The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-14
r1cKinley's Platform.

The platform adopted at Columbus
Wednesday Is understood to have been
written by Major Mckinley himself,
and to present the issues upon which
he desires to run for president If nomi-
mated at St. Louis. 1t therefore merits
especially careful attention. We quote
herewith those portions Of 1t which are
Of national interest and significance:
1--WE are faithfully welded to the great
principle OF protection by every tie OF
party fealty and affection. and II Is dearer
to us now than ever before. 1t has more
devoted supporters among the great
masses of the American people, irrespec..
tive Of party, than at any previous period
In our national history. 1t is everywhere
recognized and indorsed as the great. mas
terful, triumphant American principle--a
key to our prosperity in business. the
safest prop to the treasury. of the Unit
ed States. and the bulwark of our ma
tional independence and financial honor.
We denounce the present tariff law as
the sublimated product OF Democratic
Ignorance and incompetency, bringing, as
II has, to prosperous and happy people
a period of unprecedented adversely and
distress from which nothing but return
to the policy OF protection can relieve II.
the present tariff law as an unjust dis
elimination against an important indus
try and against a large part Of our peo-
pie. and demand such protection for sheep
husbandry as will secure fair prices for
American wool.
1.-The Republican party stands for a reel
procity that reciprocates and which does
not yield up to another country single
days labor that belongs TO the American
workingman 1t stands for International
agreements which get as much as they
give, upon terms of mutual advantage. 1t
stands for foreign policy dictated Ivy
and imbued with u spirit that Is genuine
ly American; for policy that will revive
the national traditions and restore the
national spirit which carried us proudly
through the earlier years of the century.
eign nations as will insure both to us and
to them justice. good faith. dignity and
honor 1t stands for the Monroe doctrine
as Monroe himself proclaimed 1t. II
whiten every sea with the sails Of Ameri-
can vessels. flying the American flag. and
that will protect that flag wherever 1t
floats. 1t stands for fiscal policy op-
posed to debts and deficits In time OF
peace, and favors the return Of the gov
ernment to a debt-paying policy, and OPP
poses the continuance OF the debt-making
policy. 1t Is too plain for argument that
Of the government require the revenues
Of the government to be amply suffl-
Client for the public expenditures at all
times. without danger Of deficit. and to
IndI emu cOuSTtSs WpHoaS ocAay
I've contend for honest money: for a
currency Of gold. silver and paper with
which to measure our exchange that snail
be as sound as the government and as un-
furnished as its honor: and to that end
we favor bimetallism and demand the
use Of both gold and silver as standard
money. either in accordance with ratio
10 be fixed by an international agree
ment IL that can be obtained, or under
such restrictions and such provisions, to
be determined by legislation. "a will Sc.
cure the maintenance of the PARTIES OF
the values OF the two metals, so That the
purchasing and debt-paying power of the
dollar, whether of silver. gold or paper,
shall be at all times equal.
This is a phrasing Of party doctrine
to which every genuine Republican can
cordially subscribe. 1t represents at
each point the best traditions and the
highest aspirations of the party, and Is
so worded as to leave no fair doubt as
to its meaning and intent. An artificial
clamor has already arisen that its cur
rency plank is a straddle: but this Is
merely the malicious hypercriticism of
those whose selfish Identification with
the single gold standard would. IL 1t
who Is unwilling to take the oath of
belligerency upon silver at every pos
sible occasion. The Republican policy
Is not one Of relentless antagonism to
bimetallism; 1t Is not one Of prejudiced
disbelief in the possibility of an interna-
tional. or falling that. safe national
reconciliation of silver to its former
legal parity with gold: 1t is simply
policy Of present caution, SO as not by
any precipitous or risky action to jostle
the basis of commerce and Of credits
into unnecessary oscillation, thereby de-
feating the very ends in view. On the
money question the Ohio platform Is
emphatically all right
Spain, It seems. has already Jumped