The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-22
THE REPUBLICAN STATE PLATFORM.

renew our declaration against crimes of fraud
and violence wherever practiced and under
whatever form, whereby the right of every
man to cast one vote, and have that vote
counted and returned is imperiled or
abridged. We especially protest against the
| fragrant crime of the Democratic party of In
diana against free suffrage in the passage of
an infamous gerrymander. We demand that,
| man Tor man, the votes of members of all par
ties shall be given equal force and effect.
| Freedom of labor is essential to the con-
tentment and prosperity Of the people. Work
lngmen should be protected against the OPP
presslons of corporate combinations and mo-
nopolles. We are opposed to the importation
of contracted and ill-paid labor from abroad
the unfair competition of convict labor with
free labor the competition of assisted" emf
! grants and the vicious classes of Europe with
American workingmen: the employment of
young children in factories and mines; and
we recommend to the next General Assembly
| the passage of such laws as will guarantee to
worklngmen the most favorable conditions for
| their labor-especially in the proper ventila-
ton and safeguards for life and health in
| mines and factories-and the sure and prompt
payment OF wages. We favor the reduction
of the legal number of working hours
| wherever practicable, and the submission of
| ali matters of controversy between employee
|
partial arbitration. The right of all men to
associate for the promotion of their mutual
| good and protection without interfering with
the rights of others, cannot be questioned.
We favor the maintenance of the principle
| OF protection, under which the resources of
the State and Nation have been and are be-
ing developed, and whereby the wages of
| workingmen are from Is to 30 per cent. higher
than under the revenue tariff in force before
he infn To-
! voring the reduction and REIMBURSEMENT of the
tariff from time to time circumstances may
require, upon the basis of affordng protection to
the products and results of American skill and
| duced as low as will be allowed by a wise observ
ance of the necessity to protect that
portion of our manufacturers and labor
whose prosperity is essential to our national
safety and independence. We at the same time
condemn the declaration of the Democratic party
of Indiana in favor of practical free trade as a
menace to the prosperity of the State and to the
welfare and advancement of wOrkingmeu.
The wisdom and honesty of the Republican
| party secured sound money TO the people. Gold
and silver should be maintained in friendly re-
lation in the coin circulation of the country, and
| all the circulating medium-coin and paper alike
should be kept of equal and permanent value.
| The surplus in the Treasury should be steadily
applied to the redemption of the national debt.
We favor thorough and honest enforcement
of the civil-service law, and the extension of it's
| principles to the State administration wherever
| it can be made practicable, to the end that the
/ corruption and fragrant abuses that exist in the
management of our public institutions may be
done away with and they be liberated from par
/ tisan control
| The Republican party carried into effect the
homestead policy, under which the Western
/ States and Territories have been made poplllous
and prosperous. We favor the reservation of
public lands for small holdings by actual settlers,
and are opposed to the acquisition of large tracts
of the public domain by corporations and nom
resident aliens American lands should be pre-
/ served for American settlers.
The watering of corporate stock should be pre-
vented by law Railway and other public cor
porations should be subjected to the control of
| the people, through the legislative power that
| created them, and their undue influence in leg
islaton and in courts should be summarily pre-
vented. We favor the creation OF bureau of
labor and statistics, whereby the interests of
| both labor and capital may be protected and the
| welfare of the State promoted.
/ The constitutional provision that all taxation
/ shall be equal and uniform should be made eff
] fectige by such revision of the assessment aud
/ taxation laws will remedy the injustice
/ whereby certain localities have been made to
bear more than their due share of the public
] burdens.
| The strict and impartial enforcement of law is
| the only safeguard of society; and we demand of
| State and local authorities the vigorous execu-
ton of legal penalties against al criminals We
| congratulate the people on the unanimous .oppo-
| sition of all classes to the imported crime of
| archism. which is the enemy of social order and
an attack upon the safety of life property.
/ 1t is the special foe of honorable workingmen,
1 and is justly condemned by intelligent and pa
4 triotic labor everywhere.
i Lapse of time does not weaken the gratitude
! due the soldiers and sailors of the Union. We
/ favor such changes in the pension laws as will
/ make proof of enlistment conclusive evidence of
the physical soundness OF the applicant; that
/ will equalize allowances, and will simplify the
methods by which just claims can be adjudicated
/ in the Pension Office. We favor the granting of
| a pension to every honorably discharged Union
soldier and sailor suffering from unavoidable dis
ability. The Legislature should make liberal
appropriation for the erection Of a soldiers and
sailors monument at the capital of the State.
| We favor the granting of pensions to the sur
/ vivors of the Mexican war who are not laboring
under political disability. We favor the sepa-
ration of the Soldiers Orphans Home from the
| Home for the Predetermined Children.
| We renew the pledge of our devotion to the
| free, unsectarian school system. and favor me as
ures tending to increase its practical value TO
| the people. We are opposed to any movement,
however 1nsilious whether local or State,
whereby a sacred fund may be diverted from its
| legitimate use or the administration or the
| schools made less impartial or efficient.
The amendment to the Constitution of the
| State providing for the equalization Of fees and
| salaries ought not to remain dead letter; and
we favor the enactment of a just law for the
| compensation of all public officials.
We favor the pending constitutional amend
ment making the terms of county officers four
years, and striking out the word white" from
Section l, Article r. of the Constitution, so that
colored men may become part of the regular
| militia force for the defense of the State.
The attempted domination by the Liquor
| League of political parties and legislation is a
| menace to free institutions which must be met
| and defeated. The traffic in Intoxicating liquors
has always been under legislative restraint; and,
believing that the evils resulting therefrom
should be rieidly repressed, we favor such laws
will permit the people in their several loeali-
| ties to invoke such measures of res friction
they may deem wise, and to compel the traffic
to compensate for the burdens it imposes on So
cety and relieve the expressions OF local taxa
| ton.
The party of freedom to all, irrespective of
the accidents of birth or condition, the Repub
liean party welcomes every advance of the peo-
i l. L. = -. Il.