Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-10-05

! prompt action be taken by Congress on
the enactment of such legislation as will
best secure the rehabilitation Of our Amer
lean merchant marine and we protest
against the passage by Congress Of the free
| ship bill as calculated to work injustice
to labor by lessenng 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 construe-
tion of coast Notifications and modern
ordinance and other improved modern
means of defence for the protection Of our
defenceless harbors and cities; for pay
ment 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 and foreig1
commerce for the encouragement of the
shipping interests Of the Atlantic, Gulf
and Pacific states as well AZ for the pay
ment of the maturing public debt. This
policy will give employment to our labor,
activity 10 our various Industries in
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 10 be far
better for our country than the democratic
policy of loaning government money
without interest to pet banks.D The
conduct OF foreign affairs by the present
administration has been distinguished by
its ineiiiciency and its cOwardice. Having
withdrawn from the Senate all pending
treaties effected by the Republican admin
istratiOn for Their emOval Of foreign bur
dens and restrictions upon our commerce
and for its extension into better markets
10 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 neighbour
II has refused to charter, sanction or en-
courage any American organization for
constructing the Nicaragua canal, work
Of vital Importance to tho maintainance
of the Monroe doctrine and of our 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 and
further coasts OF the Pacific ocean.
minstratiOn for its weak and unpatriotic
treatment of the fisheries question and 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 legs-
latOn of 1876, 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
iOrity in Congress towards our fisheries as
unfriendly and cOnspiciously unpatIlotic
and as tending to destroy q valuable
national industry, and indispensable re-
source of defence against foreign enemy.
The name of America applies alike 10 all
citizens of the republic and imposes upon
all alike the same obligation Of obedience
to thes law at the same time that the oiti-
zenship is and must be the panoply and
safeguard of him who wears 1t and pro.
tect him whether high or low, rich or poor
in all his civil rights. 1t should and must
afford him protection at home and protect
him abroad in whatever land he may be
on a lawful errand. The men who
abandoned tho Republican party In 1894.
and continue to adhere TO the Democratic
party, have deserted not only the cause OF
honest government, of sound finance, of
freedom, of purity Of the ballot, bnt
especially have deserted the cause OF re-
form 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 wit: Reform of
civil service auspiciously begun under the
Republican administration should be COM
plcted by further extension Of the reform
system already established by law to all
grades OF service to which ii In applicable.
The spirit and purpose Of reform should
be observed in all executive appointments,
and all laws az variance with the object
of existing reform legislation shoHld be
repealed TO the end that dangers TO free
institutions which lurk in power Of official
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 Congress
should conform to the pledge made by the
loyal people and be 80 enlarged and OK
tended as to provide against the posi-
bility that any men who honestly wore
the federal uniform shall become IN in
mate Of an aims house or dependent upon
private charity in the presence Of an over
flowing treasury. 1t would be a public
scandal TO do less for those whose valorOus
service preserved the government. We
denounce the hostile spirit shown by
President Cleveland in his numerous
vetoes of measures for pension relief and
action Of the democratic representatives
in refusing even consideration Of general
pension legislation.
In support of the principles herewith |
we invite the cooperation Of |
patriotic men of all parties and especially |
of all workingmen whose prosperity is
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 symps-
hizes with all well directed efforts for the |
promotion Of temperance and morality.