Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-31

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 iree
ship bill as calculated to work injustice
to labor by lessening the wages of those
engaged in preparing the materials az well
as those directly employed in our ship
yards
We demand appropriations for an early
rebuilding Of our navy for the construc-
ton 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 inst pensions to our soldiers for
necessary work of national Importance on
the Improvement of harbors and channels,
and of internal, of cOast-wise and foreign
commerce: for the encouragement Of the
shipping interests of the Atlantic, Quiz
and Pacific states AZ we'll as for the pay
ment Of the maturing public debt ms
policy will give employment 70 our iaoor'
actiyity TO 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 oil
TRANSPORTATION. We affirm this TO be far
better for our country than the democratic
policy OF loaning government money
without interest to pet banks" Inc
conduct Of foreign affairs by the present
administration has been distinguished by
its inefiiciency 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withdrawn from the Senate all pending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.
Ii 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 nelghbors,-
IL has refused to charter, san ctiOn or en-
courage any American organization for
constructing the Nicaragua canal, a work
of vital importance to the maintenance
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.
We arraign the present Democratic ad-
ministratiOn for its weak and unpatriotlc
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 legis-
| latlon Of 1896, 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 oonspicl0usly unpatrlotlc
and az 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 citi-
senship 10 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. II should and must
afford him protection at home and protect
him abroad in whatever land he may be
on a lawful erraud. Tho men who
abandoned the Republican party in 1884
and continue to adhere TO the Democratic
party, have deserted not only the cause OF
honest government, of sound finance, oil
freedom, of purity Of the ballot but
especially have deserted the cause OF re.
form in the civil service We will not fail
TO keen our pledges because they have
broken theirs or because their candidate
has broken bis. We therefore repeat our
declaration of 1894, TO wit: Reform OF
civil service auspiciously begun under the
Republican administration should be COM
pleted by further extension Of the reform
aystem already established by law to all
grades of service to which IL is applicable.
| The spirit and purpose Of reform should
be observed in all executive appointments,
and all laws at variance with the object
of existing reform legislation should be
repealed to the end that dangers to free
institutions which Turk 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 so enlarged and eI-
tended as to provide against the posi-
biity that any men who honestly wore
the federal uniform shall become an In
mate of au aims house or dependent upon
private charity in the presence Of an over
flowing treasury. 1t would be 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 a consideration Of general
pension legislation.
In support of the principles herewith
enumerated, 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 sympa-
thizes with all we'll directed efforts for the
promotion of temperance and morality.