The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-06-14
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
Adopted at Chicago by the National Re-
publican Convention, June 9th, 1884.

ance to the principles upon which they have
triumphed in six successive Presidential elections,
and congratulate the American people the
attainment of so many results in legislation and
administration by which the Republican party
has, after saving the Union, done so much to
render its institutions just, equal and benefcent
the safeguard of liberty and the embodiment of
the best thought and highest purposes of our
citizens. The Republican party has gained its
strength by quick and faithful response to the de-
mands of the people for the freedom and the
equality of all men; for q united nation, assuring
the rights of all ctizens for the elevation of labor;
for an honest currency; for purity in legislation,
and for integrity and accountability in all depart
ments of the Government; and it accepts anew the
duty of leading in the work of progress and re-
form.
We lament the death of President Garfield,
whose sound craftsmanship, long conspicuous in
Congress, gave promise of strong and successful
administration, promise fully realized during
the short period of his Office as President of the
United States. His distinguished success in war
and in peace has endeared him to the hearts Of
the American people.
In the administration of President Arthur we
recognize q wise, conservative, and patriotic
policy, under which the country has been blessed
with remarkable prosperity, and we believe his
eminent services are entitled to and will receive
the hearty approval of every citizen.
It is the first duty Of good Government to
protect the rights and promote the interests OF
its own people. The largest diversity of industry
is most productive of general prosperity and OF
the comfort and independence of the people. We
therefore demand that the imposition of duties on
foreign imports shall be made, not for revenue
only, but that in raising the requisite revenues
for the Government such duties shall be so levied
as to afford security to our diversified industries
and protection to the rights and wages of the
laborer to the end that active and intelligent
II boxyn ,Hs. uor1
and the laborng man his full share in the national
prosperity.
Against the so-called economic system of the
Democratic party which would degrade our labor
to the foreign standard, we enter our earnest pro
test. The Democratic party has failed completely
to relieve the people of the burden of unnecessary
taxation by wise reduction OF the surplus.
The Republican party pledges itself to correct
the inequalities of the tariff, and to reduce the
surplus, not by the vicious and ndiscriminate
process of horizontal reduction, but by such meth
DDS as will relieve the taxpayer without iujuring
the laborer Of the great productive interests of the
country.
Werecognize the Importance of sheep husbandry
in the United States, the serious depression which
it is now experiencing and the danger threaten
ing its future prosperity; and we therefore respect
the demands of the representatives fthis import
ant agricultural interest for a readjustment OF
duty upon foreign wool, in order that such in
dustry shall have full and adequate protection.
We have always recommended the best money
known to the civilized world, and we urge that
an effort be made to unite all commercial nations
in the establishment of an International standard
which shall fix for all the relative value of gold
and silver coinage.
The regulation of commerce with foreign ma
tions and between the States is one of the most
important prerogatives of the General Govern
ment, and the Republican party distinctly an
ffo nnqat a IpplStatlOp
will fully and efficiently carry out the constitu-
tional power of Congress over Interstate COM
merce.
The principle of the public regulation of rail
way corporations is wise and salutary one for
the protection Of all classes of the people, and we
favor legislation that shall prevent unjust dis
elimination and excessive charges for transporta-
ton, and that shall secure to the people and to
the railways alike the fair and equal protection of
the laws.
We favor the establishment Of national bu-
reau of labor, the enforcement of the eight-hour
law, and wise and judicious system of general
education by adequate appropriation from the
national revenues wherever the same is needed.
We believe that everywhere the protection to a
citizen of American birth must be secured to
citizens of American adoption, and we favor the
settlement of national difference by international
arbitration.
The Republican party having its birth in a
hatred of slave labor and in desire that all men
may be free and equal, is unalterably opposed to
placing our workingmen in competition with any
form of servile labor, whether at home or abroad.
In this spirit we denounce the importation ofcon-
tract labor, whether from Europe or Asia, as an
offence against the spirit of American institutions,
and we pledge ourselves to sustain the present
law restricting Chinese immigration, and to pro-
vide such further legislation rs is necessary to
carry out its purposes .
sosc
be completed by the further extension of the re-
formed system, already established by law, to
all the grades of the service to which it is apple
able. The spirit and purpose of the reform should
be observed in all executive appointments, and
all laws at variance with the objects of existing
reformed legislation should be repealed, to the
end that the danger to free institutions which
turks in the power of official patronage may be
wisely and effectively avoided.
The public lands are heritage of the people of
the United States, and should be reserved as far
as possible, for small holdings by actual settlers.
We are opposed to the acquisition of large tracts
of these lands by corporations or individuals,
especially where such holdings are in the hands
of nonresident aliens, and we will endeavor to
obtain such legislation will tend to correct this
evil We demand of Congress the speedy for
fixture of all land grants which have lapsed by
reason of non compliance with acts of incorpora-
ton, in all cases where there has been no attempt
in good faith to perform the conditions of such
grants.
The grateful thanks of the American people are
due to the Union soldiers and sailors of the late
war, and the Republican party stands pledged to
suitable pensions for all who were disabled and
for the widows and orphans of those who died in
the war. The Republican party also pledges it
self to the repeal of the limitation contained in
the arrears act of ls79 that all invalid soldiers
shall share alike, and their pensions shall begin
with the date of disability or discharge, and not
with the date of their application.
The Republican party favors policy which
shall keep us from entangling alliances with
foreign nations and which shall give the right to
expect that foreign nations shall retain from
meddling in American affairs-the policy which
seeks peace and can trade with all Powers, but
especially with those of the Western Hemisphere.
We demand the restoration of our navy to its
old-time strength and efficiency, that it may, in
any sea, protect the rights of American citizens
and the interests of American commerce, and we
call upon Congress to remove the burdens under
which American shipping has been depressed, so
that it may again be true that we have q COM
MERGE which leaves no sea unexplored and a navy
which takes no law from superior force.
Resolved, That appointments by the President
to offices in the Territories should be made from
the bona ide citizens and residents of the Ter
ritories wherein they are to serve.
RESOLVED, That it is the duty of Congress to
enact such laws as shall promptly and effectually
suppress the system of polygamy within our ter
ritory, and divorce the political from the ecclesi
astical power of the so-called Mormon Church,
and that the law so enacted should be rigidly en-
forced by the civil authorities if possible, and by
the military if need be.
The people of the United States, in their organ
lied capacity, constitute Nation and not a mere
confederaoy of States. The National Govern
ment is supreme within the sphere of its national
duty, but the States have reserved rights which
should be faithfully maintained; each should be
guarded with jealous SO that the harmony of
our system of government may be preserved and
the Union be kept inviolate. The perpetuity of
our institutions rests upon the maintenance of a
free ballot, an honest count and correct returns.
We denounce the fraud and violence practised
by the Democracy in Southern States by which
the will of the voter is defeated, as dangerous to
the preservation of free institutions, and we
selemnly arraign the Democratic party as being
the guilty recipient of the fruits of such fraud and
violence. We extend to the Republicans of the
South, regardless of their former party affiliations,
our cordial sympathy, and pledge to them our
utmost earnest efforts to promote the passage of
such legislation will secure to every citizen, OF
whatever race and color, the full and complete
RECOGNITION, possesson and exercise of all civil