The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
THE CAMPAIGN KEYNOTE.
Concluded from Second Page)

state Our ablest military and naval COM
manders have strongly supported annexation
as essential to our national defense. Gen.
Schoicld said, that the Hawaiian islands
constitute the only natural outpost to the
defense Of the Pacific coast In the posses
sion or foreign naval power they
would afford the means of incalculable in
jury to the United States. We must
secure forever the desired control over those
islands or let it pass into other hands,
Captain Mahan, an International authority
on naval strategy. says:
TO anyone viewing a map that shows the
full extent Of the Pacific ocean with it's
shores on either side, two circumstances will
be strikingly and Immediately apparent. He
will see at a glance that the Sandwich ISL
ands stand by themselves in a state of COM
parative isolation, amid a vast expanse of
sea; and, again. that they form a center of
large circle whose radius is approximately,
and very closely the distance from Honolulu
to San Francisco. From San Fran
ing distance, is substantially the same as
from Honolulu to the Gilbert, Marshall.
Samoan. Society and Marquesas groups the
nearest inhabited islands,, all under. Eu-
ropean control. except Samoa, in which we
have a part influence. Too much
stress cannot be- laid upon the immense
disadvantages to us of any maritime enemy
having coaling station well within $500
miles of every point of our coast line from
others available we might find 1t difficult to
exclude from all. There is, however. but
the one. Shut out from the Sandwich ISL
ands as a coal base. enemy is thrown
back for supplies of fuel to distances of
$500 or 1900 miles-or between 1000 and 5000
going and coming-an impeachment to
tanned maritime operations well-nigh pro-
hibitive 1t is rarely that so important
factor in the attack or defense of a coast
line-of a sea frontier-iS concentrated in
single position. and the circumstance rem
ders it doubly imperative upon us to secure
it, If we righteously can"
not only the policy but the power to annex.
They were pleased TO regard annexation as
an entrance upon perilous system of i'm
there was no constitutional power to annex
such territory. These objections in form
the United States has attempted to annex
territory They were made against the an
nexation Of Louisiana. Florida, Texas, Cali
I will not stop further to consider the
question of the policy of annexation, but
shall only advert briefly to the question of
power The exercise of the power of an
nexatfcn from Jefferson down to the present
time would seem to set at rest the question
dent of sovereignty 1t resided in the sew
eral original States prior to the formation of
the Constitution. Upon the formation of the
federal government the power to acquire
territory which inhered in the several
colonial States was surrendered and vested
in the national government There it re-
mains and should always remain absolute
and unabridged 1t should be exercised eau
tiously; and only when the national interest
most clearly and positively requires it. [
have no manner of doubt that 1t will al
w3ys be so exercised.
Time will not permit me to touch further
upon the work of Congress. The record
made is entirely creditabe and honor
able one, both as to the quantity and char
acter of work done.
State Issues.
We may confidently invite the approval Of
the people of our splendid administration of
state affairs. The people of the State owe
debt of gratitude to Governor James A.
Mount for the able and conscientious man
-. 1T l.
of his office. Every pledge of the Repub-
lican party has been faithfully redeemed a
high sense of duty and economy has char
acterized every department, and. the result
is shown in improved service and a saving
of vast sum of money to the taxpayers
of the State. The wisdom of carrying strict
aud economical business methods into pub
tic administration, too often neglected, has
been abundantly justified since the Repub-
lcan party assumed power.
We take pride in the fact that Indiana,
always ready to respond to the Nations
call was the first to put her soldiers in the
field. They came from her farms, her shops
and her mines; her factories, her schools
as ever bore the b}Unf of s h sPGno' Tbe e
they are to-day, ready to dare and die in
their country's cause. God bless them! All
honor to them
IL is a part Of the undsputed record that
the public debt Of the State was Gre
ated by Democratic administrations Though
and that it has been paid and reduced by
republican administrations The present
administration has in less than eighteen
months paid off the bonded obligations Gre
ated by the Democratic party to the extent
OF $92O,O0O, a record, 1 believe without
parallel. 1t is now obvious that the debt
which has been so grievous a burden upon
the people of the State is practically certain
OF extinction during Republican control. 1t
go, and this policy the Republican party
intends to follow in it's administration of
the affairs of the State. It's laudable ambi-
ton and purpose is to pay the last dollar of
state debt and relieve the people forever
from the vast annual interest charges
which they have been paying for so many
yearS-Ior period long anterior to the civil
war.
The Republican party is entitled to con-
graduation for its long and persistent war
against the gerrymander and in favor
of restoring to the people the elective fran
chise. No State has suffered more from the
disgrace of legislative and congressional
gerrymanders than the State of Indiana
After years of incessant appeal to the peo-
PIE, and after having, invoked the jurisdic-
ton of the courts, the Democratic gerry
manderS have been uprooted and over
thrown. The last General Assembly enacted
an apportionment law in total disregard of
any idea of partisan advantage, and solely
with the purpose of giving to the people Of
the State a fair and equal opportunity to
express their preference for members of the
Legislature. The apportionment was made
with such scrupulous care that the party
carrying the State by a majority Of three
troll the Legislature believe it is an in
disputable fact that no legislative appor-
tionment was ever made by either party in
tbs State which was more fair and Just to
all political parties. The public conscience
has been so aroused against the infamy of
the gerrymander that no self-respecting
party dare restore it to the statute books
of the State.
The Republican party has been faithful
to its pledge to introduce bipartisan meth
DDS in the administration of the benevolent
institutions VI the State. The wisdom of its
course has been most amply justified by the
economy and Improvement of the public
service. It's experience under the present
administration has more than confirmed it's
predictions, and will meet with the most
emphatic public approval.
The Last Legislature.
The last General Assembly, so sharply
condemned by the Democratic party, was
as conscientious and able as any the State
has ever had It's devotion to the public in
terest was earnest and intelligent, and its
erous approval and commentator. It's en-
actment of fee and salary lawn some
cases not entirely fair in it's operation but
in it's larger effect just to State and Off
cials-has already resulted in saving to the
people of the State many thousands of dol
lars.
l shall not detain the convention by adj
verting to all of the benefcent measures
enacted by the last Legislature, but L
must direct attention to the acts pro-
viding for the creation of the Office of fac
tory inspector, for the better protection of
the health and lives of operatives and pro-
hibiting child labor. And also for the crea-
ton of a labor commission for the settle
ant ~ hnf ,N1Orr