The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-08
THE PLATFORM.
A Strong Document Adopted BY the State
Convention.

Following Is the full text Of the plat
form adopted by the Republican State
convention at Harrisburg last Thursday;
1. The Republican pArsy-oi Pennsyiva-
MIA, in convention assembled, ratiies and
re aiiirins the doctrines cnunciafej in the
Republican National platform adopted at !.
St. Louis in 1896. and approved by the
people Al The last Presidential election.
: We declare our emphatic approval of
the v Use and patriotic course Of the Pres
ident and Cougress in the present crisis
We appreciate the high staies taansBip
which lei the President 10 resort % every
honorable means to avoid tho necessity
Of a war with Spain.
The conditions prevailing in tie island
of Cnha under Spanish control had be
come seriously injurious 10 our important
commercial Interests, and the suffering.
misery and death occasioned by Spanish
cruelty snd barhaTity had incurred a sen /
timent among the American people, who
can not help bat feel a generous sympa-
thy with people so near our own border
The destruction OF the Maine by Span
ish agencies In the opinion Of our people
demanded atonement; and our negntia-
tions with Spain clearly developed the
fact that one alternative was left TO the
United States, that Spain should relin-
quish her sovereignty over that island,
and that the freedom Of Cuba should be
recognized.
With these purposes in view we demand
"a vigorous prosecution Of the war TO sue
cessful conclusion, and we pledge our
earnest support TO the President of the
United States in whatever measures he
may deem necessary.
J. We rejoice with the people Of the
nation upon the brilliant record which
the American navy has made in the pres
ent war. The spIenid victory ofthe Am
eriean fieet under Commodore Dewey at
Manila has not been rivaled in the history
of naval warfare; and our people have
such confidence in the bravery, skill and
efficiency of the officers and men Of our
navy that they confidently look forward
to equally brilliant victories in the Cuban
waters.
We demand that the national Govern
ment shall. as rapidly as possible in
crease and build up our navy 50 that we
shall at all times be prepared to meet the
necessities of our national defense, to pro-
teet our merchant marine and our grow
ing foreign commerce, and, with the same
object in view, we demand that the ma
| tional Government shall provide ade-
quate coast defenses upon our seaboard
of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
We congratulate the State upon the
promptness with which Pennsylvania
filled the quota required 10y the national
Government with trained and efficient
| volunteer soldiers. The National Guard
OF Pennsylvania has always been mat
ter of pride with our people, and we ap-
preciate their patriotic response TO the
call Of the President.
Our people will watch the career of the
| Pennsylvania volunteers with absolute
confidence in their patriotic desire aud
ability to uphold the honor and the dig
nity of the State of Pennsylvania
4. The Republicans of Pennsylvania re-
affirm their adherence to the doctrine Of
protection to American Industries. Two
years ago our mills were closed and our
manufacturing. commercial. agricultural
and business interests were prostrated
To-day cur mills are opened, labor is
given full employment, and a general re-
vival o. industrial activity promises re-
newed prosperity 10 our State.
We re affirm the declaration made in
the last Republican national platform in
favor Of the construction of the Nicaragua
Canal. We believe that the present war
has demonstrated beyond question the
imperative necessity Of this canal for pur-
poses OF national defense and for the de-
velopment of orr foreign and domestic
commerce, and we call on Congress to
push this work as speedily as possible.
We express our gratitude To our Sena-
tors and to the Congressman % this State
for their efforts in securing such appro-
priations from the national Government
as will insure the final completion of the
improvements upon the Ohio, the Ale
gheny and the MOnongahela Rivers, so
that free slackwater navigation will be
secured TO the people of that great manu-
featuring and industrial region; and we
demand that the national Government
shall continue the appropriation for the
Improvement of the Delaware River un-
Ill its channel shall be of sufficient depth
aud width 10 receive the largest battle
ships and the biggest vessels of Onr mer-
chant marine into the port OF Philadel-
phia.
Recognizing that Western Pennsylva-
MIA is destined 10 become the manu- lactu-
ring center Of the world, we demand that
Congress shall make adequate provision
for the construction Of a waterway be-
tween the slaekwater navigation Of the
Ohio and its tributaries and the Great
Lakes, and we express our cordial fp-
proval Of and pledge our earnest support
to the proposed canal connecting the
Great Lakes with the seaboard.
We re-ailirm the declaration in the
platform of the Republican party in this
State in 1877 in favor Of the law restrict
ing immigration of cheap foreign labor
ers, who are unwilling and unqualified
10 assume the duties Of citizenship. but
who enter into competition with our own
American working people.
We heartily and cordially endorse the
duthilA>tldtlou ti ITtSiutuL MctN lnleF-
The people Of Pennsylvania appreciate
his patriotism aud craftsmanship, and
have implicit confidence in his ability to
gnide the Nation at this time.
His judicious aud patriotic course in
the present war has won for him The
admiration and respect Of statesmen
throughout the world. The purity Of his
patriotism and the wisdom of his states
manship are such that in the conduct of
the present war seetionalism has tlisap-
peared and he receives the earnest sup
port of the American people.
We commend the wise. careful and ef-
ficient administration Of the State Gov
ernment in its various departments, and
heartily approve of the fidelity with
which cur State officials have discharged
their duties.
The Republican party of Pennsylvania
is in favor of good roads" throughout
the Commonwealth. and recognizing that
the State should aid in their construction,
we recommend such legislation and ap-
preparation of public moneys as may be
necessary for that purpose.
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