Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-02

the enactment of such legislation as VIII
best secure the rehabilitation Of our Amer
lean merchant marine and We protest
against the passage by Congress ofthe free
ship bill as calculated to work injustice
TO labor by lessening the wages of those
engaged in preparing the materials as well
as those directly employed in our ship
yards
We demand appropriations for an early
rebuilding of our navy for the oonstruc-
ton OF coast Notifications and modern
ordinance and other improved modern
means of defence for the protection OF our
defeuceless harbOrs and cities; for pay
mcnt Of just pensions to our soldiers for
necessary work of national importance on
the Improvement Of harbOrs and channels,
and Of internal, of cOast-wise aud foreign
commerce for the encouragement Of the
shipping interests of the Atlantic, Gulf
and Pacific states as well "A for the pay
ment Of the maturing public debt. This
policy will give employment TO our labor,
activity 10 our various industries ; To-
crease the security of our country, pro
mote trade. open new and direct markets
for our produce and cheaper the cost Of
TRANSPORTATION. We affirm this 70 be far
better for our country than the democratic
policy of loaning government money
without interest to pet banks" The
conduct Of foreign affairs by the present
administration has been distinguished by
its inefiiciency and its cOwardice. Having
Withdrawn from the Senate all pending
treaties effected By the Republican admin
istrati0n for Their emoval of foreign bur
lens and restrictions upon our commerce
and for its extension into better markets.
II has neither effected nor proposed any
others in their stead, protesting adherence
to the Monroe doctrine, it has seen with
idle cOmplacency the extension Of foreign
influence in Central America and of foreign
trade everywhere among our nelghbors.-
II has refused to charter, sanction or en-
courage any American organization for
constructing the Nicaragua cana, a work
of vital Importance to the maintenance
Of the Monroe doctrine and OfOuI national
influence in Central and South America,
and necessary for the development OF
trade with our Pacific territory, with
South America and with the islands aud
further coasts of the Pacific ocean.
We arraign the present Democratic adj
ministraiion for its weak and unpatriOtic
treatment Of the fisheries question aud its
pusillanimOus surrender Of the essential
privileges to which our fishing vessels are
entitled to in Canadian ports under the
treaty of 1878, reciprocal maritime legis-
latiOn Of 1886, and the comfy Of nations,
and which the Canadian fishing vessels
receive in ports of the United States.
We condemn the policy Of the present
administration and the Democratic ma
iorty in Congress towards our fisheries ~
unfriendly and conspicIOusly unpatrIotiC
and as tending to destroy valuable
national industry, and indispensable re-
source of defence against a foreign enemy
The name Of America applies alike b al
citizens Of the republic and imposes upor
all alike the same obligation Of obedience
to thes law at the same time that the cit
zenship is and must be the panoply ant
safeguard of him who wears 1t and pro
tect him whether high or low, rich OF poo
in all his civil rights. 1t should and mus
afford him protection at home and protee
him abroad in whatever land he may b.
on lawful errand. The men wht
abandoned the Republican party in 1884
and continue to adhere to the Democratic
party, have deserted not only the cause o
honest government, of sound finance, o
freedom, of purity Of tho ballot, bu
especially have deserted the cause OF re
form in the civil service. We will not fai
to keep our pledges because they hav'
broker theirs or because their candidate
has broken his. We therefore repeat onl
declaration Of lisa, to wit: Reform o
civil service auspiciously begun under Ih'
Republican administration should be com
pleted by further extension Of the reform
system already established by law to al
grades of service to which it is applicable
The spirit and purpose Of reform SHOULD
be observed in all executive appointments
and all laws AT variance with the objec
Of existing reform legislation should b'
repealed to the end that dangers to free
institutions which Turk in power of officia
patronage may be wisely and effectively
avoided.
The gratitude of the nation to the de
Tenders Of the union cannot be measured
by laws. The legislation OF Congres'
should conform to the pledge made by the
loyal people and be 80 enlarged and e1
tended as to provide against the posi-
bilty that any men who honestly wore
the federal uniform shall become an in
mate Of an aims house OF dependent upor
private charity in tho presence Of an over
flowing treasury. 1t would be 4 public
scandal 10 do less for those whose yalOrou'
service preserved the government. We
denounce the hostile spirit shown by
President Cleveland in his numerous
vetocs Of measures for pension relief and
action of the democratic representative
in refusing even consideration of general
pension legislation.
In support of the principles herewith
enumerated, we invite the cooperation Of
patriotic men Of all parties and especially
Of all workngmen whose prosperity II
seriously threatened by the free trade
position Of the present administration.
The first concern of all good govern
ment is the virtue and sObriety Of the
people and the purity Of their homes
The Republican party cordially sympa
thizes with all well directed efforts for the
nromotion of temperance and morality.