The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-09-28
"why Am a Republican. -

attack lDal is ulaue aga4nst tue fiotcctifc
system partly in the interests of foreign
manufacturers, partly under the influence OF
a coterie Of free trade theorizers who know
good deal about books, but nothing at all
about business, and partly in accordance
with the general Democratic idea Of opposing
whatever the Republican party favors. /
believe in this system because it is wise in
principle and beneficent in practice, II was
endorsed by George Washington. Il was
sanctioned by John Adams and Henry Clay
and Daniel Webster and host Of the great
est and best men Of the country. History
shows that when there has been a protective
tariff the country has prospered, and when
there has been little or no tariff protection
there has been little or no prosperity. Proiec-
ton has given profitable investment to
capital and steady employment TO labor a
rates OF wages double those that are paid for
the same work in free trade England or that
could be paid here if antiprolection Demo-
crats and docirinaires had their way. And
al the same time il hiss, By enormously
increasing the home supply and the home
demand, steadily reduced the price Ofalmost
every protected product, as The Press has
shown beyond dispute in its series Of Tariff
Pictures" Protection has enabled the United
States to pay its national debt a. an average
rate for the past twenty-five years Of sl74,-
600 day, presenting in this respect a sight
which the world has never before seen.
Within the past year, under the operations of
the Mckinley law, which its enemies
prophesied one year ago would raise the
prices Of the necessaries Of life and s.rangle
trade, there has been more domestic trade
more exports Of American goods abroad, and
actually more imports Of foreign goods, recl-
oned by value, than in any twelve months
before since our national existence began.
Meanwhile one dollar has bought more of
the necessaries Oflife than ever before, and
the people, rich OF poor, have had more
dollars to buy with. | am Republican be-
cause am q protectionist, and l am
pro;ectionist because am an American.
Another principle of the Republican party
is honest money. It is that every dollar"
shall be worth 100 cents. I is, as President
Harrison has said, that every dollar issued
by the government shall be worth exactly
as much as every other dollar issued by the
government It is opposed to the free and
unlimited coinage of dollars" that were
worth 50 cents yesterday, are worth IS cents
to-day, may be worth 20 cents, less or more,
tomorrow, but never have been and, unless
present conditions of the mining industry
are reversed. never can be worth 100 cents
The Democratic party, on the other hand,
with a few honorable exceptions, stand,
committed to debased silver coinage to-day
lust as it stood for irredeerSble and
deprecated greenback currency lew years
ago, just as it was responsible for the wreck
and ruin caused BY the wildcat banks, the
"shinplaster' money before the war. am
g Republican because / am an honest man
in my political as in my private conduct
and I know that lowering the monetary
standard means robbery and especially rob
berry Of those who can least afford to be rob
bed, the poor and the wages Garner.
The Republican party stands for honest
elections. In the national platforms Of the
party this principle finds a conspicuous place
It is the Republican party that for the most
part, has secured the adoption in many
States OF the Australian, or reformed, ballot,
asd it IS the Democratic party that has
hindered its adoption, as witness the repeat
ed yetoes Of Governor Hill and the fact that
the solid South is arrayed against ballot
reform. am a Republican because believe
in unbougbt and unbullied suffrage.
The Republican party is the friend of the
soldier. It believes that justice, not to speak
Of generosity, demands that the men who
imperiled their lives to save our country
requires the redeemed nation to care for its
deliverers and for their loved ones, with the
open palm of gratitude and not with the
clinched fist Of parsimony. l am a Re
publican because l am patriot
The Republican party stands for the school
and the home. From that party have com
the most liberal appropriations. the most
effective laws on behalf Of free public educa-
ton. From that party have come practically
the only laws that exist today designed to
restrict to traffic in intoxicating drinks, or
by other means to limit the terrible evils of
intemperance. Per contra, wherever
political party joins with the enemies of the
public school 20 get the votes of ignorance CT
superstition, as in Wisconsin and Illinois. it
Is always the Democratic. never the Republi-
can party. Wherever a political party is in
league with the assassins OF society, with
keepers OF greg shops and gambling dens
and brothels and receivers OF stolen goods.
levying Pecuniary tribute for police pro
lection. a in the league between Tammany
Hall and the law breakers Of New York, il
Is always the Democratic neyerthe Rspnbli-
can party. Bcluse I believe in Law, in
tsiligence aud decency am Republican.
have said am Republican, first Of all
because believe in the political principles
ofthe Republican party and have cited
these. Protection to American industry,
honest money honest elections, justice to
veterans, schools and public morals
Now say, in the second place, that am
a Republican because the pls. Of my plr.y
Is one Of which an pro1l. Talt w5uli
not alone De a sun ieat reIs1a, bat taken
together with t5e pIrty's pres,at attitaIs on
living questions it mlkss assuralce doa5ly
sure. 'There is bat one lamp" slid Pat
rick Henry, "by which my feet are guidei,
and that is the lamp OF experiences" His
tory Is philosophy teaching By example
said Di0nysius Of HAlicsruassus, aud this
saying has passed current for ages as one
Of the coined ingots of human wisdom.
History teaches me that the Democratic
parry was the party Of nuli6catiOa, of human
slavery, of the suppression Of free speech,
OF secession, OF armei REBELLION at the
South, Of CopPerheaiisn at the North, of
national repudistion; that the Democratic
party was opposed to free homesteads for the
people out Of the public domain; that il
oonn.ved a, the plundering Of the national
treasury aai the stealing OF the coautry's
arms and warships under Buchanan; that
II declared the war failure after Gettysburg
had bee1 fought and won that under Dem