The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-01
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
Full Text of the Resolutions Adopted 1
the National CnnNantinn-

The Republicans of the United States.
assembled by their representatives in
National Convention, appealing for the
their claims to the matchIess achieve
ments of thirty years OF Republican
rule, earnestly and confidently address
themselves to the awakened intelligence,
experience and conscience of their country
men in the following declaration Of facts
and principles:
For the first time since the Civil War the
American people have witnessed the calaml.
tous consequences OF full and unrestricted
Democratic control OF the Government. 1t
has been record of unparalleled incapac-
ity, dishonor and disaster. In administra-
tive management it has ruthlessly sacrificed
indispensable revenue, entailed an unceas-
ing deficit, eke1 out ordinary current ex-
penses with borrowed money, piled up the
public debt by 1852, 1000, 900 in time OF peace.
forced an adverse balance OF trade, kept
perpetual menace hanging over the redenp-
tion fund, pawned American credit to alien
syndicates and reversed all the measures ana
results of successful Republican rule. In
the broad effect of its policy il has
precipitated panic. blighted industry
anil trade with prolonged depression, closed
factories reduced work and wages, halted
enterprise and crippled American produ ;tion
while stimu ating foreign production for the
American market. Every consideration OF
public safety and individual interest de-
mands that the Government shall be rescued
from the hands OF those who have shown
themselves incapable Of conducting it with
out disaster at home and dishonor abroad
and shall be restored to the party which for
thirty years administered it with unequalled
success and prosperity.
The Tariff Plank
We renew and emphasize our allegiance 10
the policy of protection as the bulwark Of
American industrial Independence and the
foundation of American development and
prosperity. This true American policy taxes
foreign products and encourages home in
dustry; 1t puts the burden of revenue Oh
foreign goods; it secures the American market
for the American producer; 1t upholds the
American standard of wages for the Ameri-
can workingman: it puts the factory by the
side OF the farm and makes the American
farmer less dependent on foreign demand
and price; 1t diffuses general thrift and
founds the strength of all on the strength OF
each. In its reasonable application it Is just,
fair and impartial, equally opposed to foreign
control and domestic monopoly, 10 sectional
discrimination and individual favoritism.
We denounce the present Democratic tariff
as sectional, injurious to the public credit
and destructive to business enterprise. We
demand such an equitable tariff on foreign
imports which come into competition with
American products as will not only furnish
adequate revenue for the necessary expenses
of the Government, but Will protect Ameri-
can labor from degradation to the wage level
OF other lands. We are not pledged to any
| particular schedules. The question OF rates
is practical question, to be governed by the
conditions of the time and OF production;
the ruling and uncompromising principle is
the protection and development of American
labor and industry. The country demands
right settlement, and then it wants rest.
We believe the repeal of the reciprocity or
rangements negotiated by the last Repuhli-
can Administration was National calamity.
and we demand their renewal and extension
on such terms as will equalize our trade with
other Nations, remove the restrictions which
now obstruct the sale OF American products
| In the ports of other countries, and secure
enlarged markets for the products OF our
farms. forests and factories.
Protection and reciprocity are twin meas
ures of Republican policy, and go hand IN
| ham, Democratic rule has recklessly struck
down both, and both must be re-established:
protection for what We produce; free admis-
sion for the necessaries OF life when we do
not produce; reciprocal agreements of mu-
tual interest which gain open markets for US
| in return for our open market to others.
Protection builds up domestic industry and
trade, aud secures our own market for our
selves; reciprocity builds up foreign trade
and finds an outlet for our surplus.
We condemn the present Administration
for not keeping faith with the sugar produc.
ers Of this country. The Republican party
favors such protection as will lead to the
production on American soil of all the sugar
which the American people use, and Tor
which they pay other countries more than
500, 900. coo annually.
| To all our products-to those of the mine
and the field as we'll as those OF the shop anc
factory-to hemp-to wool, the product o.
the great industry Of sheep husbandry, as
well as TO the finished woolens Of the mill
we promise the most ample protection.
We favor restoring the early American
rolicy of discriminating duties for the up
building OF our merchant marine and the
protection of our shipping in the fcreigr
CARRYING trade, so that American ships-the
product of American labor, employed II
| American shipyards, sailing under the Stars
and Stripes, and manned, officered and
owned by Americans-may regain the carry
ing of our foreign commerce.
The Gold Plank.
The Republican party Is unreservedly fol
sound money. 1t caused the enactment
the law providing for the resumption o
specie payments in 1879; since then ever.
dollar has been as gooC as gold.
We are unalterably opposed to every
measure calculated to debase our currency
or impair the credit OF our country. We ar
therefore opposed to the tree coinage OF sill
yer except by International agreement witt
the leading commercial Nations OF the
world, which we pledge ourselves to pro
mote. and until such agreement caa be OBJ
tanned the existing gold standard must bt
preserved. All our silver and paner cur
rercy must be maintained at a parity witt
cold, and we favor all measures designed to
maintain inviolably the obligations of the
United States and all our money, whether
coin or paper, at the present standard, the
standard OF the most enlightened Nations OIL
the earth.
Pensions.
The veterans of the Union armies deserve
and should receive fair treatment aud gen
erous recognition. Whenever practicable
they should be given the preference In the
| matter of employment, and they are entitled
10 the enactment Of such laws as are bes
calculated to secure the fulflllment OF thu
pledces made to them in the dark days o
The country's peril. We denounce the prac
tiee in the Pension Bureau, 80 recklessly anc
uniustly carried on by the present Admlnls'
trntion. of reducing pensions and arbitrarily
dropping names from the rolls, as deserving
tne seyerest condemnation of the American
people ,o
Our foreign policy should be at all time
firm, vigorous and dignlileI, and all our in
terests in the western hemisphere CAREFUL.
watched and guarded. The Hawaiian ls
nnds should be controlled by the Unitet
States and no foreign Power should be per
mitted to interfere with them: the Nicaragua
Canal should be built, owned and operates
hvlhe United States; and by tn purchase o
| L. nnnish IslnnGs We should secure nrOne