Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-06-23
THURSDAY EVENING. JUNE %, 1901
As exhibition of cool efirOntery and

As AN exhibition OF coOi enrOntery anu
wild assertions in the face OF introvert-
lille facts. the platform adopted yesterday
by the republican national convention at
Chicago is the most glazing ever enuncia'
ted by that organization. Most ofthe pro-
duction is taken , in self-adulation, al
legged infallibiity ofthe present admins
tration and laudations Of the individual
who is now by virtue OF an assassin oni-
let presiding over the destinies OF the
nation. The promulgators Of this declars-
ton go back to the hobby of 1860, long
since a spectre, and say that the great
task of the party was "thearresto OF human
slavery and to prevent its spread ID
this country" The preamble then goes
on to say that "the republican party
foupd the country, after four years Of
democratic rule, in evil plight, oppressed
with misfortune and doubtful of the fu-
tire >" The facts in the case are plain.
There never was a more uncertain period
in the country's history than that which
existed from 1873 until 1885, when a
dismal financial depression hung over
the land, and the clouds never show
ed signs of breaking until democratic
President was elected. Another strange
assertion is the following in the light OF
nostal scandals and other warts on the
present administration
Our administration of the great de-
partments of the government has been
homes. and efficient. and wherever wrong
doing has been discovered the republican
administration has not hesitated to probe
the evil and bring the offenders to justice
without regard to art or political ties.
The feebleness with which antitrust
laws have been enforced by republicans
and the fact that the Attorney General
has been transferred to the United States
Senate in order to place him in posi-
tion where he can do no harm to the
trusts are well.known; yet the following
is placed in the platform
Laws enacted by the republican party
which the democratic party failed to en-
force. and which were intended for the
protection of the public against the un-
lust discrimination or the illegal en-
croachment OF vast aggregatiOns of cap
itaI. have been fearlessly enforced by
republican President, and new laws in
surfing reasonable publicity as to the
operations Of great corporations and
providing additional remedies for the
prevention of discrimination in freight
rates have been passed by republican
Congress.
The maintenance of the present tariff
is of course recommended. The plat
form would not have been complete
without a thrust at the South hence the
following appears toward the wind-up
of the declarations
We favor such Congressional action
as shall determine whethef by special
determinations the elective franchise in
any State has been uncOnstitutionally
limited, and if such is the case, we de-
mand that representation in Congress
and in the electoral colleges shall be
proportionally reduced, as directed by
the constitution of the United States.
1t is safe to say that this plank will
PASS into punk and never play serious
part in the history of the party. AT
the same time it has its use in another
way it is intended as hollow sympathy
for the blacks, many Of whom, not hav-
ing shown themselves worthy of suffrage,
have been debarred from voting.