The Forrest City times., 1900-07-13

of living. furnish the comforts and luxuries of life. and to uplift them generally in the scale of being 2. Observant of the general con- dition of prosperity now blessing all classes to a degree without parallel in even this highly-favored land. we do not fail to note that it has been secured. under God. through the wise. far-seeing and patriotic policy of the republican party.
 3. We hail with joy the reunited condition of our country. Common services and sacrifices against common foe have riveted the Union in indissoluble bands: the obseguies of sectionalism have been finally eel ebrated. and the blue and the gray have become forever blended in the red. white and blue.
 ( We endorse and ratify the plat form of principles promulgated at | Philadelphia in June last. by the re- publican party of America. and Inc nomination of William Mckinlev and | Theodore Roosevelt for president and vice president of the Unstel | States
 ,. We favor railroads. the prolific mother of all forms Of state deeel0p- men;; maaufaetories. the greatest source of wealth to a state. with ] which Arkansas would al once leap to a very high position in the galaxy of states: the improvement of high ways. enabling the farmer to trans. | port to market fhs product of hla E farm at greatly reduced expenses the encouragement of capital to invest in our zine and other m5aes. s hlgh degree of efficiency for our public school system. fhe main hope Of the state. and especially of the child of l the poor man. and such generous maintenance of the University of Ar kansas as shall place it on a plane with the best institutions in the | land.
 6. Our state should have reform school. where children who have i taken the first steps in crime may bs rescued from the contagious fellow ship of hardened criminals and re- stored to a yiFfuoUs life.
 1 :. The extension of southern agri- culture and the opening of new mar kets for southern products should inc spire the earnest efforts of southern men. To this end we favor the early construction of the Nicaragua canal. to be owned. controlled and protected by our government; we welcome the open door in China as one of the greatest benefits which the present administration has conferred, and consider that it's advantages will be chiefly enjoyed by the people of the south
 s. As there is no middle ground between the decision of human con troversies by the law and by the sword, we stand by the courts. and are of the opinion that an independ- ent judiciary, as ineorruptible as it is fearless. is the main prop of the state. In any community demorali- zation keeps equal step with con- tempt for the courts.
 9. We demand that the courts alone shall punish crime. None but these tribunals are fitted to investi- gate charges, detect guilt and rescue innocence; while mobs are aggrega- tions of law-breakers, and Iynching Is simple savagery.
 10. The state house, more than sixty years old, is an effete relic of by-gone age, and is in every way in- convenient, unsanitary, antiquated and unworthy of the Arkansas of the new century. We approve the action of the state legislature and the pres ent governor in wisely laying the foundation for q splendid new capi- tol. We favor its completion throt. the appropriation of the proceeds of forfeited lands, and such other means as shall be least burdensome to the people.
 Il. We oppose convict labor when brought into competition with the tabor of honest freemen in such manner as to lessen the demand for such labor or so as to curtail its reward.
 12. The constitution of the state should be so amended as to permit, under safe restrictions. cities and in- corporated towns to borrow TsOney for the exclusive purposes of improy- ing streets, securing sewers. water. light and such like necessities The burden of costly public improve ments, of which many generations will enjoy the benefit, s.ould not be wholly borne by the present one.
 13. We favor the determination of all questions that may arse between employers and employees by a system of impartial arbitration to be pro- vided by law and to be compulsory. believing that by such a policy the just rights of the employed will be best subserved.
 14. We denounce the practice of constituting the charita.le and edu- cational boards of the state on strictly partisan basis. and demand that both parties shall be represent ed thereon.
 15. As the holding of the state and national elections in this state at diff. ferent dates entails additional cost to the state and unnecessary expense and annoyance to the voters. sub serves no useful purpose. and is not