Arizona republican., 1904-07-13
Platforms and Candidates.

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 platforms are like sasuages. We sometimes respect them less when we know how they are made" remarked David E. Hill in the St. Louis conven- ton. And Senator Hill speaks as an expert on the subject of platforms. The point of his observation is that the candidate is more important than the platform.
 Mir. Hill was sure of Judge Parker's fidelity to the gold standard. Hence. he was willing enough that the gold plank offered by the New York dele gation should be withdrawn when it became apparent that it would cause a TOW if insisted on. When it became known that the gold plank had been dropped in order to placate Bryan, many New York newspapers and poli- ticians attacked Hill bitterly and call ed him all kinds of traitor. But the trouble was in their inability to take HiITs practical view of the relative inn portance of platforms and candidates. IL was absurd to suppose that Hill himself was any less of a gold man than he was before he went St. Louis
 Practically. platforms in many re- spects are designed as traps to catch voters When a national convention meets one Of the first duties of the temporary chairman is to appoint a committee on resolutions. This com mittee comprises one delegate from each state and territory. The gentle men appointed to the committee as- Femble and proceed to the construction of the platform. The general declara- tion of party principles is easily ac- complished If the platform is that of party in power, it points with pride" If that of a party which is trying to capture the pie counter the platform views with alarm" Then come the specific declarations which the various members of the committee think would catch votes in their local- tiles. A multitude of blanks is of fered. The temporary chairman has taken care to appoint on the committee some Of the party's most distinguished wheel horses. These shrewd politicians really decide what shall go into the platform and what shall stay out. They listen patiently for hours to the num- erous suggestions offered, and then with consunmate tact they adopt or reject Usually they are so diplomatic that the humble member who finds his pet plank thrown out is led to think that the rejection is the result of his own wise second thought. But the old beIl-wetherss perceive here and there an excellent plank-a vote getter-and iu it goes. Whats the difference? We'll decide at Washington what isl best, after all." A vital thing to keep in view is to incorporate no plank O that will prove objectionable to any section.
 After the election, the successful candidate for president acts in har- mony with the party leaders and they carry out such portions Of the party platform as they decide will prcve Co the best interests of the country.
 IT Mr. Roocevelt is elected he and thc republican leaders will do what they think is best for the people, with a considerable disregard for any min- or declaration in the platform that may then be deemed impracticable or unwise. The same will be true of Par ker if he is elected. It will be a Roose- welt or a Parker administration, as the case may be, and not an administration closely bound by party platform as to all details. This comes about partly through the growing power and su- Iremacy of the presidential office and partly because of the recognized lati- tude that must be given the adminis- tration in construing the formal dec- !aration Of principles made in the na- tionM convention. There is a sensible recognition of the rules of expediency which largely govern the action of the platform makers.
 More and more in each campaign the personality of the candidates is becom- ing paramount to platforms. The peo- ple 1vish t so and it is so They wish 70 have a president of strong individ uality and convictions and of high minded integrity, unshaken of the pro- fessional politicians. They are not concerned nearly so much about the exact wording of the platforms as they ape about the candidates. They much prefer to know beforehand precisely tho character of the man'they are vot- ing for. That is one reason why MT. Roosevelt in this campaign has an inn meHse advantage over MT. Parker.