The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-20
TIE 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
tlagrant crime of the Democratic party of In
diana against free suffrage in. the passage of
an Infamous gerrymander. we demand that,
man for 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
ingmen should be protected against the op-
| pressions of corporate combinations and mo-
| nopolies 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 working1nen: 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
workingmen the most favorable conditions for
their labor-especially III 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
all 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
hlinon ncwfEy infn UQ Fa.
voring the reduction and readjustment of the
tariff from time to time as circumstances may
require upon the basis of affording protection to
the products and results of American skill and
industry, in opinion the duties should be re-
ducsd as low as will be allowed by wise obsery-
ance of the necessity to protect that
| portion OF 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
menace to the prosperity of the State and to the
! welfare and advancement Of workingmen
| The wisdom and honesty of the Republican
party secured sound money TO the people. Gold
and silver should be maintained IN friendly
iation 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 a thorough and honest enforcement
of the civilservice 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
1 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 poplIlous
| and prosperous We favor the reservation of
public lands for small holdings by actual settlers
and opposed I'd the acquisition of large tracts
| of the public domain by corporations and non
| 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
| islation and in courts should be summarily pre-
| vented. We favor the creation of bureau of
labor aud 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 ef-
| fective by such revision of the assessment and
| 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 an
| archism which is the enemy of social order and
| an attack upon the safety of life anu property
| 1t is the special foe of honorable workingmen,
| and is justly condemned by intelligent aud pa
| triotic labor everywhere.
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 adiudicated
| in the Pension Office We favor the granting of
| pension to every honorab1y discharged Union
soldier and sailor suffering from unavoidable dis
! ability. The Legislature should make liberal
| appropriation for the erection of soldiers and
| sailors monument at the capital OF the State.
We favor the granting of pensions to the sur
| viyors of the Mexican war who not laboring
| under political disability. We favor the sepa-
| ration of the Soldiers Orphans Home from the
| Home for the Feeble minded Children.
We renew the pledge of our devotion to the
| free, unsectarian school system and favor meas
| ures tending to increase its practical yalne to
| the people. We are opposed to any movement,
| however lnsidious whether local or State
| whereby sacred fund may be diverted from its
| legitimate use, or the administration OF 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 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 IL, 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 rigidly repressed we favor such laws
as will permit the people in their several locali-
ties to invoke such measures of restriction as
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