The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
REPUBLICANS
ENTHUSIASTIC
Continued from First Po9s.I

turn the book of history that you may see
what it promised ahd what it has done.
| have not the time you the patience to
go into the details of the legislation of the last
thirty years. Let me suggest, however, Il at
the Republican party said that 1t would give
homes TO the poor. that it would give the
homestead to the pioneer, and it is due to the
Republican party that the beneficent home
stead law was passed and kept on the statute
book.
The Republican party said that the credit of
this Nation should BE- kept up, and it was the
lowest among the nations OF the earth. But by
its efforts it made that credit the best in all the
world. Why, you remem ber the expenses, the
extraordinary expenses, of carrying on the war
required the borrowing of vast amount of
money, and during some periods OF the war
you will remember the fear of failure was such
that the greenbacks sank farther down
in the scale and were farther below
par than ever before known. But
the honesty OF the American people
and the integrity of the Republican party
said then and says now, Mr.. Altgeld, Mr..
Bryan, Mr.. Tillman and all these demagogues
10 the contrary Notwithstanding, that the
prom ises of this Nation shall be kept and that
for every dollar we have borrowed we will re-
turn 100 cents,
But above all this. what would address nv
self to is this promise which the Republican
party made. 1t made promise that since it
was the party springing from the people it
would give employment to the men of this
country In preference to those of other lands.
fCheers and applause.l Not that we are op-
posed to other lands unless they come in con-
fiict with our industries.
We may admire England for her grea tness on
the sea; Germany for her industry and frugal
ity; Ireland for her love of hberty-we may
admire any land on the earth where the brow
is free and the hand unshackled; but We do
love this land more dearly and more de-
votedly than all countries. [Applanse.] And
as stated here tonight by Senator Perkins,
we would rather see the mills of our country
in full blast and full operation than be told
that the factories of Germany and France
and England are employing men.
And so the Republican party, which promised
the men, the women, the boys and the girls
that they should have an opportunity to labor.
that the mills should run, that the mills
should go full, that men might find an oppor-
tunity to toll. nas kept this promise by
passing a tariff measure which not only
yielded ample revenues for the expenses Of
government but protected the laboring men of
this country from the poorly clad, uuderp aid
and less fortunate laborer of foreign countries
Men who work, men who toll, men whose
daily bread depends upon their toll, men who
have money in the savings banks and those
who desire to have money in savings banks all
classes Of men, know that without such a
tariff there can be no prosperity in the United
States OF America. So upon that question the
Republican party's past record is SO square
and straight and manly that it would be an
insult to mention in detail what is known to
you.
Many other questions have confronted the
Republican party, and in every instance 1t has
had the statesmen to grapple with the prob
lens to their honor and credit But, on the
other hand. what miserable, disgraceful and
altogether discreditable record we find when we
look to see how the Democratic party has
undertaken to conduct the affsirs of this Gov
ernment. No wonder that the Chicago plat
form undertook to turn away from their record
and hazarded wild and new notions.
But the Republican party has made prom
ise-grand old woman, there she SITS grand
old woman [appausel-the Republican party
has made promise, and perhaps in the next
election we may have TO get upon our knees in
more ways than one and ask not only the
men but the women for their votes.
The Republican party dealt with the tariff
question. II also dealt with the subject indi-
Gated here tonight by Senator Perkins, that is
the great question of reciprocity. The Demo-
cratic party opposed tariff, protection and now
opposes reciprocity. The Republicans cham
pioned that; the Democratic party swept it
away. That doctrine of reciprocity that oes
not conflict with the tariff, and which admits
free to our country, free the products which
we cannot produce in return for the free entry
into other countries of those things which we
do produce. TIE result OF this has been most
reciprocity was closely connected with another
promise which the Republican party made
The Republican party has said that the Amer-
can flag shall be respected in every State and
in every Territory, and under the leadership
of Republican statesmansh p, under the guild
ance OF Republican statesmen. this flag was
caused to be respected IL not loved, caused
TO be feared If it was not loved in every sea-
Mr.. Shortridge then referred to the
patriotic enforcement by the Republican
party of the Monroe doctrine in every
case where European parties had sought
to infringe upon it. He reverted again to
the policy of reciprocity which Blaine
had inaugurated and the feeling of friend
ship that had been engendered toward the
United States by the republics OF both
continents of the Western Hemisphere.
He concluded by saying:
rhora 4, ,of o-o thi,~ 10
has ever done that it is ashamed of; there is
not one act that would cause bush of shame