Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-06-14

an enormous advance has been made bl
four country during the last tweHty-fiv,
years. The past, at least, is secure. Bu
the Republican party is not satisfied
with retrospect alone. 1t looks to tn,
, future. What is yet to be done? Eacl
campaign brings its new duty, and thi.
more than usual demands of US courage
| and progress. We cannot wait for oul
Democratic friends 10 overtake us, fol
they always lag two years behind. They
acquiesce, but they do not propose OF
execute. They will find fault with what
we do, but they take care to enjoy the
blessings we confer. They are in love
with the Union; they are opposed tC
slavery; they even believe in specie re
sumption, but they are opposed to pro
lection laws and SumptuaTy laws. We
are for laws protecting the labor of OuI
people, and we are for laws that will
make the traffic in liquor pay the cost il
entails. These are the issues of the mo
ment. Let US look at them. We must
Impose large taxes for the support of
our National Government, This we
think should be done by duty on import
ed goods and not on domestic products,
except on two or three articles of luxury,
like whisky and tobacco. We also say
while levying these duties great care
should be taken to put them first on lux
uries, and second ON articles that come
into competition with our own fabrics,
| the purpose being TO give to our own
workmen the benefit of the increased
price of the article caused 10y the tax; to
give to our farmers the home market of
busy laborerS as consumers of his pro
dacts, and to our country the increased
wealth. strength and independence
caused by great variety of production.
We contend that this principle of pro
lection should extend to all PRODUCTIONS
of the farm as well as of the workshop,
so that the wool of the farmer should be
protected as well as the wOolens. We
are for home industry and for fair
wages for good days work, so that the
man who works shall not only have the
necessarieS of life, but for himself and
his children the means of Improvement,
advancement and education. This is the
| fixed policy of the Republican party
Where our Democratic friends stand we
can tell after the next Convention
may be.
AS to the temperance question, we all
acknowledge the great and manifest
evils that flow from the use and abuse
of SpirituouS liquors, and at the same
time the difficulty of dealing with the
subject without interfering with the es
sential and necessary liberty of each cit
iZen to determine for himself what he
will eat, drink and wear. Many modes
have been proposed to check the evils of
| intemperance, and many worthy citi-
zens believe the only way is by absolute
prohibition of the manufacture and sale
of spirits. Others equally sincere be-
lleve that prohibition is practicable; !;
that it could not be enforced, especially
in cities, and therefore want to leave
the entire control of the subject tothe'
General Assembly, SO that legislatiens
might be adapted to meet t+fes nseds of
different localities, and changing public
opinion. These two propositions are
submitted to the people. Every man
should for himself, without regard to
party, study these propositions and vote
according to his convictions of what is
right. In the meantime this traffic goes
on in open day, and by night, filling our
poor houses, jails and Penitentiary, in
creasing the expenses of our courts and
police. Now the question is this: Ought
not this traffic to be taxed to pay por-
tion of these expenses? This is the pfin-
ciple of the Scott bill. 1t is right. OuI
State Constitution prohibits license,
but this is not a license, it is a tax. At
all events, license or no license, we are
in favor of a tax; and, if necessary. we
will change the Constitution to enable
the Genal Assembly to devise and en-
force just system of taxation ON this
traffic. And why not? 1t is done in
nearly every State, country, and city in
Christendom, and perhaps in Pagandom.
We have for thirty years in Ohio ne
elected this stream of revenue, this most
unobjectionable form of restraining the
traffic. We have followed the example
of the Pharisee who would not relieve
the poor unfortunate because he feared
to be contaminated. We would not tax
the liquor seller because, we are told,
that makes US partner in the crime.
This is good logic for his pocket. We
are or ought to be practical men, and |
risk my reputation as prophet by say
ing that even after one years enforce
ment OF the Scott law our Democratic
friends will acquiesce and not propose
to repeal it.
Let us then, my fellow Republicans,
go on; let us perform our duties accord |
ing to what we think is right, and ap-
pealing to the judgment of our fellow
citizens. Let US raise the Republican
standard with courage and hope as of |
old, and assured success will light up its
folds.
Enthusiastic applause interrupted the
speech throughout, and round after |
ofo fo1louaI
tion, and the Barracks band struck up |
stirring air which had an inspiring eff |
feet.
While the band was playing the pres
ence of Hon. William H. West, of Belle
fontaine, caused considerable enthusi-
aSm.
The Chairman, calling for the report |
of the Committee on Resolutions, the
Hon. William Mckinley, from the COM
mittee. repaired to the stage and read a
report of the committee, as follows:
THE PLATFORM.
The Republicans of Ohio, in State Con-
vention assembled, adopt the following
declaration of principles:
l. That the Republican party, in preserving
the life of the nation, in giving freedom and |
equal rights to all its citizens, in the recon-
struction Of the Union, in upholding the nation
al honor, i'll the generous provisions made for
those who have suffered for their country, in
keeping the national faith and advancing the
national credit, in the speedy payment OF the
public debt, in the reduttion of national taxa
ton, in the elevation of civil service, in the en-
actment of a series of wise public measures
which has given the country unexampled pros
perity, have given the best assurances of its
purposes for the future.
2. That the Republican party believe now as
in the past in the maintainance of tariff sys-
TEN which will provide revenue for the Gov
ernment and at the same time will protect
American producers and American labor; that
it is opposed to the Democratic doctrine of ga