New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-01
THE CAMPAIGN ISSUES.
Pre1iOas Instances Of Splitting on
the PIatfOrH1" Unsuccessful.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.


induce such support the adherenrs OF ons theory
are accommodated with their choice OF the Mat
form, and the adherents Of ar autagouistic .heorv
are accommodated with their choice OF candi-
date.
That scheme has only two p-ecedents in The
annals of American politics, which, with their dis
astrous results. may with interest be briefly
recalled. the result of the present experiment.
observed later. and compared with them.
The first experiment in political history kin
dred 20 that ROW employed by the Democrats
occurred in 1852 The Wits party was then en-
barrassed BY an irrcconcilabIe difference OF cpin-
ion among its adhcrents on tie question Of
slavery. analogous to that which has confronted
the Democrats for the last eight years in regard 70
the problem of finance.
The conspicuous snti-slavery Wings desired AZ
anti-savery platform and anti-slavery cauG:-
date. and General Scott was their favorite; the
Pro-slavery Whigs-oS whom Robert Toorabs and
Alexander II. Stephens were exanpIes-teslred
both n pro-savery platform and candidate. and
Atlla-d Fillmore their favOrite. Their national
convention met at Baltimore the sixteenth day
OF June, 1852, AID. after long and spirited
test, compromised the matter by adopting plat
form acceptable to the pro-s!avery Wings of the
party. and nominating candidate who the
choice of the anti-slavery Wings OF the party
General Scott received the nomination; his special
friends demanded that ne spit on the platform
which he declined TO do
The proceedings Of the convention. when sub
mitted to the voters for their support. were IN
and the candidate Mr.. ToOInbs and Mr.. Stephens
forthwith forsook the party and became perna-
nent Democrats
Mr. Blaine. in his Twenty Years OF Congress"
relating the progress OF the campaign. says:
General Scott had. indeed. heartily assented TO
all the principles proclaimed at the convention
but so long Horace Greeley was eUIogizing him
in The Tribune and Seward supporting him on the
stump. It idle present him as an acceptable
candidate to slave holding Wings OF the South
shirt frcr ry,a wr,~ F--
ever effective indication of contempt. would
not satisfy the conscience the prejudice OF large
numbers Of Wings who voted directly for the can
didates Of the Free Soil party. John P. Hale. OF
New-Hanpshtre. for President. and George W.
Julian, Of Indiana. for Vice President"
MI Greeley gives account OF the same can
vass IN his American Conflict and relating Gen
erel SCOTS candidacy says; Many OF the anti
slavery Wings, by whose Efforts ne had been noni-
mated. supported him cOldly because Of the plat
form; while the intense pro-sIavery section OF the
party did not support him at aI-distrusting. not
MIN. but the influences which. they appreheuded
might guide his councils Regarding the result
he adds: Never before was there such an over
wheIming defeat OF a party that had hoped for
success
The second experiment with the impracticabls
modus operandi OF attempting to combine antago-
ns5tc element in support Of national ticket was
IN an EFFORT 20 secure the united support Of peace
5ehlocEaJs with peace platform and war Demo
respective sections toward one another AZ mar
time was wei shown by Judge NIiiIen. a 1eacs
Democrat in his address to the coEventio-. in
which he said: There IS real difference be-
tween war Democrat and an AboIitionist They
are both links OF one sausage made out o. the
sane dog The platform adopted declared the
manded that i cease. and for an adjustment by
of the Union Army was nominated FOR President
he accepted the advice that General Scott had
declined twelve years before. ana. like judge
1870 Iecelt4y' SPIT on tAs platrorIl IN MS
letter OF acceptance he said: The Union must
The face % my gallant comrades OF the army AID
navy who have survived so many bloody battles
OK so many Of our slain and wounded brethreI had
for which ne have so often periled our lives"
The Democratic canvass that was then conducted
was failure and tha Union must be abandoned
7 and on the sandldates promise 70 maintain the
port Of both factions and the cordial support OF
campaign did in ls52 such unconseniai associa-
tons generate a mutual jealousy and destroy al
that some one mus. be disappointed. and every
one from whom support is expected Is apprehen-
dspensablt 30 successful CANVASS Consequently
become parolyzed such n canvass secures such
support as Mr.. Bryan IS now giving the Demo
cratic tickst-suppOrt that mantestly ConduCeS far
more defeat than 10 elect Judge Parker
When light and darkness shall simultaneously
pervade the same space. when life and death shall
when fire and water shall cOalesce. then. and not
till then viii taere De any reasonable hope of tn
ducirs two classes o. American citizens. DESTROYS
% attaining antagonistic purposes. 70 unite e.
The Wing experiment. % 1859 and the Democratic
slIr from s5urninq- the platform Than 5s,araI NJ
Clellan did will appear in and after the election
The Democrats have another chapter OF unrortu-
nate history that s liable 70 be recalled and con-
stdered. in connection with, Judge Parkers status
ss they used similar pTseIecti0n pIsss Is that
contained IN Judge Parker.s telegram 70 the St
election and after getting into power induced their
United States to repudiate it, James a Polk was
their candidate for President and George " Dallas
President Mr- Polk bad been previously known
as Free trqdeE and AT Dallas as ProtsctoqIst
was tndspenSa Die to Democratic success. but the
tanning the Jari law enacted in iS42 and the State
was apparently destined 70 be lost 70 the Demo
tariff question To remove that difficulty and secure
aa YStg 81 etsr az NJ PSs on gns -
phia, expressly announcing that he IN favor
Incidental protection to American industry That
letter was forthwith very effectively used through
Polk Dallas and the tariff OF 49, Pennsylvania
was thus carried by a small margin.
After Polk and Dallas were inAuEUratsd Mr..
DfT Sesess aad he foeWe the Example
Of the two animals OF which We have an account
and the that washed 70 her Wallowfng IN
Which the Pennsyv9hians had been assured should
De maintained was introduced into Congress passed
Dallas and was approved by President Polk. The
Democratic party thereby became notorious for
making prediction pledges and repudiatinS them
after obtaining power
Judge Parker is now a candidate for the Presi-
dency IN a similar position the money ques-
ton that OF Mr. Polk the tariff question sixty
years ago. Both positions taken shortly
previous 10 elections by radical change from their
respective attitudes each being a candidate having
a competitOr-the one IN Henry Clay and the
other in Theodore Roosevelt whose professions and
previous history had been consistent.
Sixty years ago experience showed that fc was
10 IsI i cSIe: n ISse 49, 70 eS fs ~