Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-06

lection OF our defenselesS harbors and cities ),
for the payment of just pensions to our SOL
diers for neces sary works Of national impor-
lance in the improvement of harbors and the
channels of internal, coastwise and foreign
commerce; for the encouragement of the ship
| ping interests of the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific
States as well as for the Of the ma
ment to our labor, activity TO our various in
dus tries, increase tie security of our country,
for our produce and cheaper the cost of trans
portation. We affirm this to be far better for
our country than the Democratic policy of
loaning the Governments money without in
terest to "pet banks"
The conduct of foreign affairs by the present
administration has been distinguished by its
inetficiency and it's cowardice. Having with
drawn from the Senate all pending treaties eff
fected by Republican administration for the
removal of foreign burdens and restrictions
upon our commerce and for it's extension into
better markets, it has neither effected nor pro-
posed any others in their stead. Protesting adj
herence to the Monroe doctrine, it has seen,
with lille complacency, the extension of foreign
influence in CenGraI America, and of foreign
trade everywhere among our neighbors. 1t has
refused to charter. sanction encourage any
American Organization for constructing the
Nicaragua Canal, work of vital Importance to
the maintenance OF the Monroe doctrine and of
our national influence in Central and South
America. and pccessary for the development
of trade with Our Pacific territory, with South
America and with the islanes and further
coasts of the Pacific Ocean.
We arragn the present Democratic admins
tration for the W eak and unpatriotic treatment
of the fisheries question: and its pusilani-
nous surrender of the essential privileges to
which our fishing vessels are entitled in Cana
dian ports under me treaty o. 1915 the reepro-
of nations, and which Canadian fishing vessels
receive in the ports of the United States. We
condemn the policy of the present adm1nistra-
ton and the Democratic majority in Congress-
towards fisheries, as unfriendly and con-
spicuOusly unpatrotic, and as tending to de-
stroy valuable national industry and an in
dispensable resource of defense against for
eign enemy.
citizens of the Republic, and imposes upon all
alike the same obligation of obedience to the
laws. At the same time that citizenship is and
must be the panoply and safeguard of him who
wears it, and protect him. whether high or low,
and must afford him protection at home, and
follow and protect him abroad in whatever
land he may be on a lawful Grand"
The men who abandoned the Republican
party in 1884, and continue to adhere to the
Democratic party, have deserted not only the
of freedom and purity of the ballot, but espec-
tally have deserted the cause of reform in the
civil service. We will not fail to keep our
pledges because they have broken theirs, or
because their candidate has broken his. We
therefore repeat our declaration of 1854, to-wlt:
1.-THE reform of the civil service auspiciously
begun under the Republican Administration
should be completed by the further extension
Of the reform system already established by
is applicable. The spirit and purpose of the
reform should be observed In all Executive ap-
pointments, and all laws at variance with the
object of existing reform legislation should be
repealed, to the end that the dangers to free in
St1tutlOnS winch lufk IN the power OF official
patronage may be wisely and effectively
avoided"
The gratitude of the Nation to the defenders
of the Union cannotsbe measured by laws. The
legislation of Congress should conform to the
pledges made by a loyal people, and be so en-
larged and extended as to provide against the
possibility that any man who honorably wore
the Federal uniform shall become an inmate of
an alms-house, or dependent upon private
charity. In the presence of an overlooking
Treasury it would be public scandal to do less
for those valorous service preserved the Gov
eminent. We dcnounce the hostile spirit
shown by President Cleveland in his numerous
vetoes of measures for pension relief, and the
ing even consideration of general pension
In support of the principles herewith enun-
c1ated, we invite the cooperation of patriotic
men of all parties, and especially of all work
ingmen whose prOSperitY iH SariOuSlY threat