The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-23
THE PLATFORM



Document.
Special DLpdtch to Tie IatGgligcnccr.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, August o.
The Republicans of West Virginia, rep
resented by their delegates in State
Convention assembled, cordially en-
dorse the full and manly declaration OF
Republican principles presented to the
country by the Republican National
Convention OF 1883. In the wholesome
doctrine OF Protection to American in
dustrics and American labor, we rec:
ognize the conservation OF every
legitimate American interest, the
development of every latent Amer
lean energy, the safeguard Of
every American home. 1t is this policy
which has enabled the American en-
ployer to pay wages above the foreign
standard, and il this policy were fairly
supported at the custom houses and the
laws strengthened where they are weak
or open the way to fraud, the beneficial
effect would ut once be felt by the
American wage earlers.
We favor protection to so.called "raw
materials" us well Us to manufactures,
to cOal, iron ore, lumber, salt aud wool !;
to every product OF the farm us well rs
OF the workshop, for we recognize in
each and all OF them American intelli-
gence and American labor, and we are
unwilling that any American shall be
robbed OF fair return for the
benefit OF foreign producers. We
oppose the sectional Mills bill
and all other measures aim
ing to degrade American labor,
which is entitled to liberal return for
the wealth it creates, and we endorse
the vote OF West Virginia's only
Republican Representative in Congress
against that bill. We congratulate our
fellow Protectionists of the United
States that in our united aud
uncompromising hostility TO Free
Trade, we are met with the
united and uneompromising hos
tility OF the British press and
the British manufacturing interests; and
we are us determined to repGl the indus
trial assault OF to-day us the fathers and
founders Of the Republic were TO repei
lut uIlllGNl il5SNAlL VI iu' luNuSlOh 10
invasion, under whatever guise, and We
call upon the patriotic men OF West Vir-
ginia to Join with us to resist the British
effort 10 subjugate the productive ener-
gies OF America.
Ourtirm beliefin the rightand the duty
Of the Government to protect the people
in every possible way impels us to de!
mand ut the hands OF the representa-
tivcs OF the people legislation to restrict
that immigration which cuts into the
wages OF the American laborer and so
deprives him in part Of that protection
which protective tariff is designed to
afford him. We therefore favor a tax
on adults OF not less than 5000 on every
immigrant, not for revenue for the Gov.
ernment, but for protection to American
labor.
We would exempt the immediate
families or members OF the immediate
families OF those who are or may become
residents in this country. We are op.
posed to the landing OF contract laborers
and paupers on any terms, and until
more stringent laws can be passed Ia
deal with the whole subject OF immigra.
ton, we demand an honest and
searching administration OF existing
laws relating thereto.
We favor National aid to common
schools, and we charge upon the Demo.
cratic party the defeat Of a measure that
would have given to the free school sys
TEN OF West Virginia more than n mil
lion dollars froman overfowing National
treasury.
We favor such legislation, National
and State, as shall make impossible those
combinations OF capital known as trusts
whereby private enterprise is paralyzed
and tribute wrung from millions o.
helpless consumers.
The sugar trust, the whisky trust anC
the Standard Dill Trust-all Cleveland ma
chimes, are rank examples Of the kind o
combination which We -WoulI legislatC
out of existence.
We deprecate the determination Of tn,
Democratic leaders in West Virginia Il
obscure the real issues Of the day b.
raising war issues, reviving old preju
dices and animosities and arEayinl
against each other neiGhbors who ar