St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-07-28
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.
what the Party In Power Has Failed
to Do since Assuming the
Reins of Control.

ksN M # H ~ ~
The columns of the partisan repus-
lican press are just now glowing with
accounts of the achievements of the
first session of the aFifty7siXth con-
gress. The claims made by enthusi-
astic reviewers are not comparative,
but positive, ants to the incautious aAd
sympathe tic mind they may give the
impression that the $50 public bills,
more or less. bear some sort of faith
full relation to the promises of the re-
publicans as made in the national
convention of 1896. In that conyen-
ton the republicans in stirring Lam
guage appealed for the popular and
historical justification OF their claims
to the matchless achievements OF 30
years of republican rule and earn
estly and confidently address them-
selves to the awakened intelligenee,
experience and conscience of their
eountrymen, in communicating GER
tain facts and principles.
Stated briefly. but strictly accord
ing to the programme set forth by the
republicans four years ago, the party
proposed to do the following things,
described as ''the principles and poll
cies ofgthe republican party" At that
time, according to the platform ut-
terances, ''by these principles we Will
abide, and these policies we will put
into execution:1
/. Promote protection.
2. Renew and extend reciprocal rela-
tons "a a sss IS ss*zs
5. Protect domestic sugar prodnction.
4 Build uD merchant marine BY dis
eliminating duties.
s. Maintain sound money and secure
free silver by International agreement
s. Take care of veterans and scold the
pension bureau. 80
I. Construct an American canal across
Nicaragua and protect American interests
in Turkey.
8. Restore peace and order to Cuba.
g. Extend the navy.
10. Exclude immigrants who cannot read
and write.
IL. Extend the civil service
H. Free ballot to every citizen.
4 l3. Stop lynchings,
Il. Establish national board of labor
arbitration.
IS Pass free homesteads bill.
49, Admit territories at early day
IL Promote temperance and rights OF
women.
Following this categorical list of
promises it is found that the prom
ises that have been made good are
these:
S. Gold standard has been established.
free coinage of silver abandoned.
15 "A free homesteads bill has been
passed.
SPY these principles we will abide,
and these policies we will put into
execution It has taken nearly four
years to put into execution two out
of II principles and policies set
forth as distinctly republican In 1896.
"A pretense has been made of carry
ing out the professions of support for
reciprocity. Another pretense has
been made 3ofaupbuilding the merchant
marine, which the party in congress
could not be depended upon to sane
ton, and which was not the policy
proposed by the platform. A bill to
authorize the construction Of Nica-
ragua canal has been passed in the
house against the advice of the adj
ministration, and has been arrested in
the senate through the influence OF
that administration. American in
terests in Turkey have been asserted,
but not satisfied. The navy has been
extended, partly following the plans
of the preceding democratic admins
tration and partly under the compul-
SIGN of unexpected war. Immigrants
come much as they did in 1896. III
civil service system has been impaired
rather than, extended, and the respect
for it has visibly diminished here.
There has been no extension of fires
BALLOT sLynchings have not been
stopped. No territories have been
admitted. The promise was extensive.
The performance is almost as bare as
possible Schenectady Star.