The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-21
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

! precedeS the next Presidential election
will be battle royal between the two
| great parties, and between the principles
and leaders of each. 1t is equally plain
that the people of the whole country re-
alize the magnitude and importance of the
issue and are watching with strong inter-
est the respective combatants as they
move their forces into position and begin
to map out their plans of campaign.
The reasons why the coming con-
test will be notable for its op-
posing array of great principles
and strong men are to be found in the
| history of the Nation during the past
three years. By the misfortune of a
| disturbed commercial system resulting
from sectional and illogical revenue laws;
| by the resultant evils of stagnation
| in business, of Iethargy in produc-
| ton and of sluggishness in internal
trade; by the still greater calamity of an
uncertain and insufficient financial sys-
tenn; by the utter NEGATIVELY of the party
in power in affording aid or encourage
ment to such internal improvements as
the irrigation and opening to settle
ment of arid Western lands, and to
such large designs for augmenting
the Nations power and influence abroad
as the Nicaragua canal and the Hawaiian
| cable; finally by the disgrace of timid
and blund ering foreign policy, the whole
country has been aroused to the necessity
of finding remedies for these accumulated
evils and OF intrusting its destinies
to more experienced and better accredited
statesmen than Of late have had them in
charge. Hence it is that the people and
the parties are looking forward to a Ma
tional contest in the arena of politics be-
tween great principles and strong men.
In view of this condition it is interesting
to observe the difference in methods with
which the two great parties approach the
issues of the campaign and in this very
difference to read the history and char
acter of each. 1t may be considered
certainty that one fof the leading
issues of the contest will be
the financial question. The Democratic
party, through its official expert in finance.
Mr.. Carlisle, has entered upon what is
termed "a campaign of education" with
special reference to the subject of the
Nations financial policy. 1t is OBJ
servable that he has committed that
portion of the Democratic party which in
dorses Mr.. Clevelands administration to
the gold standard, against bimetallism.
and hence against silver. This is one of
the extremes of the financial problem.
and the Democratic party takes it
because it is essentially a party of
extremes. 1t became so during its long
Punishment from power and during its
brief return it has not had sufficient sur
cease of worry from the opportunities of
Its own hungry retainers to acquire
the habit OF conservatism. Upon
the other great issues of the campaign the
Democratic party may be confidently ex-
pected to be the party of extremes. Ii
these extremes of policy were on the
side of public enterprise and progress
the party taking them might be
excused if not commended. The Dem
ocratic party however, has never been the
party OF National enterprise and progress,
for the reason that the adoption
OF such policy requires liberal con-
struction of the powers conferred upon
Congress by the Federal constitution,
of which liberal construction the
Democratic party has been persis-
tent enemy. 1t follows, first, that in
the approaching campaign the Dem
ocratic party will be the party of ex-
tremes, and second, that upon every issue
involving an enlarged exercise of Federal
functions the Democratic party will oc-
cupy the extreme which is opposed to pub
lie progress at home and abroad.
1t requires no special prescience to fore
cast few of the great issues of the coming
campaign. The financial question; the
policy of controlling the Nicaragua canal
and of expediting its construction;
the laying OF cable to the Ha-
waiian Islands with National aid;
the adoption of comprehensive
plan for the irrigation end settlement of
upon such a fair and equitable basis as to
remove the issue from our politics and set
1t at rest for years-these are some of the
great issues of the next election of which
the public interest and necessity require q
solution.
The attitude of the Republican party
toward these great issues is being anx-
lously awaited by the people of the
country at large. 1t is historically and
essentially the party of progress, the
party of liberal views of Federal
power and duty where the prosper
ity of any portion of the Republic re-
qulres the exercise of National energy.
1t has from its very creation been the
party of bimetallism, of honest money,
and OF enough of it for the requirements
OF trade; 1t has been and is the party of
protection in its broad and liberal sense:
IL Is and has always been the party which
fostered ideas and projects for in
ternal improvement, 1t has also con.
stantly adhered to the policy of increasing
the power and influence of the Nation
abroad. What the Republican party has
been LII the past it is to-day and will con-
tlnue to be. 1t follows that upon the
enumerated issues of the coming cam
palgn 1t will take stand which shall
be entirely consistent with its past policy
as the party of honesty in finance, of pro-
lection i'll tariff regulation, of progress and
prosperity In every internal industry and