Year: 1878

We have no doubt that the Republican
State Convention will adopt a sound and
satisfactory hard money platform. The
present drift and tendency of the republi-
can party in all the States is toward unity
on that question. The republican party in
Maine fought their battle on hard money
and was defeated; but Q defeat on that
issue is more honorable than success would
have been by temporizing with the tran
sient lunacy Of the hour The re-
publicans of Massachusetts, have taken
the same high ground, and even
if Buffers host Of tramps should get the
better Of them in this election (Which is
improbable) they will maintain the vitality
of their party and be in a better position
for achieving success next year than if they
had shown any signs Of wavering. The
Michigan republicans have taken the high
est hard money ground, and will undoubt-
edly carry their State. Even in Ohio,
which is the birthplace of every pestilent
financial heresy, the republican party has
planted itself on hard money ground. and
although it's prospects are not brilliant, nor
even hopeful, it is on the right road toward
future success. This being the general plat
form Of the republican party throughout the
country the republicans OF New York cam
not afford to hesitate or falter. The strong
est plank the Saratoga Convention can
frame into its platform is a vigorous declara-
ton in favor of the immediate resumption
of specie payments. The New York repub.
licans will run no risk in doing SO, since
there can be no doubt that large majority
of the citizens of the Empire State are
sound on this question. We have no fear
that the Saratoga Convention will prove
recrcant to sound monetary principles.


But the Syracuse Convention is exposed
to greater temptations. There is consider
able portion of the New York democrats who
have caught the soft money contagion and
who may 90 over to the so-called national
party if the Syracuse Convention should
not court and soothe them. There are
many delegates at Syracuse, not infected
themselves, who think it expedient to make
concessions to the soft money fanatics in
order to catch their votes. There is also q
more powerful influence which tends
in the same direction. The Kelly fac
ton desires to bring the democratic party
of New York into harmony with the demo-
cratic party of the West, because it thinks
this the best card that can be played against
Mr.. Tilden. Mr.. Kelly and his hackers
prefer Western candidate for the Presi-
dency, and if they can bring New York into
line with Ohio and Indiana on the money
question Mr.. Tilden would be ruled out cs
a candidate. The Kelly democrats could
afford to concede all other points if they
could put the democratic party of New
York on the Ohio platform, because
Mr.. Tilden is so irrevocably CON-
mitted the other way that it would
be grotesque absurdity to mako
him the standard bearer of q greenback
organization. In this attempt tho anti
Tilden delegates at Syracuse will be sup
ported by many democrats who do not
share their motives and look no further
than immediate success by enticing the
green back fanatics to act with the party in
this election II, therefore, .he Syracuse
Convention should readopt the platform of
former years steady steps toward re-
sumption no step backward"-it will be
regarded as q signal triumph of the Tilden
branch of the party. But there is too much
reason to fear that the Syracuse Conven-
ton will dip its colors TO the Ohio in1a-
tionists.