Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-31
THE PLATFORM.
An Able and Interesting
Document.
PROTECTION, THE PLANK ON
WHICH WE STAND.
sQUARELY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY-
REPEAL OF THE TOBACCO TAX
CLEVELAND's ADMINISTRATION
CONDEMNED.

/ SQUARELY AND UNkQUlFOCALL1 --
REPEAL OF THE TOBACCO TAX
CLEVELAND's ADMINISTRATION
CONDEMNED.
CHICAGO, June 2l.-The following is the
platform as reported 10 the convention
and adopted by unanimous vote;
The Republicans OF the United States
assembled by their delegates in the Ma
tional Convention pause on the threshold
of their proceedings TO honor the memory
of their first great leader. immortal ehau-
pion of liberty and the rights Of the peo-
pie, Abraham Lincoln, and cover also
with wreaths of imporishable remembran-
CO and gratitude, the heroic names OF the
later leaders who have moro recently Oeeh
called away from our councils, Grant,
/ Garfield, Arther, Logan, Conkhng' may
their memories be faithfully cherished;
We also recall with our greetings ana
prayer for his recovery the name oil one
of our living heroes whose memory VIII
be treasured in history, both OF kePuoil.
cans and of the Republic, the name OF that
noble soldier and favOrte child OF victory,
Philip II. Sheridan. In the spirit OF those
great leaders and of our own devotion to
human liberty and with that hostility to
ali the forms of despotism ana oppression
which is the fundamental idea OF the ne
publican party, We send iraternal cOngrat-
ulations 10 our fellow Americans OF Bra
iii upon their great act OF the emancipa-
ton which completes the abolition oil
slavery throughout the two American
continents. We earnestly hope that we
may soon congratulate our fellow citizens
of Irish birth upon the peaceful recovery
of home rule for Ireland. We re'ailirm
our answering devotion to the National
Constitution and the indissoluble Union
of States, TO autonomy reserved to the
States under the constitution TO the per
sonal rights and liberties of the citizens
in all States and Territories in the Union,
and especially TO the supreme and soyer-
eien right of every lawful citizen, rich or
poor, native OF foreign born, white or
black. TO cast one free ballot in the public
elections and to have their ballot duly
counted. We hold that froe trade and
honest and popular ballot and just and
equal representation of all people to be
the foundation of our Republican govern
ment. and demand effective legislation to
secure the integrity and surety of the
elections which are the fountains OF all
public authority.
We charge that the present administra-
ton and the Democratic majority in Con-
gress owe their existence 10 the suppress
sion of the ballot by the criminal nullifi-
cation of the constitution and the laws OF
the United States.
We are uncompromisingly In favor Of
the American system Of protection. We
protest against ITS destruction as proposed
by the President and his party. They
serve the interests of America. We ac-
cept the issue and confidently appeal to
the people for their judgment. The pro-
tective system must be maintained. Its
Abandonment has always been followed
bv general disaster to all interests except
those Of the Insurer and sheriff.
We denounce the Mills bill as destruc-
tive TO the general business, labor and
farming interests of the country and we
heartily endorse the consistent and patri-
otto action Of the Republican representa-
tives in Congress in opposing its passage !
we condemn the proposition OF the Demo-
cratic party TO place wool on the free list,
and we insist that the duties thereon
shall be adjusted and maintained so as TO
furnish full and adequate protection to
that industry. EH
The Republican party would effect all
needed reduction Of the national revenue
by repeating the taxes upon tobacco,
which are an annoyance and burden to
agriculture, and tax on spirits used in the
arts and for mechanical purposes and by
such revision of the tariff laws as will
tend to check the imports of such articles
as are produced by our people, the produo-
ton of which gives employment to our
labor and reduce from import duties those
articles of foreign production Except lux
uries) the like Of which cannot be produce
! ed at home II there shall still remain
larger revenue than is required for the
| government, we favor the entire repeal Of
the internal revenue taxes rather than
the surrender of any part of our protective
sgstem at the Joint behest Of whisky trusts
and agents of foreign manufacturers. We
declare our hostility TO the introduction
into this country of foreign contract Ia
Dor and of Chinese labor, alien to our CIV
ilization and our constitution, and we de-
mand rigid enforcement of existing laws
against il and favor such immediate leg
islation as will exclude such labor from
our shores
We declare our opposition to all combin-
ations Of capital organized in trusts or
otherwise to control arbitrarily the con-
dition of trade among our citizens, and we
recommend TO Congress and the State
Legislatures, in their respective Jurlsdlc-
tions, such legislation as will prevent the
execution of all schemes to Cypress the
people by undue charges on their supplies
or by unjust rates for transportation OF
their products to market We approve
the legislation by Congress to prevent
alike burdens and unfair determinations
between the States.
We re-affirm the policy of appropriating
the public lands of the United States to
be homesteads for American citizens and
settlers, not aliens, which the Republican
party established in 1869, against the per-
sistent opposition of the Democrats in
Congress, and which has brought our
Western domain into such magnificent
dsyelOpement the restoration of unearn-
ed railroad land grants 10 the public do
main for the use of settlers, which was
begun under the administration of Presl-
dent Arther, should be continued. We
deny that that the Democratic party has
ever restored one acre to the people but
declare that by joint action of the Repub-
hcans and Democrats about fifty millions
Of acres of unearned nds, originally
granted for the construction of railroads,
have been restored to the public domain
in pursuance of the conditions inserted
by the Republican party in the original
grants. We charge the Democratic ad-
ministratiOn with failure to execute the
laws securing TO the settlers their home
steads and with using the APPROPRIATIONS
made for that purpose TO harrass innocent
settlers with spies and prosecutions, un-
der the false pretense Of reporting frauds
and indicating law. The Government
by Congress of the Territories, is based
upon necessity only to the end that they
may become states in a Union therefore,
whenever the condition OF population,
material resources, public intelligence aud
morality, are such as to insure stable
local government therein, the people Of
such Territories should be permitted as a
right inherent In them, TO form for them
selves constitutions and state govern
ments and be admitted into the Union
pending preparation for statehood. All
officers thereof should be selected from
residents aud citizens Of the Territory
wherein they are 10 serve. South Dakota
should of right DO Immediately admitted
~ a State in the Union under the cOnsti-
tuition formed and adopted by her people,
and we heartily endorse the act Of the
Republican Senate in twice passing bills
for admission. The refusal of the Demo-
cratic House Of Representatives for parti-
san purposes to favorably consider these
bills is wilful violation Of the sacred
American principle Of local self govern
ment, and merits the condemnation of all
Just men. The pending bills in the SEN
ate for acts 10 enable the people of Wash
ington, North Dakota and Montana Ter
ritOries to form constitutions establishing