Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-09-03

lsss Of nssrly half our trade Vita thai
country. Tho value Of our total sfpofH
OF merchandise from the United Sotes u
Cuba In is9I-ihe year prior TO the nego-
tiattop Of the reciprocity trcaty-w2 |
ls9s4 SIS; In iss1' a., M ysg ~ Iss -, N hut t'
1895, after the annulnsnt OF the reoiProS
ity agreement it fell to only $l3, So, Col.
Many similar examples might DO given OF |
our increased trade under reciprocity with |
other countries, bat enough has oeen
shown Of the efficacy Of the legislatiou Of
1880 TO Justify the speedy restoration OF |
It's reciprocity provisions. In my 1udg- |
ment, congress should i'm rnediately restore
the reciprocity section OF the olo Law,
with such amendments, Il any, as time
and experience sanction rs wise ana
proper. The underlying principle OF this
legislation must, hswsvsr, be stnct4y
observed. 1t is to afford new markets Tor
our surplus Agricultural and manufacs-
ured products, without loss to the Amer
can labor of a single days work that ne
might otherwise procure.
Foreign Immigration.
The declaration Of the platform touch
ing foreign immigration Is one OF the pe-
culisr importance at this time, while our
own laboring people are in such great dis
tress am IN hearty sympathy with tbs
present legislation restricting foreign I'M
migration and favor such extension OF the
laws as viii secure the United states from
invasion by the debassd hnd criminal
classes Of the Old World. While we ad-
here to the public policy under which our
country has received great bodies OF
honest, industrious citizens who have
added to the wealth, progross and power
Of the country, and while we welcome 70
our shores the well disposed and industrl-
Gus Immigrant who cot rlbutes by MS
energy and intelligence y the cause of
free government, we want no immigrants
who do not seek our shores to become
citizens. We should permit none TO par
ticipate in the advantages of our ciylliza-
ton who do not synpathize with our aims
and form OF government. We should re
ceive none who come TO make war upon
our institutions and profit by public dis
quiet and turmoil. Against all such our
gates must be tightly closed.
Our Soldiers and Sailors.
The soldiers and sailors of the Union
| should neither be neglected forgotten.
| The government which they served so
well must not make their lives or oondi-
| ton harder by treating them as suppnanss
for relief in old age or distress, nor regard
| with disdaii or contempt the earnest In
| terest one comrade naturally Inanifests In
| the welfare OF another. Doubtless there
has been pension abuses and frauds in the
| numerous claims allowed by the govern
| ment, but the policy governing the aa-
| ministration of the pension bureau must
| always be fair and liberal, No deserving
| applicant should ever suffer because OF
| wrong perpetrated by or for another. Our
| soldiers and sailors gave the government
| the best they had. They freely offered
| health, strength, limb and lie to save
| the country IN the time Of Its greatest
| peril and the government must honor
| them in their need as in their service with
| the respect and gratitude due to brave,
| noble and self-sacrifcing men who are
| Justly entitled TO generous aid in their In
| creasing necessities.
Our Merchant Marine and Navy.
The declaration Of the Republican
| platform in favor Of the upbuilding OF
| our merchant marine has my hearty ap-
| proval The policy Of discriminating
| duties in favor of our shipping which pre-
| vailed in the early years Of our early his
tory shsuld be again adopted by congress
| and vigorously supported until our pres
| tige aud supremacy on the seas Is ful!y Az
| tained. We should no longer contribute
directly or Indirectly 70 the maintenance
of the colossal marine OF foreign couA-
| plete marine Of our own. Now that the
| American navy Is assuming . position
| commensurate with our importance as .
nation, policy am glad to observe, the
Republican platform strongly endorses:
we must supplement- 10 WIN merensns
|
| In both our coastwise and foreign tf.de
that we ought naturally and properly TO
enjoy. II should be at once matter OF
public policy and national pride to re-
! trade.
Civil Service Reform.
The pledge Of the Republican national
convention that the civil service laws
"shall be sustained and thoroughly and
honestly enforced wherever practicable"
| is in keeping with the position Of the
party for the past "a years, and Will bs
faithfully observed. Our opponspts de-
cry these reforms. They appear willing
after so many years Of agitation and e.
fort. They encourage a return to meth
ods of party favoritism, which both par
ties have often denounced that experience
has condemned, and that the people have
repeatedly disapproved The Republican
party earnestly opposes this reaotionary
and entirely unjustifiable policy. II Will
take no backward step upon this question
1t will seek to improve, but never degrade
1t Demands Especial Attention.
There are other important and timely
declarations In the platform which I
cannot here discuss. / must content
myself with saying that they have my
approval. If, as Republicans, we have
lately addressed our attention, with what
may seem great stress and earnestness
TO the new and unexpected assault upon
the financial integrity Of the government,
we have done 1t because the menace 10
so grave as to demand especial consider
alton. and because we are convinced that
If the people are aroused to the true un-
dcrstnnding and meaning OF this silver
imitation movement they Will avert the
danger In doing this we feel that we
render the best service possible to the
al % t1,af fvt Ill
conscience and patriotism Of the people,
irrespective of party, or section. for theif
earnest support.
1t VIII Maintain Law and order.
We avoid no issues. We meet the sud
upon law and order, and upon those to
whom is confided by the constitution and
laws the authority to uphold and main
tain them, which our opponents have
made with the same courage that we
have faced every emergency since our or
ganization as a party more than 10 years
ago. Government by law must first be
| assured; everything else can wait. The
spirit of lawlessness must be extinguished
by the fires of an unsef1sh and lofty
patriotism. Every attack upon the pub
lie f'i.h and every suggestion OF the re-
must b9 rebuked by all men who believe
that honesty is the best policy, or who
love rhc.r country, and would preserve
unsulic its national honor.
| Sect -oaaIisIn Almost OblIterated.
The country is To be congrat llated up
| on the ain st total obliteration of the
sectional lines which for many years
| marked the division of the United States
into slave and free territory, and finally
threatened its partition into two separate
| governments by the great oNical Of civil
| war. The era of reconciliation, SO lt,iIG
and earnestly desired by General Grant
and many other great leaders, north and
south, has happily come, and the feeling
| of distrust and hostility between the sec
tions is everywhere vanishing, let u nope
| never to return. Nothing IL better calcti-
lated to give strength to the nation nj
| home, increase our power and influence
| abroad and add to the perInanency and
curity Of our free institutions than the
restoration Of cordial relations between
| the people Of all sections and parts OF IT
| beloved country. Ii called by the su 4 rn ccs
| of the people to assume the duties of the
| high Office of president Of the Cn.i5d
| States shall count it privilege to Md,
| even lip the slightest degree, in the promo
| lon of the spirit of fratern6l gard
| which should animate and govern. the cit
| liens of every section state or part of the
| republic. After the lapse OF 4, century
| since its uttcrance let us. ~ length and
| forever hereafter, heed the admonitcn OF
| Washington:
There should be no north no south,
/ no east, no west-but Il common country"
1t shall be my constant aim to improve