Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-06-24
THE PLATFORM.
Declares for Sound Money and
Protection.
Reciprocity Endorsed and Cuba's Rights
Recognized.

form adopted by the Republican conven-
ton is as follows:
The Republicans Of the United States,
sembed by their representatives in ma
tiOnal convention, appealing for the popu-
lar and historical Justification of their
claims to the matchless achievements of
and confidently address themselves to the
awakened intelligence, experience and con-
science of their cOuntrymen in the following
declaration of facts and principles:
For the first time since the Civil war the
American people have witnessed the calam-
itOus consequences of full and unrestricted
Democratic control of the government. 1t
has been record of unparalleled incapac
ity, dishonor and disaster. In administra-
tive management it has ruthleSsly sacri-
feed Indispensable revenue entsiled an UNI
ceasing deficit, eked out ordinary current
the public debt by $262 900, 900 in time Of
peace, forced adverse balance Of trade.
kept perpetual menace hanging oyer the
redemption fund, pawned American credit
to alien syndicates and reversed all the
measures and results of successful Repub-
lican rule. In the broad effect of its pol
duStry and trade with prolonged deDres-
sion closed factories, reduced work and
wages, halted enterprise and crippled Amer
lean production, while stimulating foreign
production for the American market. EY-
cry consideration Of public safety and in
diyidual interest demands that the govern
ment shall be rescued from the hands of
those who have shown themselves Incapable
to conduct it without disaster at home and
the party which for thirty years admins
tered it with uneQuaed success and pros
perity.
We renew and emphasize our allegiance
to the policy of protection as the bulwark
of American Industrial Independence and
the foundation of American development
and prosperity. This true American policy
taxes foreign products and encourages home
industry; it puts the burden of revenue on
foreign goods; it secures the American mar
ket for the American producer; it upholds
the American standard OF wages for the
American workingman; it puts the factory
by the side of the farm and makes the
American farmer less dependent on for
eign demand and price; it diffuses general
thrift. and POUNDS the strength Of all on
the strength Of each. In it's reasonable
equally opposed to foreign control and do
nestle monopoly, to sectional discrimination
and individual faYOritism.
We denounce the present Democratic
| tariff sectional, Injurious to the public
credit and destructive to business enter
| priSes. We demand such al equitable tariff
on foreign imports which come into cOmpeti-
ton with American products will not
only furnish adequate revenue for the
| necessary expenses of the government but
! will protect American labor from degrade
rion to the wage level Of other lands We
are not pledged to any particular schedules.
| The question of rates is practical ques.
| ton. to be governed by the conditions of
| the time and of production; the ruling and
| uncOmpromsing principle is the protection
! and development of American labor and
Industry. The country demands a right
settlement and then 1t wants rest.
Reciprocity.
| We believe the repeal Of the reciprocity
| arrangements negotiated by the last Re
| publican administration was a national
| calamity, and we demand their renewal
and extension ON such terms as will equal
| ize our. trade with other nations, remove
| tie restrictions which now obstruct the
sale of American products in the ports OF
| other countries. and secure enlarged mar
|
Protection and reciprocity are twin meas
| ureS of Republican policy and go hand in
hand. Democratic rule has recklessly
struck down both and both must be re-
established. Protection for what we pro-
duce. free admission for the necessaries OF
| life which DO not produce; reciprocal
agreements OF mutual interests which gain
| open markets for in return for our open
| markets TO others Protection builds up do
| nestle industry and trade. and secures our
| own market for ourselves; reciprocity builds
| up foreign trade and finds an Quiet Tor our
| surplus.
We condemns the present administration
| for not keeping faith with the sugar pro-
| ducerS of this country. The Republican
| party favors such protection as will lead
| to the production on American soil Of all
the sugar which the American people use
and for which they pay other countries
more than $1OO, 900. 900 annually.
WooD and ygso1ens.
To all our products, to those OFF tire mine
! and the field as we'll SIS to- those of the
| shop and the factory. to hemp. to wool the
| product of the great industry of sheep
| husbandry as well as, 70 the finished woolens
| of the mill, we promise the most ample pro-
| lection.
Merchant Marine.
We favor restoring the early American
| policy of discriminating duties for the up
building of merchant marine and the
trade so that American Ships-the product
/ of American labor employed i'm American
| shpyards, sailing under the stars and
/ stripes, and manned. Ohicered and owned
| by Americans-may regain the carrying of
| our foreign commerce.
Money.
| The Republican, party is unreservedly for
sound money 1t caused the enactment of
| the law providing for the resumption of
| specie payments in 1875: since then every
| dollar has been as good as gold
We are unalterably opposed to every
measure calculated to debase our currency
| or impair the credit of our country. We
are therefore opposed to. the free coinage of
| silver except by International agreement
| with the leading commercial nations of the
! world which we pledge ourselves to pro-
| mote, and until such agreement can be OBJ
| tanned the existing gold standard mast be
! preserved. All our silver and paper eur
| rency must be maintained at parity with
| gold, and favor ali measures designed
| to maintain inviolably the obligations of the
| United States and all our money, whether
| coin or paper, at the present standard, the
standard of the most enlightened nations of
| the earth
Pensions
The veterans of the Union army deserve
! and should receive fair treatment and gem
! erous recognition. Whenever practicable
| they should be given the preference in the
matter of employment, and they entitled
! to the enactment of Such laws as are best
calculated to secure the fulfif1ment of the
pledges made to them in the dark days of
the country's peril We den0unce the prac-
tice i'm the pension bureau, recklessly and
unjustly carried on by the present admins
trrtfon. of reducing pensions and arbitrarily
dropping names from the rolls as deserving
the severest condemnation of the American
people.
Foreign Relations.
Our foreign policy should be at all times
firm vigorous and dignffed and all our in
| terests in the Western Hemisphere carefully
| watched and guarded. The Hawaiian ISL
| ands should be controlled by the United
| States and no foreign power should be per.
| mitted to interfere with them; the Nicara-
| qua canal should be built, owned and oper-
| ated by the United States and by the pur-
chase of the Danish islands we should Sc
cure a proper and much needed naval STA
/ ton in the West Indies.
CUBA.
From the hour of achieving their own in
dependence the people of the United States