The evening times., 1901-08-22
The pennsylvania Republicans.

The platform Of the Pennsylvania
Republicans is a characteristic docu-
ment In some respects IT is a little
more asinine than was 10 have been
expected, but upon the whole il may
be taken as a fair expression Of the
aims. purposes, and aspirations Of the
Pennsylvania machine. Nobody looked
for any admissions Of WrOngdoing; ev-
erybody anticipated an overdose Of
Falstafian self f-adulation, and there
fore. the general public is neither sur
Prised nor disappointed.
The platform leads off with eulogy
- President McKinley's Administra-
ton. and cunETatulatiOn of the people
upon the splendid prosperity now en-
joyed by them. The Administrati ton is
Complimented upon the wise and pat
riouic craftsmanship" with which il has
met the 'vexed questions growing out
Of the war" which would be good if
true. Unfortunately. though. every
.'veXed question" has been Of purely
Administrative creation. The Treaty
Of Paris ceded certain territories to the
United States. and had those terrific
ries been treated in accordance with
Americas traditional policy there
would not have been a single element
Of complication in the situation so far
as they were concerned. But the Ad-
minisTaticn took a new departure in
attempting 10 govern those territories
upon impcrialistic principles. and the
result has been confusion worse con
founded. There has never been a mo-
ment when the Administration was
sure Of its ground, either as 10 its own
authority or the status Of the new ter
ritOries. and it does not know at this
time what the decision Of the Supreme
Court will be respecting the Philip
pines. The declaration Of the platform
upon this point reads like a huge joke.
In view Of the love which Mr.. Quay
does not bear the Administration. the
deliverance might be considered a mere
bit Of political irony. But that probably
is not the true inwardness Of the decIa-
ration II was necessary 10 arouse Re
publican enthusiasm over national mat
tiers in order TO distract attention from
State affairs. and SO the wise and pat
riotic statesmanship of the Administra-
tion and the prosperity Of the country
were dwelt upon at Iength-the pros
peTity being OF course. the exclusive
creation Of the Republican party
referring 90 the strike. the platform
first regrets that such a thing should
have occurred IN the midst Of so much
Republican prosperity. and then pro-
ceeds TO declare that both sides are
right Upon this point one very i'm
portant omission is 70 be observed. If
the Republican party is al-powcrful
for good. il ought TO have been explain
ed why that party did not prevent the
strike. Both the Steel Trust and the
most Of its employees were ardent
shOuters for Mr.. Mckinley in the last
campaign. IN the strictest sense il is
a Republican family quarrel. and il
would seem as If the wise and patri-
otic statesmanship" Of the Admins
tratiOn might have done something TO
avert it, Mark Hanna was quite cap
able Of settling the coal strike last sum-
mer. and he ought to be equally poten-
tiaI now.
But IN its treatment Of State affairs
the platform is a curio which almost
battles intelligent comment The
sweeping. well-defned. and well-proved
charges Of corruption on the part Of
the Quay machine are brushed con
temptuOusly aside as yellow journal
ISM and the sole claim made on be
half OF Republican administration Of
State anairs is that so much money
has been collected and expended The
platform strikes viciously al Mr. Wana-
maker and the dominant Republican
faction seems 10 rejoice that the mi
noTity Of the party is no longer TO be
considered a part Of the organization.
This Republican minority is, in truth