Year: 1879

THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. y


The platform of the Minnesota Republi-
cans is truly characteristic-a mass of '.glit-
tering generalities' without pith or point.
Of course nothing better could be expected,
for the party has no principles of any &C.
count that they can avow, and the process
of making bricks without straw is about as
tedious and uninteresting now as it was in
the days of the captivity of the children of
Israel. The necessity for 'stufing'' with
which to fill the space expected of all con-
ventions nowadays no doubt put the very
intellectual members of the committee on
resolutions to their trumps.


Of course the resolutions claim the credit
for resumption of specie payment for the
Republican party. This is done despite the
fact that Democratic Congress assisted the
work, and that very materially, by passing
the act remonetizing silver, and despite the
further fact that the return of prosperity,
for which the Republican party is no more
responsible than for the movements of the
PLANETARY system, rendered resumption posi-
BILE. They also acknowledge the fidelity and
ability with which the finances have been
managed by the present administration, and
this in face of pr sent revelations of the
conduct of the secretary of the treasury in
paying out more than million dollars to a
few pet banks as interest on bonds which are
still in the treasury and have never been
paid for. To be sure it was not expected
that the convention would display the hon
esty necessary to denounce the illegal
and criminal proceeding, but good taste
should have prompted an omission of
all mention of the subject at least. By this
utterance the Republican party is committed
to the approval of one of the greatest out
RACES ever committed upon the people of the
country-an outrage that has already cost
the people many millions of dollars and
largely increased the public debt.


The policy of conciliating the Southern
States after the manner inaugurated by Mr..
Hayes is approved. We really fail to see
wherein conciliation is necessary. The peo-
pie of the South do not display any desire to
be conciliated, for that would be an acknowl-
edgment that they are still bslligerent.
All that they ask is to be dealt Justly by
and that the people of the North shall cease
the accusations of disloyalty that are 80
common, especially in times of political OK.
citement. "Conciliation' is an insult to the
South.


The principles of civil service reform-it
does not appear of what these consist
cordially endorsed, and reduction of the
number of offices is counselled. This is the
most extraordinary plank of the whole plat
form. 1t is square assault upon the
policy of the Republican party in the past.
That party has systematically endeavored to
increase the number of useless Offices. and
from the modest number of ten thousand
under Democratic rule the army of federal
Ofdceholders has increased to over hundred
thousand, at least one-thifd of whom are
wholly unnecessary.


Ihere ls another covert assault anon the
party contained in the fourth and sixth reso.
lutlons. The first mentioned, declares in a
half-hearted manner that the policy of pro
lection is not abandoned, but never
theless the Republicans of Minnesota be-
lleved there ought to be a reduction of du-
ties on some articles, notably clothing,
BOOKS and such other articles as enter into
industrial and domestic economy. This re-
quest If complied with, would upset the en-
tire system of protection, for almost every
aft'cie upon which duties are imposed enters
more or less into industrial or household
economy. The sixth resolution recites the
nardshlps entailed upon the people of this
country by the Cuban and Mexican tariff
systems, and asks Congress to endeayor to
procure an amelioration of our commercial
relatlons with these countries. It is yery
cheeky proposition indeed. A country that
Is Itself stronghold of protection and in
hlcts hardships upon foreign countries bv
means OF that system, has no right to COM
pam OF those countries when they adopt .
similar policy towards us. Comnlaints Of
nardshlps from such source ara oonfes-
sions OF the iniquity of the system. We are
saa TO note' however, that the Republicans
OF Minnesota are becoming converted to the
Democratic position.


"A little taffy is given to the farming COM
munity oy pledging the party to prevent un-
JUST denominations in freights on railroads,
and the platform ends with a pnff for Gov,
rll'soury. Asa whole it is fat, stale and
anprohtable-a mass of verbal garbage un-
NJ even for political food lfor as easily
pleased AN organization as the Rannblican
party.