THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM

Levi P. Morton.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, September 19, 1894.

THE PLATFORM.

Declaration of Principles of the Republican State Convention.

   The Republicans of New York in convention assembled extend heartiest greetings to the Republicans of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont and Maine for their prompt and just judgment on an incompetent Democratic administration. They voice the verdict of the people that the path of protection is the path of prosperity. And we congratulate the Democratic sugar planters of Louisiana on their courageous declaration of independence of party trammels that endanger the material prosperity of their state.

   The Democratic president [Cleveland] of the United States and the Democratic chairman of the ways and means committee of the house of representatives have announced that the war against the protected industries of the country has but just begun and that it is to be prosecuted to the bitter end. On behalf of the wage earner, the agriculturalist, the business man, and of every sacred interest in the Empire state of the Union, the Republican party of the state of New York in convention assembled, accepts this challenge and pledges its faith to defend against all assault the rights of the workingman and his employer, both wantonly invaded by reckless demagogues.

   We invite the people to compare the pledges of the Democratic party with the performance of a Democratic administration. The fitness and capacity of the Democracy to govern must be judged by its record. Its most important achievement thus far has been fitly characterized by the chief executive as one of "perfidy and dishonor." Denouncing political corruption, it has rewarded the largest contributors to its campaign fund by the bestowal of foreign missions; denouncing trusts, it permitted one of them to formulate its tariff bill; promising a continuance of the vigorous foreign policy established by the lamented James G. Blaine, it substituted a "policy of infamy" when Hawaii was freely offered us; denouncing the Sherman act as a "cowardly make-shift," it was enabled to repeal the silver purchasing clause of the act only by the help of Republican senators; arraigning protection as a "fraud upon labor" it passed a mongrel protection measure so tainted with scandal that it barely escaped the veto of a Democratic president; advocating free raw materials and an extension or our foreign trade, it destroyed all the profitable reciprocal agreements made by President Harrison; pledging itself to the payment of "just and liberal pensions," it treats the Union soldier as if the Grand Army badge were the badge of beggary and brigandage; pledging retrenchment, it exceeded at the last session of congress the expenditures of the corresponding session of the last Republican congress $27,000,000 in the face of decreasing revenues, and after it had added $50,000,000 to the public debt, while pretending to be in favor of individual freedom. It hastened to enact an odious income tax force bill, empowering deputy collectors to enter the homes of citizens and compel them by threats of official summons and heavy penalties to disclose their private affairs.

   In this state, as in the nation, pledges are made to be broken. The Democratic party made its solemn pledges to economize state expenditures, abolish useless state commissions, reduce the tax rate, perfect ballot reform, strengthen electoral safeguards and establish home rule. Every one of the Democratic pledges have been disgracefully disregarded, while the Republican pledges have been honestly kept and especially those for the repeal of anti-home rule legislation and a reduction of public expenditures and diminished tax rate.

   The legislative appropriations for the past year were nearly $2,224,000 less than those of the preceding Democratic legislature and the tax rate was reduced from 2.58 in 1893 to 2.18 in 1894, or nearly 16 per cent. Much more would have been accomplished by the Republican legislature last winter but for the persistent interference of the executive.

   We denounce the Northern Democratic congressmen for permitting Southern members to protect the chief products of their section while removing or largely reducing protective duties on the products of the North, thus permitting the South by legal enactment in time of peace to destroy our prosperity and accomplish what it failed to do by illegal enactment in time of war and we especially denounce the Democratic representatives from this, the greatest manufacturing state in the Union, whose annual manufacturing products exceed that of the entire South by $500,000,000, for their treachery and cowardice in aiding the passage of a sectional tariff bill that has crippled the industries and reduced the wages of workingmen and that levies a tax on incomes, which is a tax on prosperity. * * *

   We arraign the administration of Governor Flower for its glaring sins of omission and commission. The executive of the state was the accomplice of an odious Democratic machine which stole the legislature. He rewarded the chief participant in that great political crime with a place on the highest court of the state, an insult that the people resented last fall and will hasten again to resent; he indorsed the shameless legislative gerrymander by the stolen legislature; he put the canals in the hands of party workers and made a highway of politics of a highway of commerce; he blocked the path of ballot reform and of home rule in violation of his solemn pledges; he vetoed the bill to provide funds for the police investigation in New York and thus attempted to prevent the disclosure of the unspeakable infamies of Tammany's police department by the Lexow committee. He made a mockery of civil service reform and in every emergency was the ready tool of machine bosses instead of being the governor of the state; posing as the friend of the workingman, he refused to give them a hearing when they appealed to him in the panic and publicly declared that the charities of New York were abundantly able to furnish them relief; proclaiming his desire for a pure ballot, he expelled from the executive chamber with threats of arrest a nonpartisan delegation of eminent citizens from Troy who appealed to him to prevent the election crimes that subsequently stained that city with the blood of a Republican martyr. We recognize the wisdom of the constitutional convention in dealing in important and needed revision and amendment of the constitution of the state, and commend the action thus far taken by that convention to the favorable consideration of the people. * * * *

