The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-07-05
m STANDS ron THE NATION.
The Principles and Purposes OF the Re-
publican Party.

tween the principles and leaders OF
each. II is equally plain that the peo-
pie of the whole country realize the
magnitude and Importance OF the issue
and are watching with strong interest
the respective combatants as they
move their forces into position and be-
gin to map out their plans of campaign.
| The reasons why the coming con-
test will be notable for its opposing ar
ray 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 disturbed CONNER
cial system resulting from sectional
and illogical revenue laws; by the re-
sultant evils of stagnation in business,
of lethargy in production and OF slug
gishness in internal trade; by the still
greater calamity of an uncertain and
insufficient financial system; by the
utter NEGATIVELY of the party in power
in affording aid or encouragement to
such internal improvements as the ir-
rigation and opening to settlement OF
arid western lands, and to suoh large
designs for augmenting the nations
/
Nicaragua carsl and the Hawaiian
cable; finally, by the disgrace of
timid and laundering foreign policy,
the whole country has been aroused to
the necessity of finding remedies for
these accumulated evils and of intrust-
ing 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
between great principles and strong
men.
In view of this condition it is inter
esting to observe the difference in
methods with which the two great par
ties approach the issues of the cam
paign, and in this very difference to
read the history and character of each.
1t may be considered certainty that
one of the leading issues of the contest
will be the financial question. The
democratic party, through its official
expert in finance, Mr.. Carlisle, has en-
tered upon what is termed "a campaign
of education" with special reference
to the subject of the nations financial
policy. 1t is observable that he has
committed that portion of the demo-
cratic party which indorses Mr.. Cleve-
lands 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 be-
cause it is essentially a party of ex-
tremes. 1t became so during its long
Punishment from power, and during its
brief return it has not had sufficient
surcease of worry from the importuni-
ties of its own hungry retainers to &C
quire the habit of conservatism. Upon
the other great issues of the
campaign the democratic party
may be confidently expected to
be the party of extremes If
these extremes of policy were on the
side of public enterprise and progress
the party taking them might be ex-
cused if not commended. The demo-
cratic party, however, has never been
the party of national enterprise and
progress, for the reason that the adop-
ton of such a policy requires liberal
construction of the powers conferred
upon congress by the federal constitu-
ton, of which liberal construction the
democratic party has been a persistent
enemy. 1t follows. first, that in the
approaching campaign the democratic
party will be the party of extremes,
and second, that upon every issue in
yolving an enlarged exercise of federal
functions the democratic party will oc-
cupy the extreme which is opposed to
public progress at home and abroad.
1t requires no special prescience to
forecast a few of the great issues of
the coming campaign. The financial
question:; the policy of controlling the
Nicaragua canal and of expeditinR its
construction; the laying of cable to
the Hawaiian islands with national
aid; the adoption of a comprehensive
plan for the irrigation and settlement
of arid lands; the adjustment Of the
tariff upon such fair and equitable
basis as to remove the issue from our
politics and set it at rest for Years
these are some of the great issues of
the next election of which the pu bic
interest and necessity require a solu-
ton.
The attitude of the republican party
toward these great issues is being
anxiously awaited by the people Of the |
country at large. It is historically
and essentially party of progress,
the party Of liberal views of federal |
power and duty where the prosperity |
of any portion of the republic requires |
the exercise of national energy. It |
has from its very creation been the
party of bimetallism, of honest money,
and of enough Of it for the require
ments of trade; il has been and is the |
party of protection in its broad and
sense; is and has always been
the party which fostered ideas and
projects for internal improvement It
has also constantly adhered to the
policy OF increasing the power and b.
huence of the nation abroad. What
the republican party has been in the
past it is to-day and will continue to
be. 1t follows that upon the enum-
Grated issues of the coming campaign
It will take stand which shall be en-
tirely consistent with its past policy as
the party of honesty in finance, of pro-
lection and tariff regulation, of prog
ress and prosperity in every internal
and section, and of broad
IDEAS of national influence abroad.
With these purposes in view the re-
publican party is moving slowly but
'teadfastly up to the field of action in
The next national campaign. Its lead
.rs are not engaged in pledging it in
advance to extreme views upon great