, 1898-12-24
A PLATFORM FULFILLED.

A panty that keeps faith with the peo-
pie deserves the commentator of all
who believe that political platforms are
guides for action, not mere rhetoric to
CATCH votes. The platform adopted by
the republican national convention in
St. Louis, June IS, 1896, has already
been wrought in to history. Every in
teflieent voter asks that his party not
only have a full purpose tt vitalize its
principles as announced, but that it
shan show the capacity to do it when
Entrusted with power. Tested by this
standard the republican party has per-
formed it's duty with rare promptness
and ability. Its promises of two years
ago are accomplished facts. it was hoped
and believed when the platform was
adopted that it could be carried into eff
feet peacefully; but a chain OF mex
pected events impelled the people to en-
gage in a foreign war as a last resort.
This crisis came upon a republican ad-
mfnistration and was met with complete
success. Emergencies, no matter how
extraordinary. have been faced with a
uniformly favorable result, and now
that peace has returned the party feels
that congratulations are in order.
In view of what has happened, the
language of the platform in regard to
Cuba is deeply significant. After an ex-
preston of sympathy with the Cubans
IN their fight for independence the plank
continued: 1.-The government of Spain,
having lost control of Cuba, and being
unable to protect the property and lives
comply with its treaty obligations, we
believe that the government of the I'M
tied States should actively use its in
fluence and good Offices to restore peace
and give independence to the island"
The good Offices of the United States
were rendered and rejected. Peace is
assured. All came to pass in less thar
two years after the republicans assum-
ed control. Another passage in the
platform reads: The Hawaiian ISL
andls should be controlled by the United
States, and no foreign power should be
permitted to interfere with them" But
one way existed to carry this into effect
and that was annexation. Hawaii, ac-
cordingly, has been made a part of our
territory. No n foresaw in June,
1896, uhat before January /, 1899, Cuba,
would be free Hawaii under our
flag. But both ideas were in the repub-
lican platform, and when the occasion
came a republican administration
turned the American aspirations into
deeds.
There was in the platform a promise
Of escape from an area ofhardtimes and
political disaster, and It has been kept.
"All our silver and paper currency must
be maintained at parity with gold"
was another declaration which stands
v~indicated. The protective tariff out
lined rs on statute books. The enlarge
ment Of the navy n improved coast
defenses are the fulfillment of another
plank. In the last plank of the plat |
form occurs these words: Such are
che principles and policies of the re-
publican party. By these principles we
will abide, s1td these policies we will put
INTO execution" The sincerity of the
avowal has been placed beyond ques-
zion. A strikias parallel might he
drswu bstween the realization of the re. |
publican national platform Of 1896 and
the neglect and perversion Of the demo-
cratic platform in 1892 in which the