Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-06-23
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
Party Principles Enumerated by the
Philadelphia Convention.

! Party Principles Enumerated by the
| Philadelphia Convention.
| The Republicans Of the United States,
| through their chosen representatives,, met
! in national convention looking back upon
! an unsurpassed record of achievement
| and looking forward into a great field of
| duty and opportunity. and appealing to
! the Judgment of their countrymen make
| these declarations:
The expectation In which the Ameri-
| can people. turning from the Democratic
! party, entrusted power four years ago TO
! a Republican chief magistrate and q Re-
! publican congress, has been met and sat-
! istied. When the people then assembled
! al the polls after Il term Of Democratic
| legislation and administration, business
| was dead Industry paralyzed, and the
national credit disastrously impaired. The
countrys capital was hidden away and
| fits labor distressed and unemployed. The
Democrats had no other plan with which
to improve the ruinous conditions which
they had themselves produced than to
coin silver at the ratio of 1G to l. The
Republican party, denouncing this plan
as sure 10 produce conditions even worse
than those from which relief was sought
promised to restore prosperity by means
| Of two legislative measures--a protective
tariff and law making gold the stand
| ard of value. The people by great ma
| iorities issued to the Republican party
a commission to enact these laws
The commission has been executed and
the Republican promise is redeemed
| Prosperity more general and more abund"
ant than we have ever known has fol-
| lowed these enactmenfs. There is no
longer controversy as to the status Of
any government obligations. Every
American dollar Is Il gold dollar or It's
assured equivalent and American credit
stands higher than that of any nation.
Capital IS fully employed and labor ev-
erywhere IS profitaby occupied. No sim
gle factor more strikingly tells the story
of what Republican government means TO
the country than this-that while dur
ing the whole period of 101 years from
1890 to 1897 there was an excess of ex-
ports over imports of only 1888 OPS, 491,
there has been In the short three years
of the present Republican administra-
tton an excess of exports over imports
in the enormous sum of $1,4SS,53109i.
And while tie American people sus-
tanned by this Republican legislation
have been achieving these splendid tri-
umphs in their business and commerce.
they have conducted and in victory con-
cluded a war for liberty and human
rights. No thought of national aggran-
dzement furnished the high purpose with
which American standards were unturl-
ed. IT was a war unsought and patiently
resisted but when it came the Ameri
can government was ready. It's fleets
were cleared for action. Its armies We're
In the field and the quick and signal tri-
umph Of IT'S forces on land and seq bore
equal tribute to the courage of Ameri-
can soldiers and sailors aud TO the skill
and foresight Of Republican statesman
ship To ten millions OF the human race
there was given "a new birth Of free
DOM and to tho American people q new
ana noble responsibility
The Endorsement of Mckinley.
We endorse the administration of WilI-
lam Mckinley. It's acts have been es-
tablished in wisdom and patriotism. and
at home and abroad it has distinctly ele-
waited aad extended the influence of the
American nation. Walking untried paths
and facing unforeseen responsibilities
PresGeu; Mckinley has been IN every
situation the true American patriot and
The upright statesman clear I'M vision.
strong in judgment firm I'm action, all
ways inspiring and deserving the con-
hdence Of his countrymen.
In asking the American people to en-
Jorse this Republican record and to re-
new their commission to the Republican
party we remind them of the fact that
the menace to their prosperity has al
ways resided in Democratic principles.
and no less in the general incapacity of
/ the Democratic party TO conduct public
affairs. The prime essential of business
| prosperity is public confidence i'm the
GOOD sense of the government and I'm its
ability 20 deal ntenigently with each new
problem of administration and legislation.
! That confidence the Democratic party has
never earned. 1t is hopelessly made
Guate and the counUy's prosperity when
1 Democratic success at the polls is am
/ n1uuced halts and ceases tn mere au-
/ u,lpatiou of Democratic blunders and
4 failures
( We renew our allegiance to the prn
/ cIria. of the gold standard ana declare our
/ confidence in the wisdom OF the legisla-
/ ton of the Fifty-siNth congress by
( which the parity of all our money and the
/ stability Of our currency upon n gold
/ basis has been secured. We recognize
/ that interest rates are potent factor i'm
I production and business activity, and for
/ the purpose of further equalizing and Of
I further lowering the rate OF interest we
/ favor such monetary legislation as Will
/ enable the varying needs OF the season
! and of an sections to be promptly met
I iu order that il may be evenly sustained,
I labor steadily employed and commerce
\ enlarged. The volume of money In cir
| olation was never so great per capita
| a- III IS today.
We declare our steadfast opposition TO
| the free and unlimited coinage of silver.
| No measure 20 that end could DE con-
! 5idcrcd which was without the support
| of the leading commercial countries of
the world. However firmly Republican
| legislation may seem to have secured the
country against the peril Of base and dis
credited currency the election of a DEM
ocratlc president could not fail 20 impair
the couutry's credit and TO bring once
more into question the intention Of the
American people 70 maintain upon the
gold standard the parity &C their money