The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-06-22
THE PLATFORM.
Republican Policy on National Issues
ForcibIy Presented.


Forcibiy Presented.
CHICAGO, H., June 2l.-The great con-
yention hall filed quickly this morning, and
there was more Of business like air to the
opening proceedings which occurred at five
minutes past ten.
Estee called upon the secretary
to call the roll Of States for members Of
the national committee. j. Manchester
Haynes, of Augusta, was announced as the
member from Maine.
Congress Mckinley, chairman Of the COM
mittee on resolutions, took the stand and
amid loud cheers began to read the plat
form.
After feeling tribute to Abraham Lin
coin, Grant, Garfield, Arthur, Logan and
Conkling and a sympathetic reference to
Phil Sheridan, the platform says
In the spirit Of those great leaders and of
our own devotion to human liberty, and with
that hostility to all forms Of despotism and
oppression which Is the fundamental idea Of
the Republican party, we send fraternal con-
gratulati0ns to our fellow Americans Of Bra
I'll upon their great act Of emancipation
which has completed the abolition of slavery
throughout the two American continents.
we earnestly hope we may soon eOngratu-
late our fellow citizens Of Irish birth upon
the peaceful recovery OF home rule for Ire
land.
We reafirm our answering devotion to
the national constitution and to the indissol-
uble autonomy reserved to the States under
that constitution, to the personal rights and
liberty OF citizens Of all States and Territor-
les In the Union, and especially TO the su-
preme and sovereign right of every lawful
citizen, rich or poor, native or foreign born,
white or black, to cast one free ballot In the
public elections and to have that ballot duly
counted.
We hold the free and honest popular ballot
and the Just and equal representation Of all
the people to be the foundation Of our Re
publican government, and demand effective
legislation to SECURE the integrity and purity
OF elections which are the fountains Of
public authority. We charge that the pres
ent administration and the Democratic ma
jority In Congress owe their existence to the
suppression OF the ballot by criminal nulli-
ilcation Of the constitution and 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 in
terests Of Europe. We will support the in
terests Of America; We accept the issue and
confidently appeal to the people for their
judgment. The protective system must be
maintained. Its abandonment has always
been followed by general disaster to all In
terests except those Of the usurer and the
sheriff. We denounce the Mills bill as de-
structive to general business, the labor and
farming interests Of the country, and we
heartily indorse the consistent and patriotic
action Of the Republican representatives In
Congress In opposing its passage. We con-
demn the proposition of the Democratic
party to place wool on the free list, and in
hall hsa "A foI
and maintained so as to furnish full and adj
equate protection to that industry.
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
mechanical purposes. and by such a revision
Of the tariff laws as will tend to check the
Importation Of such articles as are produced
by our people, the production of which give
employment to our labor, and release from
Import duties those articles Of foreign pro-
duction, except Injuries, the like Of which
cannot be produced at home IL there shall
still remain larger revenue than Is requisite
Tor the wants OF the government, we favor
the entire repeal Of the internal taxes rather
than the surrender Of any part of our pro-
teetiye system at the joint behest Of the
ring and the agents Of foreign
We declare hostility to the introduction in
70 this country of foreign contract labor and
Df Chinese labor alien to our civilization and
our constitution, and demand a rigid en-
forcement Of existing laws against It, and
we favor such immediate legislation as will
exclude such labor from our shores.
We declare opposition to all combinations
Of capital organized in trusts. or otherwise.
10 control arb itrarily the condition of trade
among our citizens. and we recommend to
Congress and State legislatures in their re-
spective jurisdictions such legislation as will
prevent the execution of all schemes 10 Op-
press the people by undue charges on their
supplies or by unjust rates for transporta-
lion OF their products to market
We approve the legislation by Congress to
prevent unjust burdens and unfair discIim-
nations between the States.
/. We reatfirm the policy Of appropriating
The public lands of the United States to be
'lers not aliens, which the Republican party
in 1862, against the persistent OPP
position OF the Democrats in Congress and
which has brought our great Western do
nian into such magnificent development.
The restoration Of unearned railroad land
lse actual settlers, which was be-
gun under the administration of
President Arthur, should be continued. We
ieny that the Democratic party has ever re-
stored one acre to the people, but declare
that by joint action Of Republicans and Dem
ands originally granted for the eOnstruc-
lion of railroads have been restored to the
public domain in pursuance Of conditions in
serted by the Republican party In the origi-
lal grants. We charge the Democratic adj
with failure TO execute the law,
securing to settlers title to their home
lteads and with using appropriations made
I0r that purpose TO harrass innocent settlers
with spies and prosecutions under the false
pretense OF exposing frauds and Yindieating
The law.
The government by Congress of the Terri
tories Is based upon necessity only, to the
end that they may become States In the
Union. Therefore, whenever the conditions
Df the population, material resources, public
Intelligence and morality are such as to en-
sure 2 stable local government therein, the
people OF such territories should be permit
ed the right to form for themselves eonsti-
utlons and State governments and be ad-
nitted into the Union. Pending preparation
or statehood all officers thereof should be
selected from bona tide residents and citizens
II the territory where they are TO serve.
south Dakota should of right be Immediately
admitted as state under a constitution
framed and adopted by her people, aud we
heartily endorse the action Of the Republican
senate In twice passing bills for her admis-
'lon. The refusal OF the Democratic House
Ior partisan purposes to favorably consider
hese bills is wilful violation the sacred
American principle Of local self government
Ind merits the condemnation of all Just men.
The pending bills In the Senate for acts to
,nable the people Of Washington, North. Da-
zota and Montana territories to form eonsti-
.utiOns and establish State governments
should be passed without unnecessary DELAY.
md the Republican party pledges itself 10
10 all IN its power to facilitate the admission
II the territories OF New Mexico, Wyoming,
Idaho and Arizona as States, such Of them as
ire now qualified as soon as possible, and
he others as soon as they become so.
The political power Of the Mormon church
N the territories, as exercised in the past, is
/ menace TO free Institutions and a danger
no longer to be suffered. Therefore we
pledge the Republican party to appropriate
legislation asserting the sovereignty OF the
nation In all the territories where the same
IS questioned, and, In furtherance Of that
End, TO place upon the statute books legisla-
ion stringent enough to divorce political
rom ecclesiastical power, and thus stamp
)ut the attendant wickedness of pOlygamy.
The Republican party Is in favor of the
lse OF both gold and silver as money and
the policy of the Democratic adj
In its efforts to demonetize sill
1er.
We demand the reduction of letter postage
% one cent per ounce.
In republic like ours where the citizen Il
he soyereignIand the official the servant
whose power Is exercised only by the will
u the people, 1t is important that the SOW
'reign, the people, should possess intelli-
renee. Inc free school is the promoter of
mat intelligence which Is 10 preserve us as a
rec nation. Therefore the State or Nation.
u both combined should guDnort FREQ insfi-