Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-18
"a Mockery of Platform Making


struggle in Congress over tolls repeal
has been in a ridiculous, Illuminating,
discreditable position not because OF ths
necessary and righteous reputation OF
the tolls plank in the Baltimore plat,
form, but because the plank had found
its way into the platform at all.
The Republican senator from Conhec-
ticut Mr.. Brandegee, was actually con-
siderate and kind in saying that tne
Baltimore convention was entrappea
into the Endorsement. 1t is certain that
the economic principle of ship supsldies
embodied in the plank was contrary 20 -
the partys policy for many years. IL Is
also established that not one delegaIe ~
a hundred knew the exemption plank
was in the platform when the conYen..
ton adopted IL during an upfoar 80 "a -
that few had heard the man who reaa II.
Ii is a fact that this spring senator lore
by mail polled $50 of the Baltimore ueie,
gates and found that Ill of them iavoiea
the repeal bill in spite OF the pta't .en m
trapped" hardly covers the Case ine
is more to be said, 49, ,ra-
Many blanks get into platforms In pre-.
ciseiy the way this PLANK oir r,nart by
the great bulk of convention oeles II
platforms are the work OF very sHiai l
set of men who retire to an upper stoI
tSra AND by fyoeet RfG'esS things diff
terent factions will presumably stand
for. They fight over the big Things; 49,
range their compromise, ana theh MY e
things. at the time deemed perhaps Vi
NJ ereat consequence by one or another,
are allowed to creep in. 1t Is easy TO I'M
derstand how the tolls exemption plank
got by at Baltimore. Mr.. oGormal
showed it in under Mr. bryan s,,,g rg ne
great issue in 1t. but perhaps few votes,
was willing to please Mr.. OGorman py
making no protest. The tired and wiltea
convention was ready 70 Lake ~ mia mon
In a sense, there was no trlcKefy IN
the performance. Nobody was en-
trapped." for that was the usual way OF
doing that sort of business, as everybody
%oaw Int that sort of business is a
discreditable business' II is a tnocheiig ~
of political intelligence. All conneenee IN
party platforms is outraged Wheh l.iu
confession must De mae anAs somatbing
n Aid not believe in. The experience IN
this case should be burned INTO In
seiousness of all parties to the end lnat
similar en1barrassm ,n nSg no
arise to torment party ieaoei s'-SP7
field Republican
This is a poor excuse for the ad-
n,inistration. Bryan thought 1t might
catch a few votes" indeed! But does
not the Springfield Republican anu
evervhody else know--and did they not
know 1t at the time Of the Baltimore
convention-that no party or any
political color could have procured the
approval Of the voters of the United
States in 1912 for such measure OF
repeal as has just passed Congress?
Can the Springfield Republican or any
other deny that countrywide indigna-
ton must be answered to for the pres
ent demonstration of distorted use OF
Presidential power?
In 1912 the Presidential candidate
knew the sentiment of the people ana
he was undoubtedly familiar with the
platform upon which he made his
campaign. At least Mr.. Wilson was
familiar enough with the platform to
know that ii had let woman suffrage
severely alone, and he has since re.
fused to touch the subject because his
party 10 not placed upon it in plat
form"
Here are the facts. bluntly stated
A great political party has repudiated
its pledges upon an issue of most vital
interest TO Americans; a matter in
which hundreds of millions Of Ameri-
can dollars are invested; in which the
people of this county had hoped to
reap some advantage in saving of
commerce between its coasts. The
President and other heads of the
Democratic party are in power be-
cause Of that deceit deliberately in
serted by astute politicians to catch
votes, and now referred TO by our dis
tinguished Springfield contemporary
as s'iittie thing which was in the
usual way" of give and take
As our exchange says. the Demo-
cratic party has been Inundated by
It's leaders and must take the conse-
qusnces, for the people will not forget
between this and election day. But
i is a fcrlcrn hope which tries TO ex-
.use the head Of the party by saying