   We approve the conduct of the Republican legislation of last winter and commend the administration of the Republican state officials elected last fall. With the election of a Republican assembly and a Republican governor and lieutenant governor we pledge the people a free ballot and a fair count, practical ballot reform, free and fair primaries as fully protected by law as general elections, an improved civil service, municipal home rule, a just apportionment, reduced state expenditures, an equitable system of taxation, an acceptable excise law, adequate protection from unjust discriminations by monopolies and a minimized tax rate.

   At the conclusion of the report he moved the previous question, and it was unanimously adopted. Senator Mullen offered a resolution condoling with Comptroller Roberts in his illness. Adopted. Senator O'Connor moved to take up this order of business:

   Nominations of governor; nominations for lieutenant governor; nominations for judge court of appeals. Adopted.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Republican Ticket.

    The Republican state convention at Saratoga yesterday put in nomination one of the strongest tickets which has been before the people of the Empire state in the history of the Republican party.  Thorough good feeling prevailed and no bad blood was engendered. There was no mistaking the overwhelming sentiment in favor of Levi P. Morton for the head of the ticket. He was nominated upon the first ballot, having 532 1/2 ballots out of a total of 732, the remaining 199 1/2 being scattered among six candidates. His strongest opponent was Jacob Sloat Fassett, who had 69 votes. When the result was announced and when Mr. Fassett appeared upon the floor, there were shouts of "platform." When that gentleman answered back, "The Republican platform is platform enough for me," and then said that he would follow where Mr. Morton would lead, the enthusiasm was unbounded and the convention cheered him to the echo.

   The chief contest was for lieutenant governor. There were nine candidates before the convention. It was recognized that Senator Charles T. Saxton of Wayne was the strongest, but it was not believed that he could be nominated upon the first ballot, if at all. His strength, however, proved to have been under-estimated. When the roll called it was evident that Mr. Saxton lacked only about twenty votes of a nomination. While the secretaries were figuring up the count, St. Lawrence county charged its vote to Saxton. This action was followed by one district of Kings county, and. then there was a stampede toward Saxton, and before the count was announced the motion was made, and seconded by many, that the nomination be made unanimous. The motion was carried amid great enthusiasm.

   Judge Albert Height of Erie was named for judge of the court of appeals upon the second ballot.

   The ticket meets with popular approval. There is no reason why it should not be elected. It is an opportune time. The great wave of Republicanism which swept over the country a year ago is growing in volume, and it seems likely that New York state will vote up a Republican majority in November which has never been seen before.

New York Gov. Roswell Flower.

Handwriting on the Wall.

   Governor Flower sees the handwriting on the wall. He recognizes that this is a Republican year and that if he should be nominated by the Democrats he would not be "in it," and consequently he prefers that some one other than himself should be the nine pin to be knocked down by the great ball of Republicanism that will this year be hurled down the alley with unerring aim by the citizens of the Empire state. As a result he yesterday gave out the following statement:

   I am convinced that my nomination, if it should be accorded to me by the convention, would not be so likely to command the full vote of the party as would the nomination of some other Democrat, and I am too desirous of Democratic success to stand in its way.

   This is an important year for the party. Republican victory in November would be likely to mean a perpetuation of Republican control for many years in this state, and Republican success in the nation in 1896. Our ticket must have the earnest, aggressive support of every Democrat to assure Democratic victory, and that man should be nominated for governor who can certainly command that support.

FAKED THEM ALL.

Young Man Makes off With a Wheel and a Horse and Buggy.

   Three weeks ago a young man came to Cortland and introduced himself to Policeman F. H. Monroe as Ward Yarnes, stating that he had been in the employ of George Barnes, an old friend of Mr. Monroe's residing at Triangle. Mr. Monroe kindly spent nearly all of his spare time for two days in showing the young man around town.

   During his stay here he had the misfortune to have a team run into and smash his wheel, which he took to Burrows & Webster, who put $1.50 worth of repairs on it. He did not pay for it when he took the wheel away. At about the same time he rented a wheel at Richardson's cycle house, afterward returned it, but did not settle.

   At 10:35 A. M. last Saturday he rented Richardson's Eclipse wheel to go to Homer. He paid for one and one-half hours in advance. He did not return with the wheel and when Saturday night arrived and the man and wheel were both missing Mr. Richardson became quite worried. He inquired about him of Mr. Monroe, who said that he had been "faked" by Yarnes, as the latter had told him that his friends from Triangle were coming up Saturday to spend Sunday. Mr. Monroe had made quite elaborate preparations for their entertainment, but they had failed to put in an appearance. It was afterwards learned that their proposed visit was as much a surprise to them as was Mr. Monroe's disappointment in their non-arrival.

