Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-08-04
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM.

The republicans OF the United States.
through their chosen representatives met
in national convention, looking back upon
an aunSurpassed record of achievement. and
looking forward into a great field of duty
Judgment of their eountrymen, make these
Declarations
The expectation in which the American
people, turning from the democratic party,
intrusted power four years ago to a re-
publican chief magistrate and a republican
congress, has been met and satisfied. When
the people then assembled at the polls,
after a term of democratic legislation and
administration, business was dead, indus
try paralyzed and the national credit dis
astrously Impaired. The country's capital
was hidden and its labor distressed and
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 16 to l.. The
republican party. ~denouncing this plan as
sure to produce conditions even worse than
those from which relief was sought, prom
ised to restore prosperity by means of two
legislative measures-a protective tariff
and a law making gold the. standard of
value. The people by great majorities is
sued to the republican party a commission
TO enact these laws. s ,aa5 i
This commission has been executed, and
the republican promise is redeemed. Pros
perity more general and more abundant
than we have ever known has followed
these enactments. There is no longer
controversy as to the value of any govern
nient obligation. Every American dollar
is a gold dollar or its assured equivalent,
and American credit stands higher than
that of any other nation. Capital is fully
employed and everywhere labor is profit
ably occupied. ~ -
No single fact can more strfkingly tell
the story of what republican government
means to the country than this-that
while during the whole period of 10I years.
from 100 to 1887, there was an excess of
exports over imports Of only OPS, 49I,
the present republican administration an
excess of exports over imports in the enor-
NOUS sum Of $1,4S3, 537 ,094.
THE WAR.
And while the American people, sus-
tanned by this republican legislation, AVE
their business and commerce, they have
conducted and in victory concluded q war
for liberty and human rights. No thought.
of national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT furnished the
high purpose with which American stand
ards were unfurled. 1t was1a war un-
sought and patiently resisted. out when it
came the American government was ready.
Its fleets We're cleared for action. It's
armies were in the field, and the quick and
signal triumph of its forces on land m
sea bore equal tribute to the courage of
American soldiers and sailors, and to the
skill and foresight of republican statesman
ship. To ten millions of the human race
there was given "a new birth of free
dom and to the American people a new
and noble responsibility.
We indorse the administration Of Will
liam Mckinley. Its acts have been estab-
lished in wisdom andsin patriotism, and at
home and abroad it has distinctly elevated
and extended the influence of the Amer
lean nation. Walking untried paths and
facing unforeseen responsibilities, President
Mckinley has been in every situation the
true American patriot and the upright
statesman. clear in vision, strong in judg-
ment, firm in action, always inspiring and
deserving the confidence of his country
men.
s DEMOCRATS AS A MENACE.
In asking the American people to In
dorse this republican record and to renew
their commission to the republican party,
we remind them Of the fact that the men
ace to their prosperity has always resided
in democratic principles and no less in the
general incapacity of the democratic party
to conduct public affairs. The prime es-
sential of business prosperity is public con-
fidenee in the good sense of the govern
ment$ and in its ability to7deaI in~telligently
with each new problem of administration
ocratic party has never earned. It is hope
lessly inadequate and the country's pros
perity, when democratic success at the
polls is announced, halts and ceases in
mere anticipation of democratic plumbers
and failures.
THE GOLD STANDARD.
We renew our allegiance to the principles
of the gold standard and declare our con-
fidence In the wisdom of the legislation of
the ffty-sixth congress by which the
parity of all our money and the stability
of our currency on a gold basis has been
secured. We recognize that interest rates
are a potent factor in production and bus
mess activity, and for the purpose of fur
ther equalizing and of further. lowering
/ b rates OF interest we favor such none,
tary legislation as will enable the varying
needs OF the season aud Of all sections to
evenly sustained, labor steadily employed
and enlarged. The volume of
money in circulation was never so great
per capita as it Is today.
We declare our steadfast opposition to
t b free and unlimited coinage of silver.
No measure to that end could be consid-a
cred without the support Of the leading
commercial countries of the world. How
ever firmly republican legislation may seem
to have secured the country against the
peril of base and discredited currency, the
election Of a democratic president could
not fail to impair the country's credit and
to bring once more into question the inten-
tion of the American people to maintain
upon the gold standard the parity Of their
moneys circulation. The democratic
people will never tolerate the Chicago plat
form. @5
THE TRUST QUESTION.
We recognize the necessity and proprie-
" OF Tue AOneSC cooperation OF capital to
meet new business conditions and espe-
cially to.extend our rapidly increasing for
eign trade, but we condemn all conspira-
cies and combinations intended to restrict
business. to create monopolfes. to limit
production or to control prices and favor
such legislation as will effectuaIly restrain
and prevent all such abuses, protect and
promote competition and secure the rights
OF producers, labOrers and all who are en-
gagged in industry and commerce.
THE POLICY OF PROTECTION.
We renew our faith In the policy of
protection to American labor. In that
policy our industries have been established,
diversified and maintained. BY protecting
the home market the competition has been
stimulated and production cheapened. OPP
pertunity to the inventive genius of our
people has been secured and wages In every
department of labor maintained at high
rates, higher now than ever before, always
distinguishing our working people in their
better conditions of life from those Of any
competing country. Enjoying the blessings
OF American common schools, secure In the
right of self-goyernment and protected in
the occupancy of their own markets. their
constantly increasing knowledge and skill
have enabled them finally to enter the mar
kets of the world. We favor the associated
Il policy OF reciprocity, so directed as TO open
our markets on favorable terms for what
we do not ourselves produce in return for
free foreign markets.