Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-07-09
PARTY POLICIES
ARE OUTLINED
Address of Temporary Chair
man George D. Perkins
Before Convention
GREAT PARTY ACHIEVEMENTS
Republicans Content to Judge Their
Organization BY Its Record-Pro-
lection and Reciprocity Should Go
Hand in Hand.

Gentlemen Of the Convention: You are
met here under good omen as republicans,
representatives of great state and Of
great party-members of and co-workers
with the national republican party.
That's the Idea.
congratulations
Inis is a gathering not for war, but
for peace; there is a time for each. You
are gathered here in family interest, to
nominate ticket and No declare your plat
form and your responsibility in the busi-
ness of this day Is both state and national.
The circumstances under which this con-
vention is assembled are most happy. The
material interest Of this state and Of our
country have been greatly prospered The
republican party, as the party OF response
In the dark days of the last democratic
administration you VIII remember IT was
said in apology of the democratic party
that Ii was the victim of untoward circum-
stances Your democratic friends, busy
with explanations, spoke much OF luck.
They said the democratic, party was the
victim of conditions to which 1t was heir
from the republican party. That the party
had a world of trouble In managing the
estate need not be denied After tie house.
when the sunshine was busy warming the
cratic friends reminded you that 1t was
Just their luek-and yours.
i need make no eoncealment In this pres
ence that it gives me great pleasure to be-
long to the party of good luck.
That's another idea.
This Is true that coincident with the
life of the republican party good luck has
been the rule with the American people.
The half century last past Is the richest
contribution ever made In point OF time
to the history of the human race. The
hope is that 1t may presage the history OF
the century upon which the world has en-
tered.
In contemplating the work awaiting your
Ia hot or and
In review of the screen landmarks ON the
way over which our country has come.
Here and there. as we may know, we build
ed better than we knew. On that way
are many graves; but above them all, the
known and the unknown, floats the nag OF
our triumphant union. The record has
mark Of many heroes. Many times the way
was dark and there was consuming hunger
and thirst. The end was hidden to the
prophetic eye Of our. great Lincoln. But
now the clouds are lazy in the sky; the
the sun is given back from the rivers and
mountain sides of all the states.
David wilmot, democrat, from Pennsyl'
vania, proposed In the house Of representa-
tives in 1876 the famous proviso. In that
year war against Mexico had been deelar'
ed James X. Polk was president. The
ery nor Involuntary servitude should ever
exist in any territory acquired by the Uni.
ted States from Mexico. The amendment
failed to part Of as
the war Texas had been annexed the
year before. The slave power was hungry
for territory to Offset the influence OF the
expanding west.
Polk had sent a special message to con-
gress representing that 1.-The chief obstacle
In securing peace was the adjustment OF
a boundary line that would prove satisfact'
DRY and convenient TO both republics" For
the accomplishment of this purpose he
asked that a sum Of money he placed at his
disposal. and the bill to whit.l Wilm0t offer
ed his amendment named $2,000000 After
a bitter contest the appropriation. lncreas
ed to $4,000, 900, was passed In the sue
ceeding session of congress, without the pro
The wilmot proviso was the herald Of the
In passing let me call your attention
to a contrast In the administration Of Polk
and the administration Of Mckinley, sep
arated in the distance OF time by more than
Polk received from congress, grudgingly
under circumstances such as / have sug-
gested, ss,000.0O0 to be, used in his discre.
tion. to bring to close the war with
aneously. $50 900 900 10 be used wholly
within his discretion In preparation for
war with Spain. The history OF lsos is re
cent history, The action q the ..tifth
precedent In unity and no precedent In
confidence reposed In the chief executive
Of our country. When the roll was called
In the house Of representatives, in March
1898, on the question OF the trust pro
posed, not q vote was recorded In the mega
tive and the following day when the roll
was called on the same proposition in the
senate OF the United States every man an
sp trad Ave
Folks proposition was for the extension
Of slavery, regardless of humanity; Me
kinley's proposition was for the extension
of freedom, In the interest of humanity. BY
the measure OF difference between these tive
propositions, and the difference between the
better country and better people.
The war with Mexict came to an end In
May, 1s4S, and an immense territory, in.
yada. Gtah. " Arizona. New p Mexico Colorado
States.
Apparently great victory had been wor
tion Of American slavery.
In 1S4s, that year when men cried peace
Zachary Taylor, hero Of the Mexican war
whig candidate. was elected president Of
the United States. 1t was the last victory
Of the whig party, and marked the sure
I beginning Of its end.
the discovery OF gold In California The
sturdy sons Of the free territory Of the
Mississippi valley hocked to our new pos
and were
as valiant knights to the defense OF liberty
Thus strangely, provideptially, has this
people been led directed. melted, stimulated
through all the marvellous history, from
Jamestown and Plymouth Rock until now
In 1854 the Kansas Nebraska bill was
passed. abrogating the Missouri compro
mise OF 1920. IL the Wilmot proviso was
the herald Of the republican party, the
Kansas Nebraska bill announced its living
presence, full grown and armed with right
eousness. The succeeding congress met
with democratic minority In the holst
OF representatives. and Nathaniel p, Banks
champion OF free soil, after q prolonged
struggle, was made speaker, In 1856 the
republican party met In Philadelphia anC
nominated Fremont and Dayton and de
clared q platform.
/, giant had been born and reared in q
decade.
I do not need to follow the history. Nv