The American guide., 1896-08-29

ment congress should Immediately restore the
reciprocity section OF the old law, with such
amendments, II any, as time and experience
sanction as wise and proper, The underlying
principle OF this legislation mu.t. however pe
strictly observed 1t is to AFFORD new markets
for our surplus agricultural and manufactured
products, without loss to the American laboIer
Of a single days work that he might otherwise
procure
Foreign Immigration.
The declaration OF the platform touching
foreign immigration is ono OF peculiar impor-
tanee at this time, when our owh lapofins pco,
pie are in such great distress. ] am IN hearty
sympathy with the present legislation re-
stricting foreign immigration and favor sueh
extension Of the laws as will secure the L nlteu
States from invasion by the debased and GRIM
lnal classes OF the old world. While we auhere
to .he public policy under which our country
has received great bodies OF honest ihuus-
trlous citizens, who have added to the wsaitn'
progress, and power Of the country, ana "h'i,
We welcome to our shores the weH-disposeu
and industrious immigrant who contributes DS
his energy and intelligence to the cause OF tree
government we want no immigrants who DO
not seek our shores to become citizens. we
should permit none to participate in the ad-
vantages OF our civilization who do not sym
pathlzo with our aims and form Of government
We should receive mono who come to make
war upon our Institutions and proht by pub
lie dlSQuiet and turmoil Against all sueh
our gates must be tightly closed,
Our soldiers md sailors
The soldiers and sailors OF the Union should
neither be neglected nor forgotten The gov
ernmcnt which they served so we'll must not
make their lives or condition harder by treat
ing them as supplcantS for relief in old age or
distress, nor regard with dlsdain or contempt
the earnest interest one comrade naturally
manifests In another. Doubtless there have
been pension abuses and frauds In the NUM-
erous claims allowed by the government, but
the policy governing the administration OF
the pension bureau must always be far ana
liberal No deserving applicant should ever
suffer because Of wrong porpotratcd by or Tor
another our soldiers and sailor, x ave tho
government the best they had They freely Of
icrod health, strength, limb ana life to save tho
country In the time Of Its greatest peril and
the government must honor them in their
need as IN their service with the respect and
gratitude due to brave, noble and self-sacrl-
nclng men who are Justly entitled to generous
aid in their increasing necessities
Our Merchant Marine and NAVY.
The declaration Of the republican platform
In favor Of the upbuildiue Of our merchant ma.
rinc has my hearty approval The policy OF
discriminating duties in favor OF our shipping
which prevailed In the early years OF our his
tory should bn again promptly adopted by con-
grcss, and vigorously supported until our pres
t!ge and supremacy on the seas Is fully at
taincd We should no longer contribute III
rectly or Indirectly TO the maintenance OF the
colossal marine Of foreign countries, but pro-
vide an enciout ana complete marine OF our
own Now that the American navy Is assuming
o position Commensurate with our Importance
as a nation, policy am glad to observe the
republican platform strongly lndorcS, We
must supplement 1t with merchant marine
that will give US the advantage IN both our
coastwsc and foreign trade that we ought
naturally and properly to enjoy II should bo
Ut once q matter OF public policy And national
pride TO rcpossc,s that Immense and prosper
Gus trade
tNil Service Reform.
Tho pledge ui the republican national con-
ycniion that our ciyll service laws shall be
sustained, ani thoroughly and honestly Gu
forced and extended wherever practicable" Is
Ia keeping with the position of the party for
The past q years aud will be faithfully obs
served. our opponents dccy those reforms
They appear willing to abandon all the adyan-
laRcs galacd after so many years OF agitation
aud effort They encourage return
to methods Of party nyotltism which
both parties have of.cn denounced
thnt experience has condemned and
they encourage return to methods OF party
fayorlsm which both parties have often re-
bounced, that experience has condemned and
that the people have repeatedly dlsapproycd,
The republican party earnestly opposes this
rcnctionary and entirely unjustlnnblc policy,
II will take no backward sep upon the ser.
vice. !, will scel, to improve, but never de-
grade the public service.
1t Demand. Special Attention.
There are other important and timely dec
lnrations In the platform, which cannot here
discuss, / must content myself with so''
.hn, they 1--we - "SgvS- ~
with wnat may sco... great stress ana ear.
nestncss to the new and unexpected assault
upon the financial integrity OF the government,
We have dono1t because the menace Ia 80
grave us to demand especial consideration
and bccausewo are convinced that II the
people arc aroused to the true meaning OF
this silver and Imitation movement they will
avert the dangct
service possible to tho country, md We appeal
TO tho intelligence conscience aud patriotism
OF the people, irrespective OF party or section,
for their earnest support
II WIN Maintain Law and order.
We avoid no issues We meet the sudden,
dangerous and revolutionary assault upon
law and order and upon those TO whom
Is couGded by the constitution and laws
the authority to uphold and main.
tain them, which our opponents have made,
with the samc courage that we have faced
every emergency since our organization as u
party, more than 20 years ago Government
by law must FIRST be assured everything else
can wait, The spirit Of laWles,ncs> must be
cstlnguished by the ircs Of aH uusolnSh and
lofty patriotism Every attack upon the pub-
lie faith nnd every suggestion Of the rcpudia-
tlon Of debts, public or private, must be rc-
hukcd by all men who believe that honesty :
the best policy, or who love their country aud
would preserve uhSulllcd II, national honor
sectionAiism Almost Oblit.ratcd.
The country is TO be congratulated upon tho
almost total obilcration Of the sectional lines
which for many years marked tho division
Of the United States into slave aud free terri
tory and finally threatened It's partition into two
separate governments by the dread ordeal of
civil war The ora oi meditation, long aud
earnestly desired by Gen Grant and many other
great leaders, north and south, has happily
come, ana tho feeling OF dlstrust and hostility
between the sections ls everywhere vanishing,
! let ~. Aopo never to return, Nothing is better
calculated to glyo strength to the national
home, increase our power and influence