The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-06-24
a > 3 2 llIlg- - ~
PLATFoRM.
ssmore sun, although

FORM, ana ADMITS tHa tSltSS<lso = III 49, ~
written II talks mainly in hl1nor-s
Gus way about it as follows:
The platform adopted by the Repub-
lican National convention has one IN
;deniable merit from a non-partisan.
viewpoint-it is compact and it. IS
forcefully written Consequently, it
is readable and ineligible The
spirit OF the platform is claim every
thing" That spirit pervades every
sentence Everything good which
Uncle Sam possesses vas the gift OF
the Republican party Every evil
which has befalIen him since the birth
of that party in 1856 was the product
of the two Democratic administrations
since 1850 That IS the platform in
2 nutshell. 1t claims everything"
that has been benefit 70 the nation
and many people, without investiga-
zion, vii! accept the claim as well
founded That is the American way
in politics.
Politicians are not consumed With
modesty. They were not born TO
blush unseen or to hide their light
under a btIshel. They love 70 think
wei of themselves. They love 10
chant their own praises, even when
their deserts are not so great as they
imagine The man who reads tie Re
publican platform upon the assunip-
ton that statesmen always tell the
truth and always have q modest esti-
mate of their own virtues may we'll
believe thar the Republican party. as
pictured in its declaration of princi-
pies. is the noblest, purest. most high
minded, most efficient and most I'M
selfish organization which has ever
blessed an unworthy world. Within
two weeks the Democratic National
convention will meet at St. Louis,
and then we shall have this superla-
lively excellent organization painted
in entirely different eolors. The
country will then be informed-as it
is informed at regular quadrennial
periods-that the political organiza-
ton which is responsible for most
of the nations ills is the Republican
party But why anticipate? Sufi-
cient unto the day is the platform
thereof. We know now, on the high
est Republican authority, that all that
keeps the Republican party from
translation to better world as re-
ward for it's goodness is the certain
" that if it were removed the coun-
try would go to the dogs under the
sway of the wicked and inefficient
Democrats.
The two most interesting pledges
in the Chicago platform relate to the
tariff and the trusts. On the ques-
ton of tariff reduction this assurance
is given:
Rates of duty should be readjust-
ed only when conditions have so
mands their alteration, but this work
cannot safely be committed to any
other hands than those of the Repub-
lican party. To trust it to the Demo-
cratic party is to invite disaster
In respect to curbing the big indus
trial and railroad trusts the platform
sets forth that
denominations of capital and of Ia
Dor are the results of the economic
movement of the age, but neither
must be permitted to infringe upon
pie. Such combinations, when law
fully formed for lawful purposes, are
alike entitled to the protection of the
laws, but both are subject 20 the
laws, and neither can be permitted
TO break them.
The Republican party in these dec
laraticns says nothing which is cal
culated to strain its relations with the
protected industries and the trusts.
Nobody in Wall street Will be fright
ened by its benevolent platitudes.
The party on the showing made in its
platform, is so truly good that the
American people cannot help keep
ing it in power. If, however, II
should find il necessary 10 make
friends of the "Mammon of Unright-
eousness" there is nothing in its out
sivinSs about the trusts and the tariff
which should make the aforesaid
Mammon feel lullewarm or reSentful-
1t is a very adroit platform, as we'll
as very self righteous one.