The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-10
fJEROME'S IDEA OF PLATFORM.
PRINCIPLES TO BIZ LIVED UP TO;
NOT CHEAP CL4PTRlP.
win Be In Buffalo During Convention and n
Nomination IL Onered He VIM Base His
Reply on the Party Policy Decided
IlDOn-Wm Make No Attempt 60 Dictate

Nomination II OnePed He WIN Base His
Reply on the Party Policy Decided
UpOn-wm Make No Attempt 60 Dictate
LAKEvnLE, Conn. Sept. O.-District At
torney jerome has decided 10 'attend the
Democratic State convention at Buffalo
on September rs.
He will probably go TO Buffalo on Sep
TENDER ~, open headquarters and be in
touch with the situation.
He will not 60 as q delegate nor a. an
alternate.
Mr.. Jerome, since he has been at his
home here. has been thinking over the
advisability Of going to the Buffalo con-
v~ention. After careful consideration he
has ONE to the conclusion that he should
be on the ground when the question Of
drafting the platform is being gone over.
Mr.. Jerome has some distinct and definite
ideas as to what the platform should be,
and he feels that IL nominated he should
know something about tho platform on
which he would run.
Mr.. jerome has no intention OF acting
the part Of a dictator and insisting hat a
certain platform should be drawn and
adopted. He is willing to bow to the united
action Of the convention, but he feels that
as a candidate he has q right to know what
is In the platform before his name Is sub
mitted 70 the convention.
Mr.. Jerome believes that o platform
should mean something and not be q lot
Of words thrown together to make bait
TO catch any class Of voters. just b
his ideas are on what the platform should
contain he does not say now, but In q general
way he feels tha he platform should be .
solid document with sound Democratic
doctrines-a platform ~ be lived up TO,
not to be thrown aside and forgotten, but
one on which the Democratic party In tho
State can be rehabilitated. AL claptrap
and cheap talk should be cast aside and
something substantial put in the platform,
Mr.. jerome thinks.
yes, I'm going to the Buffalo oonvcn-
tion.' said Mr.. jerome this afternoon. II
am not going as a delegate nor as an alter
nate, but as a man whose name has been
mentioned as q candidate for the Governor
ship.
my chief interest lies in the platform
which the convention will put out. Too
much In the past the platforms Of both
the Republican and Democratic parties
have had no significance. They have been
arranged to cater to this or that element
or feeling. for the sole purpose Of picking
up mere ragtag and bobtail votes.
4 have no desire to impose my ideas
on the conventions platform committee.
but I have a right to say. II the convention
should desire to nominate me, whether or
not l am willing to run upon the platform
to be adopted by the convention.
Il am willing to subordinate my personal
judgment on all matters Of detail to the
united wisdom Of the convention. yet any
radical departure in the platform from
what l W. always believed to be real
Democratic doctrine would render IL inn
possible for me to accept a nomination
from the convention should II desire to
nominate me-.
AS those things cannot be adjusted by
telegraph or telephone, l think il only fair
and proper that I should be on the ground
and in touch with the convention.
Il don't mean to assume to dictate, but
l ave q distinct right to say whether l can
accept It's platform and honestly advocate
its doctrines when I take the stump.
you see, as l have said about most plat
forms in general, they are filed with mere
claptrap, simply designed to catch the
voters, and the principles enunciated are
forgotten when the convention adjourns
and are seldom adhered to by the candi-
dates selected.
This il not fair to b people and IL /
should be named by the convention l want
to be certain that its platform makes moth
ing In the way Of promises or pledges that
/ could not indorse heartily and honestly
advocate all through the campaign and
carry out to the letter should l be elected.
Il believe that every candidate should
do everything in his power to carry out
the principles OF the platform. 1t IL for this
reason that l intend to 60 to Buffalo and
be on hand at the time OF the convention,
for should the convention desire to name
me 1t is unquestionably my privilege and
right to make sure that in the platform there
are no declarations OF principles to which
/ cannot subscribe and conform.
Then after the platform has been adopted
there can be no misunderstanding. IL an
not be said Of me, IL I arm named as the
candidate, that l have been disloyal and
violated any pledges. While the naming
Of the candidate ia the most important thing.
to my mind the platform 10 second to II, and
surely q man who Ia to be q candidate should
have some knowledge Of what that platform
Is going to be before he permits his name
to 90 before the convention"
Mr.. Jerome will go to New York Monday.