Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-10-16
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
Declaration Of Principles and Asser-
tiOn of Popular
Right.

The Republicans OF the United States,
assembled by their delegates in National
convention, pause on the theshold OF their
proceedings to honor the memory OF their
first great leader, the immortal champion
of liberty aud the rights OF the people
Abraham Lincoln; and to cover also
with wreaths ofimperishable remembrance
and gratitude the heroic names OF later
leaders, who have more recently been
called away from our councils-CiIant,
Garfield, Arthur, Lngar and Conkling.
May their memories be faithfully cher
ished.
We also recall with our greetings and
with prayer for his recovery the name oil
one Of our living heroes whose memory
will be treasured in the history both o.
Republicans and of the Republic-Ihe
name Of that noble soldier and favoriie
son Of victory, Philip H Sheridan.
In the spirit Of those great leaders, and
of our own devotion 70 human liberty, ard
with that hostility TO all iorms OF despot'
Ism and oppression which Is the funda-
mental idea of the Republican parry, we
send fraternal congratulations to our tel-
low Americans of Brazil upon their great
act of emancipation, which completed the
abolition Of slavery throughout the two
American continents. We earnestly hope
that we may soon congratulate our fellow.
citizens of Irish birth upon the peaceful
recovery of hnme rule for Ireland.
We affirm our answering devotion to
the National Constitution and to the In
dIssouble Union of the states to the au-
tonOmy reserved the states under the Con-
stitutiOn to the personal rights and liber'
ties of citizens in all the States and Ter :
tories in the Union, and especi-llY 90
the supreme aud sovereign right OF
every lawful citizen, rich or poor,
native or foreign born, white or black, to
cast one free ballot Ia 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
republican government, and demand et-
fective legislation to secure the integrity
and purity of elections, which are the
fountains of all public authority, We
charge that the present administration
and the Democratic majority IN Congress
owe their existence to the suppression Of
the ballot by criminal notification ofthe
Constitution and laws Of the United
States.
We are uncomprOmisIngIy in favor OF
the American system of protection. We
protest against its destruction proposed
by the president and his party. They
serve the interests of Europe; we will
support the interests of America. We ac.
cGpt the issues and confidently appeal to
the people for their judgment. The pro-
tectIve system must be maintained, Its
Abandonment has always been followed
by general disaster to all interests, except
those of the usurer and the sheriff. We
deuounce the Mills bill az destructive TO
the general business, the labor and the
farming interests of the country, and we
heartily endorse the consistent and
patriotic actions of the Republican Rep
resentatives IN Congress in opposing its
passage.
We condemn the proposition of the
Democratic party to place wool on the free
list, and we insist that the duties thereon
shall be adjusted and maintained so as to
furnish full and adequate protection to
that industry.
The Republican party would effect all
needed reduction of the National revenue
by repeating the taxes on tobacco, which
are an annoyance and burdento agriculture,
and the tax upon splrits used in the arts
and for mechanical purposes; and by such
revision of the tariff as will tend to check
imports Of such articles as are produced by
our people, the producuon Of which gives
employment to our labor, aud release from
import duties those ARTICLES o' foreign pro-
duCtiuu Except luxuries) the like Of which
can not DO produced at home. II there
shall still remain larger revenue that is
requisite for the wants OF the government
we favor the entire repeal Of internal
taxes rather than the surrender of
any part of our protective system at
the Joint behest of the whisky trusts and
the agents of flreign manufacturers.
We declare our hostility to The introduc.
tion into this country of foreign contract
labor, and OF Chinese labor, alien to our
civilization and our Constitution, and We
demand the rigid enforcement of the ex.
isting laws against it, and favor such i'm.
mediate legislation as will exclude such |
labor from our shores.
We declare our opposition to all combin- |
ltions OF capital organized in trusts or other. |
wise, to control arbitrarily the condition |
Of trade among our citizens, and we com.
mend to Congress and to the State Legis.
atures, IN their respective jurisdictions, |
such legislation as Will prevent the eNecu.
tion OF all schemes to oppreSs the peopleby |
undue charges on their supplies, or by un.
Just rates for the transportation Of their |
products to market, We approve the leg. |
ISlation by Congress to prevent alike un.
lust burdens and unfair determinations be.
tween the States,
We reattirm the policy Of appropriaIing
the public lands Of the United States 10 be
homesteads for American citizens and set.
tiers, not aliens, which the Republican
party established in 1909, against the
persistent opposition Of the Democrats in
Congress, and which has brought our great
Western domain into such magnificent
development. The restoration OF uneArn,
"a land grants TO the public domain for
he use of actual settlers, which was begun
lnder the administration Of President AT.
huT, should he continued, We deny that
he democratic party has ever restored one
,cre to the people, but declare that by the
Oint action Of republicans aud democrats,