From Our Own Correspondent, Washington, July: 20.
The word''platform," in the sense of a declaration of pri thoroughly identified politics that it is not to be wondered at that it is so generally regarded as an Americanii of those words, number, which, early settlers, while in England, either they are no longer current, of they have undergone some modify cation of meaning.
There are many instances of the use of "platform" in England in the 16th and early 17th centuries in the nse in which it is now so commonly used in the United States. Bishop Atterbury speaks in one of his sermons of "a platform of doctrine, and worship"; Hook "Ecclesiastical Policy (1803), makes reference to. what he calls "the platform of Geneva"; and Cartwright, in his " Anrwer to Whitgift" (1573), refers to "a true and perfect pattern or plat-forme of reforming the church."
On the other hand, the word "plank," as one of the principles of which the platform is constructed, is a pure Americanism, that made its first appearance, so far as T have been able to discover, in the "Biglow Papers" (1848), in the quaint saying: "They kin' o" alist! the planks from out th' ole platform one by one."
Many Planks.
For the next few months we shall hear a great deal about planks and platforms. Each of the two great rar-ties has issued its platform of many planks, and after August 5 there will be still another in that of the Roosevelt party, which even more which they informally placed him'than those of the Republicans and in nomination for the presidency, Democrats will be a political deagskilfully designed gather in voters ofall shades of political opinion and discontented people in general.
Notwithstanding its disregard of its tariff pledges of four years! ago and the resentment the country has so clearly shown, the Republic-; an party once more makes a protective tariff the corner-stone of its! policy. It declares that protection has developed the resources of the country, diversified its industries, and established for wage-earners the American standard of living." At the same time, the platform recognizes the necessity of a periodic, readjustment of import duties, in that they may be both revenand protective, and it condemned the Democratic party Congress for ignoring the Tariff Board and making no provision for ts continuance, On the other hand, the Democrats come out squarely for a tariff for revenue only. They declare the Republican tariff to be the principal cause of the unequal distribution o1 wealth and point out that the wages of employees are the lowest in the most highly protected—industries. They also call attention to the sale of American products abroad at lower prices than are demanded for them at home. Very wisely they pledge themselves that the ultimate attainment of the principles they advocate shall be secured by legislation that will not injure or destroy legitimate industry.
Anti-trust Planks, The anti-trust planks rank next in importance in both platforms, and they are sv drawn that it is only on careful examination that their essential difference becomes apparent, Both Republicans and Democrats denounce monopolies, and both favour the enactment of laws that shall define more clearly the nature of an illegal combination. But the Democrats go further than this. Taking advantage of the di satisfaction with the decisions of the Supreme Court in the Standard Oil and Tobacco Trust cases that exists in the advanced wings of both parties, the Democratic plat-rin, in the preparation of which Mr. Bryan took an important part, advocates not merely the clarifying of the anti-trust law, but that it should be given increased ency. The strength of this plank. however, depends largely on the Democratic candidate, who, as state ed in my last letter, has already given utterance to extremely moderate opinions with regard to business combinations and the restraints that should be imposed upon them.
Currency Questions.
Both platforms urge the necessity for a reform of the existing banking and currency laws, and suggest the introduction of some system of agricultural credit. Here ~gain the hand of Mr. Bryan is seem in the Democratic platform, in a reference to the importance of making provision to guard against the misuse of the power of wealth, the dominion of what is known as the money trust." Bankers complain of the obscurity and indefiniteness of the financial planks of both platforms, and criticize the Democratic platform in particular as displaying an entire lack of appreciation of the magnitude and complexity of the financial affairs of the country.
The high cost of living is too vital a matter to be ignored by either party. The Democrats attribute it to the high tariff and to the trusts and combinations to control prices that the tariff has fostered; the Republicans declare that the increase in prices is too general to be a matter of the tariff, and they advocate an international agreement for its thorough investigation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.