   Yarnes was an acquaintance of Mr. Mathews at the hop fields and early Tuesday morning Mr. Richardson and Mr. Mathews hired a livery and started in pursuit of the wheel. They traced their man to Cincinnatus and afterwards went to his home at Smithville. His mother told them that she had not seen him for a month, but was anxious to do so as he had taken his sister's watch and chain and had forged an order on his parents near McDonough for $25. She thought that he had gone to his relatives in Lisle.

   Mr. Richardson left his horse and Mr. Mathews at Smithville, secured another horse and in company with Constable Casey went to Lisle where they learned that their man was enamored by a young woman who was visiting at German. They started for German, but to get there it was necessary to return to Smithville, and when they arrived at the latter place they were treated to a genuine surprise.

   A telephone message from Oxford to a Smithville constable asked him to arrest the driver of a black horse, harnessed to a side bar wagon, as they had been stolen. Mr. Richardson had such a rig and the constable spotted him at once as the thief. He was very indignant and telephoned to Oxford to inquire if it was a horse or a mare that was stolen. The answer came back that it was mare, and as Mr. Richardson's animal was a horse, this question was settled and he was no longer held in suspicion. He explained, however, by telephone to Mr. Mark Griffith, the Oxford livery man, that he was looking for a stolen wheel. The liveryman replied that Yarnes had left a wheel with him Saturday night and had hired his horse and carriage instead and had departed for regions unknown.

   Mr. Richardson next heard that the fellow was at German. On arriving there he learned that the man had been there until Monday, but had left. Messrs. Richardson and Mathews then went on to McDonough, where they changed horses and got supper. They pushed over to Oxford, arriving there at 10:30 o'clock last night, identified the wheel and Mr. Richardson took the midnight train for Binghamton, He arrived in town, with the wheel on the 6 o'clock train this morning, He left Mr. Mathews at Oxford to continue the hunt with the constable.

   Yarnes is said to have stolen a horse and wagon at Marathon some time ago and it is alleged that his father was obliged to mortgage his place to settle. He is also said to have been an inmate of the Elmira reformatory.

   Mr. Richardson also heard on his trip that Yarnes had secured about $18 worth of [railroad] mileage at some place which he had failed to return.

BREVITIES.

   —There hasn't been a rainy day since before Decoration day.

   —The E., C. & N. are building a switch to the milk depot at McLean.

   —The funeral of Dr. H. A. Bolles was held at his late home on [82] Railroad-st. at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

   —On account of the death of Richard McMahon the C. M. B. A. social, which was to have been held last evening, was adjourned two weeks.

   —The funeral of Mrs. Mary A. Margoris will be held at 8:30 o'clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. A. Knight, 9 Grant-st. Interment will be at North Lansing.

   —Fifty cases of typhoid fever have lately been reported to the hoard of health of Syracuse. It is noticeable that many young men between the ages of 20 and 30 years are ill of this disease.

   —The funeral of Amos B. Maynard will be held at 8:30 o'clock to-morrow from the home of his granddaughter, Mrs. George Ryder at 89 Lincoln-ave. The remains will be taken to Lysander, Onondaga county, on the 10 o'clock train for burial.

   —There were forty-six people in the party that went to Little York last night. A splendid supper was served at the Raymond House, and dancing was begun soon after to the strains of a violin and a piano, the performers being taken from Cortland. All reached home in the rain at 2 o'clock this morning, reporting a very enjoyable time.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

Whiskey Saves the Life of Benjamin F. Cheney.

   Benjamin F. Cheney, who resides near the brick schoolhouse on Groton-ave., attempted suicide at about 9 o'clock last evening by taking half an ounce of laudanum. After taking the poison he took a big drink of whiskey and this made him ill and he vomited up the greater portion of the laudanum. Dr. Jerome Angel, who had been called, arrived on the scene about half an hour later and by means of strong coffee, the white of an egg and considerable labor, the man was brought to his senses.

   When asked the reason of his attempted self murder, Cheney said that he was discouraged and down-hearted, and was better dead than alive, He said that he intended to make a sure thing of it next time.

   Cheney claims that he threw the bottle away, but purchased the poison in Cortland for horse medicine. A STANDARD reporter visited all the drug stores, but failed to find the sale on their poison registers. The only clew that could be found was at Sager & Jennings, who say that a man answering his description came to their store yesterday and wanted to purchase some strychnine for rat poison. As his excited manner aroused suspicions, they would not sell it to him.

   Cheney was a member of the Homer-ave. church and worked on the corporation at intervals. It is said that he worked yesterday. He is all right now and should be thankful that he is alive.