The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-06-24
The Platform.

terest, the matter of the greatest
public import is the declaration of
principles adopted. When the
election comes, the ballots will be
cast for principles and policies, not
for men. Such being the case, the
declarations in the platform of the
republican party will be responsible
largely for the success or defeat Of
the party, and if success follows the
campaign, the platform as adopted
will largely shape the Legislation for
at least two years 10 come.
While the platform is long and
comprehensive, there is in it, as is
usual with political documents of this
character, great deal of verbiage
that does not add to nor detract from
its force. There are also declara-
tons, well enough in themselves, on
the Cuban question, the Monroe doc
trine, foreign relations, etc.; but in
reality there are but two planks that
are of vital importance in the cam
paign this year, viz: the tariff plank
and the currency plank. This be-
ing in our judgment true, we will
only discuss these two at the present
time.
The question of the very first i'm
portance to the people this year is
whether the country shall remain
under its present tariff policy, with
its constant revenue deficiency, or
return to a protective system. AS
was expected, the republican conven-
ton spoke squarely for the protective
policy. What declaration the demo
cracy may make in this matter is of
course merely conjecture, but its
record for the past warrants the as
sumption that it will favor the pres
ent policy. However, no matter
what the democratic platform may
contain, it is certain the democracy
is not a protective party; indeed,
the republican party is, as it has
has been in the past, the only true
exponent of the American policy of
protection, the only party through
which the people can hope for the
enactment of an adequate protective
tariff. This, coupled with the pledg-
es Of the party to promote the pol
icy of reciprocity, so prosperousIy
inaugurated by the lamented James
G.. Blaine and the Harrison admins
tration, makes the platform an ideal
one so far as the protective plank is
concerned.
The currency declaration is a dis
appointment to many republicans, in
that it is departure from the former
bimetallic declarations of the party.
Indeed, were it not for the fact that
the tariff question towers above all
others in Importance in the present
campaign, the currency plank would
doubtless cause some serious defec-
tons from the republican ranks. Every
true republican favors sound money
and wishes every dollar to be as
good as gold; but not every republic
can believes that a maintenance of
the single gold standard is necessary
to accomplish this result. However,
there is a portion of the currency
plank worthy of sincerest common
dation, and that is the pledge of the
party to promote an international
agreement concerning silver. The
protective question is great enough
to win republican victory this year;
the accomplishment of an interna-
tional agreement will be sufficient
to win republican victories in years
to come. The people will, however,
hold the party to strict accounta-
bility in this matter, and failure to
endeavor by all possible means to
accomplish the end desired will be
be severely rebuked at the polls
hereafter. Meanwhile, it is wise for
bimetallists to work through the re-
republican party for the nomination
and election of men to congress who
are in thorough sympathy with this
plan of solving the currency question,
and who will have the disposition
and ability to push it to a successful
consummation.
On the whole, the outlook for re-
publican success is BRIGHT. and time