not |
be nominated by reclamation without the |
consent of Hanna. Hanna, at the proper
time and under proper circumstances and
conditions. gave the word and the Con-
yention followed his suggestion.
1.-THE main factors that have grown out
of the Convention are up to New YORK.
They are up to Mr.. Plat. They are up to
the dominating powers of the Republican
party in New York.
why they were willing to sacrifice
Roosevelt is known 10 all HELL III tlIs re-
suit that has been worked out almighty ,
responsibility has been assumed by the |
New York machine.
when Mr. Platt's nomination for Gov
ernor is made enquiry will go up from
every direction why Roosevelt was not
permitted to serve second term, and dis |
agreeable results may flow from the ans
wer.
'The next question which will be asked !
is. is there such necessity for a change in /
the Governorshp of New York as would |
justify all these performances, and if so,
what is the character of the man that |
Platt will nominate for Governor?
These are little matters wholly Incl
dent to New York politics, and l do not
care anything about them. l venture to
say that the man who will be nominat-
ed will be one of the distinguished Re
publicans of New York. / think | have
him in my eye.
IF | have there is no straigh.er man,
no more honorable man in New York than
Benjamin b. Odell, and if the mantle of
the Cowboy shall fall upon the shoulders
of the level-headed statesman no harm
can come to the people of the State of
New York.
II bid the combination Godspeed on the
fuller development, more complete evo-
luton and successful triumph of their
scheme. Z. III. GROSVENOR."
CLASS DAY AT HARVARD.