Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-17
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Why It Is Entitled to the Conf
dence Of the Public.
Extracts from the Great Speech of Hon.
John Sherman, Delivered at OrrviIle,
o., October 10, ISS9-The Policy
OF Protection and Prosperity.

OF Protection and Prosperity.
Practically, in this country the choice is
between the Republican and Democratic
parties. They are confessedly each strong
National parties, tested by the exercise of
power, dividing almost equally between
them ten millions OF voters and organized
in every State and Territory OF the Union
In the elections this fall every man elected
on the county, State or Legislative ticket
will be a Republican or Democrat so that
a vote cast for any other party is wasted
ammunition New parties, founded upon a
single idea, usually defeat the object aimed
at. and the great body Of our citizens will
naturally take sides with either the Repub-
Ican or the Democratic party.
Now, propose to state why. in my judg-
ment the Republican party is entitled to
your support
First Because it is an affirmative. aggres-
sive and powerful party. composed or the
greater proportion of the industrial classes
OF our country, and has done and can do
more for the advance, prosperity and
progress Of our country than the Demo-
cratic or any other party can do or has done
In its whole history.
Second That il stands upon the correct
theory of the nature and powers of the
general Government and is, for that rea-
Eon, able to render your country more
Bervices than the Democratic party, which
measures these powers by narrow rule of
construction
Now, in respect to the achievements Of
the Republican party in the last thirty
years, it is scarcely necessary to 90 into
much detail 1t is sufficient to say that the
Republican party was organized in 1854
largely from the Democratic party mainly
upon the issue that slavery should. not
he extended over free territory, either
by squatter sovereignty or By any new
device of the Democratic party 1t
was then entered the Republican party,
having been Wing, and 1 think 1 can
say for the men who organized that party
that they were actuated by the
loftiest principles that ever guided
or nodded the lolitics of any country. The
aggressions of slavery had been steady,
constant and dangerous. The time came
when it was necessary to check the prog
ress of this institution, but it was done
against the determined opposition of the
Democratic party. Those who recall the
long struggle from 1854 to 1860 need not be
told with what violence the new party was
opposed by the Democratic party, what
wrongs and Outrages were committed in
Kansas by democratic ofice-holders and
representatives, what efforts were made to
subdue the free State sentiment in that
region, but it happily ended in the election
Of Mr.. Lincoln as President and the admis-
sion of Kansas as a free State
With this the conservative sentiment of
the North would have been satisfied, but the
ruling elements of the Democratic party in
the South revolteG and then commenced
the war TOR the preservation of the Union
l do not wish unkindly to criticise the
course of the Democratic party before the
war or during the war, or since the war,
out certain it is that the Republican party
with wonderful ability and success. did
conduct the war for the preservation of the
Union and never yielded in its determine
ton until every rebel foe had laid down
ais arms, until slavery was abolished and
peace again prevailed No language can
express the sacrifices of that war, but
there is not man who served in it in
any capacity, even though he may have
lost his health or his limbs. but what
feels that the result was worth all it cost |
And even the men who fought against |
as with so much courage and tenacity are |
now as thankful for the result of the war |
and the preservation of the Union and the |
abolition of slavery as we are in the North |
You must remember also that it was the |
Republican party placed the Homestead |
law upon the statute book and settled for |
ever the dedication of the public lands of |
the United States, either for the improve |
ment and opening up of new highways or |
for free homesteads to every citizen |
who would settle upon the public land |
Can any one deny that to the Republican |
party is due the system of paper money |
now existing, from which the people |
derive benefits that their ancestors |
could not even anticipated No one |
can deny that the Republican policy |
has placed our credit upon the strongest |
foundations, so that we rank among |
the nations of the world as perhaps the !
richest and most powerful, certainly the |
most inderendent in position, with fewer \
enemies thai any other nation and no en-
tangling alliances Nor can any one deny |
that after the war was over and after the |
necessity for irredeemable paper money |
during the war had passed away, the Re- |
publican party accomplished the resump- |
ton of specie payments and has main |
tanned it to this hour and that this act |
alone has rendered the highest service to |
the people in securing a specie standard |
for ali productions and for all business |
transactions And no one can deny that |
the Republican party, by its policy OF pro- |
lection to American industries. has enor- |
mously increased and diversified all forms of |
production and protected our labor from |
sharp md hard competition with the |
poorly paid labor of other countries No |
one can deny but that the Republican |
party, with a wise and generous liberal |
ity, provided liberal pensions TO those who |
had suffered the casualties of the war, with |
reasonable provision for the widows and /
orphans of Union soldiers. Nor can it be
claimed that the Republican party has
gained or maintained its power by fraud at
elections, or bv any other means than open
and frank appeals to the intelligence and
patriotism of the American people.
Without going into further detail 1 claim
that the measures adopted and carried into
successful execution by the Republican
party have been the most beneficial In the
whole period of our history fer more than
one hundred years, and that under Repub-
wealth, strength, honor, has been advanced
more than in any other period Of American
history.
1 said that the Republican party en-
braces in its ranks the great body OF the
industrial elements Of the Northern States.
do not deny that the Democratic party
also embraces in it, ranks nearly one-haIf
of the people of the United States and
among them men of all occupations and
conditions of life, intelligent, and no
doubt honest and patriotic 1 would be
sorry to say, and can not say, that party
that embraces nearly one half of our citi-
zens is unpatriotic or is less anxious than