The times., 1889-07-12
A Program for ths Republican Party

The Hon. Justis s. Morrill,, United
States Senator from Vermont, the author of
the tariff of 1861, one of the veterans in SER
vice, and one of the ablest of the republi-
can leaders, sums up as the present plat
form of the republican party, in an exhaus-
tive article in The Forum for July, entitled,
Republican Party Prospects from which
we quote:
1. Its early work will be to equalize the
revenue and expenditure. 2. 1t insists
upon the reform of the civil service, begun
under republican administration. 3. 1t
will insist upon the bi-metalllc standard,
and upon gold and silver coinage. 4. 1t
will heartily support protection of home in
dustres and home labor. 5. 1t will favor
the extension of the charters of national
banks in any safe and proper way. q. 1t
proposes to stamp out the wickedness of
polygamy wherever the United States gov
ernment has the power. Z. 1t favors the
reduction of letter postage to one cent per
ounce. 8. 1t asserts that lawful citizen
ship is and must be the panoply and safe
guard of him who wears it, and should pre-
tect him, whether high or low, rich or poor,
in all of his civil rights at home and abroad.
o. 1t intends to take care that no men who
have honorably worn the federal uniform
shall ever be inmates of an almshOuse. 10.
1t will maintain the doctrine that the United
States is nation, and that sin maintaining
our national rights and honor all govern
ments are alike to u.s." however greatly
they may differ in power. IL. 1t will cor
daily sustain all wise and well-directed
efforts for the promotion of temperance and
morality. 12. 1t will favor ocean mail SER
vice by American ships. 13. 1t will liber-
ally support the building up of the navy to
standard of efficiency worthy of our coun-
try. IA. 1t will favor education, state and
national. Is. 1t will also favor the exclu-
sion of pauper and criminal immigrants.
Undoubtedly most of those propositions
will meet with the united Endorsement of
the republican party, in all the republican
states. In fact ''these propositions" as Mr..
Morrill, says, shave so often been set forth
by those who are entitled to represent the
party, that they will be recognized as thor
oughly republican in their general scope
and bearing;" and while this is true of them
as a whole, there are many, very many of
the most efficient republican workers as
well as of the rank and file of the party
who most thoroughly dissent from both the
I'd and 3D. propositions. Who believes with
us, that the creation of the so-called civil
service reform, defeated the republican
party in 1884. That its pretended indorse-
ment by Cleveland aided very largely in his
defeat for reelection in 1888, and that the
Endorsement of that system bv President
Harrison and republican congress, will
assuredly result in weakening the admin
istration and the party in all parts Of the
country. The responsibilities of the gov
ernment rest on the party in power, and no
agents should be employed to assist in
however humble station, in the discharge
of the duties devolving on the government
who are not in full political sympathy with
And in our judgment any attempt to en-
force any other policy will result i'm defeat
at the polls, no matter which party makes
the attempt. Mugwumpery will never be in
dorsed by the people of the United States.
So far as bi-metalic standard can be util-
lied without bringing financial disaster, it
may be that it can be maintained by our
government, even if repudiated, as 1t now
is, by the other leading commercial nations,
but at the best the experiment is a hazard |
Dus one, and we do not for moment be- |
ieve in the policy that requires the coming |
,f two millions per month of standard dol
airs, made legal tender for all debts public |
md private, that measured by the gold
tandard of our own country are worth no
more than rs cents each. Nor do we be-
eve such policy can long be continued
Without producing financial panic.