The freeman's journal., 1889-08-17

legislation as WIN best secure the rehabiIitafion
| our American merchant marine, and protes
| against the passage by congress of a free shiI
bin, as calculated to work injustice to labor by
iessening the wages Of those engaged in prepar
ing materials well as those directly employed
in our ship yards. We demand appropriations
Tor the early rebuilding of our navy: for the CON
struction of coast fortifcations and modern ord
nance, and other approved modern means Of de-
fense, for the protection OF our defenseless har-
bors ami cities for the payment Of just pensions
TO our soldiers: for necessary works of national
Importance IL the improvement OF harbnFs and
the channels OF internal. coastwise and foreign
commerce: for the encouragement Of the slfp-
ping interests Of the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific
states, as well as for the pa ment OF the maturina
public debt This policy viii give employment to
our labor, activity TO our various industries in
crease the security Of our country, promote trade
open new and direct markets for our
produce and cheaper the cost of trans
portation. We affirm this to be far
better for country than the Democratic
policy Of loaning the governments money without
interests to pet banks"
The conduct OF foreign affairs by the present
administration has been distinguished by it's inef
fcency and its cowardice. Having withdrawn
from the senate all pending treaties effected by
Republican, administrations for the removal OF for
elgn burdens and restrictions upon our commerce
and for It's extension into better markets it has
neither effected nor proposed any others in their
stead. Processing adherence to the Monroe doe
trne, it has with idle complacency the exten-
sion OF foreign influence in Central America, and
Of foreign trade everywhere among our neigh
bors. 1t has refused to charter, sanction or en-
courage any American organization for construct
Ing the Nicaragua canal q work of vital importance
to the maintenance Of the Monroe doctrine and
or our national influence In Central and South
America. and necessary for the development OF
10 RVvffh nytrp
lea, and with the islands aud farther coasts of the
Pacific ocean.
We arraign the present Democratic admins
tration for Its weak and nnpatriotic
treatment OF the fisheries question and
Hs pusilianimous surrender OF the
essential privileges to which our fishing vessels
are entitled In Canadian ports under the treatv
Of 1918 the reciprocal maritime legislation Of
1880 and the comfy or nations, and which ca
madam fishing vessels receive in the ports of the
United States. We condemn the policy of the
present administration and the Democratic ma.
lorlty In congress toward our fisheries as un-
friendly and conspicuously unpatriotic and as
tending to destroy a valuable national industry
and an indispensable resource of defense against
O foreign enemy.
The name OF American applies alike to all citi
zens OF the republic, and imposes upon all alike
the same obligation of obedience to the laws At |
the same time that citizenship is and must be the
panoply and safeguard of him who bears it, and |
protect him, whether high or low, rich or poor. |
in all his civil rights 1t should, and must afford
him protection at home and follow and protect |
him abroad in whatever land he may be on a |
lawful errand.
The men who abandoned the Republican party
In 1884, and continue to adhere to the Demo
cratic party, have deserted not only the cause of
honest government, of sound finance of freedom
and purity of the ballot but especially
tipSArtpI Of
civil service. We viii not fail to keep our pledges
because they have broken theirs or because their
has broken his. We therefore repeat
our declaration of 1884, to-wit:
THE reform Of the civil service, auspiciously
begun under the Republican administration,
should be completed by the further extension of
he reform system already established by law IN
Ill the grades Of the service to which it is ap
plicable. The spirit and purpose of the reform
should be observed in all executive appointments
and all laws at variance with the object of exist
ng reform legislation should be repealed to the
md that the dangers to free institutions which
urk IN tine power of official patronage may be
wisely and effectively avoided"
The gratitude of the nation to the defenders of
he Union cannot be measured by laws The leg
Station of congress should conform to pledges
made by loyal people, and be so enlarged and
extended as TO provide against the possibility
hat any man who honoraby wore tile federal
inform shall become an inmate -ef aH- -a4fus-
ouse, or dependent upon private charity In the
'reseIice of an nverftowng treasury it would he n
ubllc scandal to do less for those hos. valprous
ervice prtSetTed the government. We denounce
he hostile spirit shown by President Cleveland in
IFS numerous vttoes of measures for pension re-
ef, and the action of the Democratic house Of
in refusing even a consideration
general pension le sisatiOn.
In support OF the principles herewith erunci
al q fhp r
oil parties, and especially II all workin men
hose prosperity is seriously threatened hy The
ee trade policy of The present administrator.
1he platform was unanimously adopted