Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-05-04
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
Declarations of the Convention
on State and National e.
Topics.

topics.
The following is the platform q.
dopted by the convention at Horris-
burg:
Tue Republican party of Pennsyl-
vania, ia convention assembled, make
the following declaration Of princi.
pies:
FIRST We assert the simple prop.
osition that free right to vote &C.
cording TO law, and to have the vote
counted, is the foundation OF Ameri.
can representative government Rep.
resentation in Congress and in tho
Electoral College is apportioned on
the basis of population, aud large
portion of that population in certain
sections is VIGOROUSLY excluded from
the exercise of the suifrages. A mar.
row majority of the House of Repre-
presentatives is thus maintained
which threatens to enact radical leg
lation hostile to the interests of our
country Such government is no
longer free, but tyrannical With due
consideration for the difficulties of the
situation, we demand Of Congress thst
it enact such legislation as shall Sc.
cure fair election for members OF
Congress aud the Electoral College.
SECOND We declare that the OBJ
!ect of the American system Of tariff
legislation, besides securing revenue,
is the protection of American indus
try. The wonderful prosperity of
this couutry is the best evidence OF
the success OF this policy, and the
most conservative care should be tax.
on- in disturbing many industrial in
terests which have grown up under
this system. The principle of all
American legislation is to secure the
happiness. the elevation, prosperity,
and indefcu dence of each individual
American citizen, and this principle
is best maintaincd by protective Ia
riif which has for its object the eleva-
tion aud fair compensation OF Ameri-
can labor.
The last message of President
Cleveland is an open assault up
on our industries, which will, if un.
resisted, reaule in policy of free
trade, which 10 the near future will
pataiyze or destroy those industries,
reduce the compensation of labor aud
impoyerish the nation.
THIRD Inasmuch as we have q
large debt unpaid, harbors unimprov-
ed, fortitications in decay, inadequate
public buildings for the purposes
of the government apd
navy incapable Of commanding ths
respect due the dignity of a great na-
ton, the Democratic administration
is responsible for allowing the accum-
ulation of a large surplus in the U III
ted States Treasury which should
have been appropriated for these pur-
poses. Excessive revenues can aud
should be prevented by the reduction
or repeal of internal taxes.
FOURTH. We protest against the
attempt of the Democratic party in
Congress to strike down the wool
growing industry by placing its prod
uct on the free list, as provided in the
Mills bill. Conservative estima ates
by leading wool growers and mauu-
facturers place the number of persons
dependent for their support upon
wool growing at several millions. the
number ofacres dependent for their
value upon it at over 500, ,000,0 900.
and the loss in wages and 10 the val
ne of land and in its produce, which
the withdrawal of protection from
this one industry would entail upon
the country a. 5000, 100000 The
ONLY persons who would benefited by
this enormous loss are foreign produ.
GERS
FIFTH. 1t is the duty of Congress
10 pass, and Of the President to ap-
prove, wise. just and comprehen-
sive pension bill, giving relief to disa-
bled veteran soldiers aud subsistence
TO the helpless widows and orphans
of deceased soldiers, without regard
to the time when disability was in
Cured, or the cause of death. Our
great and prosperous country can
well afford to show our grateful ap.
probation by making liberal proYis-
ion these purposes.
sixth The people of Pennsylvan-
10 unqualiGedly condemn the refusal
of the Democratic majority of the
House of Representatives to permit
the passage of the direct tax refunding
bill passed by the Republican Senate,
by which it was intended to repay to
loyal States, without interest, the
money paid by them at the beginning
of the war to aid in suppressing the
rebellion and to cancel the unpaid bal
ance, principal and interest, due from
the Rebel States upon said taxes; and
we denounce as treacherous and cow
ardly the surrender o. the Northern
Democrats in Congress to the small
majority of the ex-ConfederateS
aud their allies and the
abandonment of the bill, which, if
passed, would have contributed over
81 100000 to the relief of tax payers
of Pennsylvania.
SEVENTH We, as party, as rapid
ly as practicable enacted Legislation
looking to pure business administra.
tion of the government aud system
of civil service in Difference to a
strong, recognized public sentiment
against the abuse of the spoils system
A Democratic President was elected
largely on the issue of civil service
reform, upon pledges which guarau-
teed an immediate remedy of existing
abuses. These pledges have been
VIGOROUSLY violated; removals from
Office have been made without cause
in more sweeping manner than al
any other TINA in the history of Am
erican political parties, and Federal
patronage has been boldly and con-
stantly used for partisan purposes
EIGHTH We recognize the strength
of sentiment in this Commonwealth
relative to the evils and abuses of the
sale of liquor, and we favor all laws
looking in this respect to the
elevation of the moral
condition of the people We there
fore repeat our pledge to submit the
question Of prohibition to vote Of
the people.
NINTH We earnestly protest