Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-03-24
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.


| United States senator from Iowa, as a
fitting candidate for the republican
nomination for president of the United
| States. The republicans of Iowa, in
| their fealty to republican principles,
| and with a. profound sense Of their OBJ
| legation to the people of the nation to
| do only what seems best to bring back
| to the protrated interests of the nation
| the health-giving tonic of republican
| policy. presents MI: Allison in spirit
| far above any consideration of state
pride. For many years there has been
universal feeling among the people Of
| Iowa that Senator Allison is conspicu-
| ously fitted for the position of presd-
| dent Of the republic, and this sentiment
has spread widely over the nation. So
| that we present his name today, N no
sense of personal compliment to him, in
no spirit Of local pride, but in the pro-
found conviction that we are fulfilling
a duty to the party and duty to the
nation.
We believe hat Senator Allison repre-
sents, as well as any man IN the ma
tfon, the competency of the republican
party to deal h onestly, wisely and sue
ctssfully with all the interests of the
country. For "a bird of a century the
republican parity has solved the most
difficult problems, and mastered the
greatest difficulties In government, that
IL is possible for a party to encounter
Its rule was grandly beneflcient, and
me grow tn and prosperity of the nation
under 1t was marvellous. Since the
democratic party replaced it in control
the record has been one OF wretched
acknowledgement and dismal disaster
1t as this contrast between republican
competency and democratic incompe-
tency that will carry the republican
party back to power The strength OF
It's cause viii rest, not upon one issue.
but upon dts demonstrated ability to
meet all issues firmly, wisely and sue
cessfully.
Senator Allison has been a consptc-
uous figure in this beneficent work of
the party throughout it's whole exist
ence. NO other man In the nation more
emphatically represents the construc-
tive and resourceful capacity Of the
party to meet, in practical and sue
cessfui way, the difficult problems of
administration. For thirty-one years
he has had moulding hand in all the
important laws upon the nations stat
ute book. Throughout this long period
he has been prominent and indefat-
| igable laborer in all the difficult prob
| lens connected with the war, and the
means of sustaining Ii; reconstruction,
ana the harmontzing OF the sections:
| the abolition Of slavery; the enfran-
| chisement, education and upbuilding of
the negro, experimenting in this the
| work or Iowa, which was the first state
| to give the ballot to the black man; the
| raising or revenue to sustain the gov
eminent, pay pensions, and discharge
thousands OF millions of the public
| debt; the creation of our financial sys-
| tenn, and the return to specie payment:
the creation of a sound currency; the
upbuilding OF agencies for the develop
| ment Of the west; the reform of the
| civil service; the national control of
- NJ ~
Industries; the protection of dairy and
agricultural products; the prevention
| Of Chinese and pauper and criminal i'm
migration; and the creation Of a PEN
| sion list uneQualed In the gratitude of
| nations.
If the dominant issue of this contest
| is to be the tariff. then no man better
represents 1T, for no man has been
| ,ftener placed in the leadership in the
| formation Of republican tariffs than
| senator Allison. For thirty-one years
| ne has feen among the foremost in
their construction and discussion, and
always upon the line Of that fair and
sufficient protection that is the strength
| # the party policy. He was chairman
| of The subcommittee that after many
months of investigation drafted the adj
ministratlvc provisions OF the custom
Avs. accepted under all tariff bills
since constructed as most efficient in
their operation: He was chairman of
| the senate committee that diafted the
senate substitute for the democratic
| bill Of 1883, which substitute was large
| ly the basis OF the republican tariff of
| 1890. He had the seante leadership
| again in the perfection OF the last re-
| publican tariff; where 1t received many
| of its important provisions, notably
that of of reciprocity. He was again
| selected by the senate republicans to
%
| the free trade Wilson bill. and his skill
| and influence operated largely in saw
( ing whatever measure of protection
| American industry secured under that
| law. His arraignment of that law was
protest and prophecy. Il state
| here" he said. without fear Of success
| full contradiction, that, with few ex-
| ceptions, there Is otn an industry or oc-
| cupation in the United States that will
not be greatly iinrned. II not paraiyze
by his BILL With these exceptions u
would seem that none OF our great in.
terests can survive, certainly none can
have healthy existence"
We challenge n parallel in therecord
| OF any living statesman to the master
full work done by Senator Allison, for
many years, Gn the line OF that fair
and benehcient protection that has
built up the industries of the nation,
gave employment and good wages to
the working man, laid no appreciable
burden upon the consumer, furnished
abundant revenue for the needs of the
government and payment OF the public
debt, and which is ait once the pride
and the strength OF the party.
III the dominant issue Is to be finance.
then no man in the nation has great"
er reputation for financial resourceful-
ness and consstructiveness and sound
ness, a fact conspdcuouSly recog
by the pressure OF Presidents Garfield
and Harrison upon him to take the
portfolio OF the treasury In their re
spective administrations. He has been
favorable to q true bimetaMsm. and he
has alt all times qabored TO maintain an
abundant currency of gold. silver and
paper. made !nIterconvestible, and
equal to the best currency of the com
merctal world. He has demanded for
the business Of The nation a currncy
equitable and stable, free from the es-
c3lIaitions so dangerous 10 business In
terests, and so unjust to the wage
earners of the nation, whose thousands
of millions of annual wages. and many
thousand millions of credits In savings
banks and other firms, cinsttute them
the great creditor class of the nation.
If the foreign policy Of the nation is to
be an issue, Senator Allison has held rig
idly to the teachings OF Washington, and
the teachings Of Nonroe-oppossng all en-
taTggling alliances with other countries,
assautting no established rights of nations
upon this continent, but fairly insisting
that the political systems of Europe shall