Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-27

must not make their lives or condition
harder by treating them as suppliants for
relief in old age or distress, nor regard
with disdain or contempt the earnest in
terest one comrade naturally manifests in
the welfare of another. Doubtless there
have been pension abuses and frauds in
the numerous claims allowed by the gov
eminent. but the policy governing the ad
always be fair and liberal No deserving
applicant should suffer because of a wrong
perpetrated by or for another. Our soldiers
and sailors gave the government the hest
they had. They freely offered health,
strength. limb and life to save the coun-
try in 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
sacrificing men, who are justly entitled
to generous aid in their increasing necess-
ties
The declaration of the republican plat
form in favor of the upbuiding of our
merchant marine has my hearty approval
The policy of discriminating duties in favor
of our shipping which prevailed in the
early years of our history should be again
adopted by Congress and vigorously sup
ported until our prestige and supremacy
on The seas is fully attained. We should
no longer contribute, directly or indirectly,
to the maintenance of the colossal marine
of foreign countries, but provide an eff
Gent and complete marine Of our own.
Now that the American navy is assuming
a position commensurate with our import
ance as nation, policy J am glad to
observe the republican platform strongly
indorses, We must supplement 1t with a
merchant marine that will give us the add
vantages in botn our coastwise and foreign
trade that We ought naturally and prop
erly TO enjoy.
1t should be at once a matter of public
policy and national pride to reposscss this
immense and prosperous trade.
Civil Service Reform.
The pledge Of the republican national
convention that our civil service laws
shall be sustained and thoroughly and
honestly enforced and extended wherever
practicable is in keeping with the posi-
ton of the party for the past twenty-four
years and will be faithfully observed. Our
opponents decry these reforms They ap-
Iear willing to aba1 don all the advantages
gained after SO many years of agitation
and effcrt. They encourage a return 10
methods CT party favoritism which both
parties have often denounced that expert
ence has condemned. and that the people
have repeatedly disapproved. The repub-
lican party earnestly opposes this reaction
airy and entirely unjustifiable policy L.
Will take no backward step upon this ques-
lion. 1t VIII seek to improve, but never
degrade, the public service.
There are ether important and timely
declarations in the platform which L cam
not here discuss. l must content myself
with saying that they have my approval
Ii, as republicans, We have lately address
ed our attention, with what may seem
great stress and earnesJness, to the new
and unexpected assault upon the financial
integrity OF the government. We have done
IL because the menace is so grave as to de-
mand especial consideration. and because
We are convinced that if the people are
aroused to the true understanding 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 country and We appeal to
the intelligence, conscience and patriotism
OF the people, irrespective of party or sec
ton, for their earnest support.
We avoid no issues. We meet the sud-
den, dangerous and revolutionary assault
upon law and order, and upon those to
whom is confided by the Constitution and
laws the authority to uphold and maintain
them, which our opponents have made.
with the same courage that we have faced
every emergency since our organizat ton as
a party, more than forty years ago. Gov
eminent by law must first be assured:
everything else can wait. The spirit of
lawlessness must be extinguished by the
fires of an unselfsh and lofty patriotism
Every attack upon the public faith and
every suggestion of the reputation of debts,
public or private, must be rebuked by all
men who believe that honesty is the best
policy, or who love their country and
would preserve unsullied its national honor.
SectiOnalism Almost Obliterated.
The country is to be congratulated upon
the almost total obliteration of the section
al 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 dread ordeal of civil war. The era of
reconciliation SO long and earnestly desired
by Gen. Grant and many other great lead
ers, north and south, has happily come
and the feeling of distrust and hostility be-
tween the sections is everywhere vanish
Ing, let us hope never to return. Nothing
is better calculated to give strength to the
nation at home, to increase our influence
abroad and add to the permanency and Sc
curity of our free institutions than the res
toratton OF cordial relations between the
people of all sections and parts of our be-
loved country.
If called by the suffrages Of the people
to assume the duties of the high office of
President of the United States, / shall
count 1t 4 privilege to aid, even in the
slightest degree in the promotion of the
spirit of fraternal regard, which should an
innate and govern the citizens of every sec
ton, state CT part of the republic. After
the lapse of century since its utterance
let us, at length and forever hereafter heed
the admonition of Washington, There
should be no north, TO south, no east, no
west, but a common country"
1t shall be my constant aim to improve
every opportunity to advance the cause of
good government by promoting that spirit
of forbearance and justice which is SO es-
sential to our prosperity and happiness, by
joining most heartily in all proper efforts
to restore the relations of brotherly respect
and affection which in our early history
characterized all the people of all the
states. l would be glad to contribute to-
ward binding in indivsible union the diff
ferent Divisions Of the country, which, in