New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-06
THE PLATFORM BUILT
The Document HILL Has Prenor.1
for the Democrats.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1suxE.I

iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
ST. Louis, July 5.-The Democratic nlat,a
which. plank by plank. has been submittsd =
David B. Hill for inspection and approval !,
practically completed and has received the O "
OF the newly arisen dictator of the Democrats,
There still remain few comparatively un,,
portant details. relating principally to -.
phrasing of the document. to be corrected =,
excluded. as Mr. Hill may determine and m.
document viii be In readiness for it's prefunc-
tory ratification by the committee on resolution.
The tariff plank will denounce the Republics,
policy of protection and declare for an equaiz,
ton Of taxation 1t viii insist that the produc,
of American protected industries should be a.
cheap In the home markets any other in IN.
world. and that protection should not accrua
solely to the benefit of a favored class 1t win
contain choice assortment of words calculates
to serve equally well a severe arraignment o,
a wild criticism Of the trusts. and the entir.
tariff plank will be so ambiguous as to permit Of
such Interpretation as the exigencies of the cam.
paign may demand.
The money plank of the Mississippi platform
and the corresponding plank of the national
platform are practically Identical with the az
ception that, while the former Is couched IN
plain. unequivocal language. the Hill substitute.
will be so obscure In it's meaning that 1t will
not alarm the financial interests or offend thos.
still loyal to the white metal. 1t will declare IN
substance. though capable of various construc-
tons, that because OF the quantity OF gold now
IN circulation the issue of Is to l no
longer requires consideration. There will be M
reflection on former or present supporters Of
silver, and they will doubtless be able TO derive
considerable consolation from It's perusal IL
they do not read II too carefully. The delicate
question will be further purged OF It's mischiev-
Gus qualities by the declaration that nature and
not politics has determined the ratio Of gold
to silver.
Corruption in office based on the recent post
office scandals will be denounced. and the Re-
publican party will be charged with the respon
stbility for it's existence 1t will declare that
the executive departments should be thoroughly
investigated and the government service purged
of corruption. 1t will insist that in order 10
accomplish this satisfactorily. the party under
which 1t flourished must be driven from power
and the investigation intrusted 10 the Demoe-
racy.
The encroachment OF the Executive on the
legislative prerogatives will be severely con-
demned. and President Roosevelt will be further
denounced for his dictation of the Republican
party creed. and the party itself will be 60
cOriated for it's tame submission to his behests
Imperialism Will be held up a grave menace
to American institutions. and the Republican
party will be charged with wanton indulgence
in this dangerous practice.
The platform will contain an anti-pOly gany
plank, and will declare for the admission OF
Arizona. New-Mexico and the Indian Territory
to Statehood
The document will be high sounding and mag
nifcently phrased. but it will be ambiguous
and harmless as Democratic ingenuity can make
IT, 1t Is framed primarily for the purpose Of
catching votes. and not a declaration OF prtn-
ciples. Ex-Governor Hill. in his careful scrutiny
OF the various planks. has accepted only those
which permit OF a straddle of every important
issue and relentlessly excluded every unequfvo-
cal declaration that might prove harmful in tha
canvass.
The wording of the plank relating TO trust,
may be traced Indirectly to Mr. HNFs candidats
for President who was a trust lawyer prior 10
his elevation 10 the bench. The platform as out
lined above will be adopted by the COMMITTEES on
resolutions after the prearranged mock protests
and fake" concessions have been carefully
ried out.
Platforms are like sausages; they are some
times less respected when we know how they
are made"
David b. Hill delivered himself Of this pecut-
iarly pertinent epigram when pressed for d.
rect reply 70 a leading question regarding the
platform and by whom It drawn.