Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-07-03
The st. Louis Platform
WHAT THE REPUBLICANS PROMISE THE
COUNTRY IF FREE SILVER DON'T
SWEEP THEM AWAY.

COUNTRY IF FREE SILVER DON'T
SWEEP THEM AWAY.
Following is the text of the platform:
The Republicans of the United States as
sembled by their representatives in National
Convention. appealing for the popular and
historical Justification of their claims to the
matchless achievements of the thirty years of
Republican rule, earnestly and confidently
address themselves to the awakened intelli-
gence, experience and conscience of their
countrymen in the following declaration of
acts and principles:
For the first time since the Civil war the
American people have witnessed the calami-
cratic control of the Government. 1t has
been record of unparalleled incapa city, dis
honor and disaster. 1t has ruthlessly sacri-
feed indispensable revenue, entailed an un-
ceasing deficit, eked out ordinary current ex-
penses with borrowed money. piled up the
public debt by 1892 1000, 900 in time tf peace,
forced an adverse balance of trade. kept a
perpetual menace hanging over the redemp-
ton fund. pawned American credit to alien
syndicates and reversed all the measures and
results of successful Republican rule. In the
broad effect of its policy it has precipitated
panic, blighted industry and trade with pro-
longed depression, closed factories, reduced
work and wages, halted enterprise and Grip
pied American production, while stimulat-
ing foreign production for the American
market. Every consideration OF public safe
ty and individual interest demands that the
Government shall be rescued from the hands
Of those who have shown themselves incapa-
BILE to conduct it without disaster at home
and dishonor abroad, and shall be resto1 ed to
the party which for thirty years administered
it with unequaled success and prosperity, and
in this connection we heartily endorse the
wisdom, patriotism and the success of tihe ad-
ministration Of President Harrison.
PROTECTION.
We renew and emphasize our allegian to
the policy of protection as the bulwark OF
American industrial independence and the
foundation of American developmel 1T and
prosperity. This true American polio V taxes
foreign products and encourages home indus
try; it puts the burden of revenue on foreign
goods. it secures the American market for the
American producer, it upholds the AL aarican
of wages for the American W. 'rking
man, it puts the factory by the side ef the
farm and makes the American farmer less de-
pendent on foreign demand and prices. it diff
fuses general thrift and POUNDS the sire myth Of
all on the strength of each. In its reas Onable
application it is just fair and impartial equal
Iy opposed to foreign control and d Dmestic
monopoly, to sectional discriminate on and
individual favoritism. We denounce tt ne pres
ent Democratic tariff as sectional, il furious
to the home public credit and des1 .ructive
to enterprise. We demand such an equit-
able tariff On foreign imports, which come
into competition with American prod, icts as
will not only furnish adequate reven he for
the necessary expenses of the Cover nment,
but will protect American labor from degra-
dation to the wage level of other lands. We
are not pledged to any particular schedules.
The question of rates is practical q lestion,
to be governed by the conditions of tt lie time
and of production; the ruling and uncOm-
promising principle is the protection and de-
velopment of American labor and industry.
The country demands right settlement and
then it wants rest.
RECIPROCITY.
VIC UOllCf . tHC IOpCdA VI OhO ACSlPtO St1y
negotiated by the last Republican
was national calamity, and
we ,demand their renewal and extension on
8 lcl terms as will equalize our trade with
other nations. remove the restrictions which
now ohstruct the sale of American products
in the ports of other countries and secure en-
larged markets for the product OF OH farms.
forests, and factories.
Protection and reciprOcSy 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 produce: free ad-
mission for the neceSSarieS of life, which we
ID not produce: reciprocity agreements of
mutual interests which gain open markets for
Us IN return for our open markets to others.
Protection builds up democratic industry and
trade, and secures our own market for our
selves: reciprocity builds up foreign trade,
md finds an outlet for our surplus.
SUGAR AND WOOL.
We condemn the present administration for |
not keeping faith with the sugar producers !
If this country. The Republican party favors I
such protection, as will lead to the protection
IN American soil Of all the sugar which the |
people use, and for which they pay /
other countries more than $100, OO0, 900 annu-
ally.
To all market prOducts-TO those of the
nine and the field. as we'll as to those of the
shop and the factory-to hemp, to wool the |
product OF the great industry of sheep hus- |
oandry, as we'll as to the finished woollens of
he mill-We promise the most ample protec-
Jon.
We favor restoring the early American poll
" of discriminating duties for the upbuiid- i
ng of our merchant marine and the protec- /
ion Of our shipping in the foreign carrying I
Jade, so that American ships-the product of i
American labor employed in American ship 1
Yards sailing under the Stars and Stripes, h
md manned, differed, and owned by |.
Anlericans-may regain the carrying of our T
oreign commerce.
u SOUND MONEY.
The Republican party is unreservedly for /
ound money. 1t caused the enactment of the I
aw providing for the resumption of specie I
payments in 1879: since then every dollar has
)een as good as gold.
We are unalterably opposed to every meas
ire calculated to debase our currency or Inn
,air the credit of orr country. Weare there
ore. opposed to the free coinage of silver, ex-
ept by International agreement with the
eading commercial nations of the world,
which we pledge ourselves to promote, and
Until such agreement can be obtained the ex-
sting gold standard must be preserved. All
ur silver and paper and currency must be
maintained at parity with gold, and we favor
IL measures designed to maintain inviolably
ne obligations OF the United States, and all
ur money, whether coin or paper, at the
resent standard-the standard of the most
nations of the EARTH
PENSIONS
The veterans of the Union army deserve ana
hould receive fair treatment and generous