The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-08-27
TIE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
Adopted at Roanoke Last Week

Adopted at Roanoke Last Week.
The platform adopted by the Virginia
Republican convention is in full A. follows:
The Republican party Of Virginia in
convention assembled announces its in
dorsement aud proclaims it's adhesion To
the principles of the national Republican
party az cnunciatcd in It's platform adopt
ed at Philadelphia in June. 1900, and
pledges itself TO defend and maintain these
principles in the future ~ it has done in
the past.
We indorse the clean. able and patriotic
administration of President Mckinley,
which has made the republic great
world power. for the uplifting oi the OPP
pressed people Of all the earth for the
promotion of human liberty in every
cline, which has achieved victory for our
arms ON land and sea. brought the bless
ings of liberty and free government 10 the
downtrodden people OF Cuba; peace, pros
perity and happiness To Porto Rico; order
and safety for liie liberty and property
in the Philippine Islands Unparalleled
prosperity To our country and 10 our
people Of all classes To the laborer and
the artisan constant employment and
good wages TO the agriculturist, the
miner and the manufactures increased de-
mand at home and abroad ior their prod
ucts. at rrmuneratiye prices. To Our COM
mcrce wider fields and increased facilities
and an honest dollar good the world
over and unqucstioned by any people.
We give our unqualified assent to the
Republican doctrine that the people are
sovereign. that all power is derived from
and belongs to the people, and that all
officers and agents chosen by the people
are responsible to the constituents who
elected them and whose servants they
ARE.
We declare our confidence in the virtue,
intelligence and patriotism OF the people,
81 end .-,,gr 2gr %lliipggess t! trasttathem the
Of all civil officers
We denounce all attempts 10 discriml-
nate in favor of or against citizens oi
Virginia ON account Of race or color, be-
cause in violation OF the Constitution oi
the United States. which we respect and
obey as the supreme law of the land
We protest against the proposition to
confer the right OF suffrage ON unworthy
persons on account OF the merits or the
achievements Of their ancestors AZ tend
ING To create a privileged class and dis
discrimination against Others equally
worthy We favor the right OF suffrage
being left as fixed by the present Consti-
tution Of Virginia, with such laws and
guarantecs a. will secure to every quail
fled voter free ballot and fair count.
We arraign the Democratic party OF
yirginia for the wlliul, deliberate, debased
and fraudulent elections that have been
held in this State for years past CON
trolled by lust for Office, impelled by lear
that they were in the minority, they have
prostituted the manhood in their own
ranks until the reeking corruption has
horne fruit in the edemandwhich has caused
| the assembling of the present Constltu-
tional Convention in the hope that by
restricting the suffrage they would mini
mize the fear Of Republican victory.
We DENY the claim made by the Demo
cratic party in it's last platform that they
are entitled to the credit OF having
satisfactorily settled the state debt 1t
is a fact too well known to be disputed
that the state debt was settled by the
Readuster party in spite OF the bitter
opposition of leading Democrats.
We notice with surprise that the Dem
ocratic party Of Virginia, in their plat
form, claim to he the special friend OF the
common schools in the face OF the undls-
puted fact that the free schools were iirst
given TO this State by the Republican
members OF the Constitutional Conven-
ton of 1870. They cite the fact that in
the last fifteen years the number OF schools
has increased and that the school fund
has grown. but they ignore the fact that
only enough money is collected TO KEEP
the schools open for five months III
| twelve.
The attention OF the people il called to
the significant fact that the Democratic
platform is silent on all national ques
tions. Bryan and free silver are con
signed to the tomb from which there If
no resurrection; the howl OF calamity il
hushed. and the prophets of evil arr
dumb Instead, the Democratic party
sends up this shout OF triumph over the
prosperity of the land; Population ha'
grown: cities and towns have been es
tablished manufactures, trade, and com
merce have advanced; lands heretofore
vacant have been reoccupied the value
of farm products is constantly increas
ing. capital already invested is yielding