Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-26


in national convention, looking back
upon an unsurpassed record of achieve
ment and looking forward into a great
field of duty and opportunity and APP
pealing to the judgment of their coun-
trymen, make these declarations:
The expectations of the American
people in turning from the democratic
party and trusting the power four years
ago to republican chief magistrate
and a republican congress have been
met and satisfied. When the. people
then assembled at the polls after a
term Of democratic legislation and
administration business was dead, in
dustry paralyzed and the national cred
it disastrously impaired. The country's
capital was hidden away and its labor
distressed and unemployed.
Credit for Tariff and Gold Laws.
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 /.
The republican party, denouncins
this plan as sure to produce conditions
even worse than those from which re-
lief was sought, promised 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 issued
to the republican party a commission
to enact these. laws. This commission
has been executed and the republican
promise is redeemed. Prosperity, more
general and more abundant than we
have ever known, has followed these
enactments. There is no longer q
controversy as to the value Of any
government obligations. Every Amer
lean dollar is a gold dollar or an as
surred equivalent and American cred
| it stands higher than that of any ma
ton. Capital is fully employed and ev-
erywhere labor is proftably occupied.
Prosperity and the War.
No single fact more strikingly tells the
story of what republican government,
means to the country than this, that
while during the whole period OF one
hundred and seven years from 1890 to
1897, there was an excess of exports
over imports of only $3S3,02S, 497, there
has been in the short three years of
the present republican administration,
an excess of exports over imports in
the enormous sum of 1851, o94.
And while the American people, sus-
tanned by this republican Legislation,
have been achieving these splendid
triumphs in their business and COM
merce, they have conducted and in
victory concluded war for liberty
and human rights. No thought OF ma
tional ACKNOWLEDGEMENT furnished the
high purpose with which the Amer
lean standards We're unfurled. Il was
a war unsought and patiently resisted,
but when it came the American govern
ment was ready Its fleets were clear
ed TOR action, its armies were in the
|. field and the quick and signal triumph
of its forces on land and sea bore eq.
ual tribute to the courage of American
soldiers and sailors and to the skill and
foresight of republican craftsmanship.
To ten millions OF the human race
there was given "a birth of freedom
and to the American people a new
and noble responsibility.
Endorse Mckinley.
We endorse the administrations Ci
William Mckinley. It's acts have been
established in wisdom and in patriot
ism, II and ut home and abroad
it has distinctly elevated and
extended the influence of the American
nation. Walking untried paths and
| facing unforeseen responsibilities, Pres.
ident Mckinley has been, in every sit.
uation, the true American patriot and
the upright statesman, clear in vision,
strong in Judgment, firm in action, al
ways inspiring and deserving the con.
| fidence of his countrymen.
In asking the American people to in
dorse this republican record and to re.
new their commission to the republi.
can party, we remind them of the fact
that the menace to their prosperity has
always resided in democratic principles
and no less in the general incapacity o,
the democratic party to conduct pub.
| lie affairs
| The prime essential of business pros.
perity is public confidence in the good
sense of the government. and its ability
to deal intelligently with each new pro
blem of ADMINISTRATION and legisla-
ton. That confidence the democratic
party has never carried. It is hopeless
lily inadequate and the country's pros
perity when democratic success at the
polls is announced halts and ceases in
mere anticipation of democratic blum
ders and failures.
| The Gold Standard.
We renew our allegiance to the prin-
ciple of the gold standard and declare
our confidence 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 rec
ognize that interest rates are potent
factor in production and business activ.
lily and for the purpose of further equ-
alizaing and lowering the rates of in.
terest we favor such monetary legisla-
| ton as will enable the varying needs
of the season and of all sections to be
promptly met in order that trade may
be evenly sustained, labor steadily en-
ployed and commerce enlarged The
volume of money in circulation was
never SO great per capita as it is today
| Opposed to Free silver.
We declare our steadfast opposition
to the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver. No measure to that end could
| he considered which was without the