Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-06-25

less discharge of the duties OF his
high Office. for the important part he
PLAYED in the crises of the anthracite
coal strike. and for representing the
highest ideals of American manhood.
The platform then reviews the for
eion relations of the United States
under President Roosevelt's admins
tration, asserting that no function of
his Office renders an untitled and I'M
safe president more liable to involve
the nation in grave and inextricable
complications than the administration
of its foreign affairs. Among the
achievements Of Theodore Roosevelt's
administration enumerated is the &C
complishment Of Cuban reciprocity
and the ratification of the treaty. with
Cuba which incorporates the Platt
amendment. The wise and conserya-
tive course of the administration in
the Venezuelan affair, which resulted
in the most signal recognition by the
foreign powers of the Monroe doc
trine, as an important triumph for
arbitration and in the protection OF
Venezuelan's American creditors, is SO
exhibited as to throw into strong con-
trast the Venezuelan message of Pres
ident Cleveland
The settlement of the Alaskan
boundary dispute, another triumph
for American diplomacy and for ar
bitration, accomplished by peaceful
means. under critical circumstances
is made the basis for furthur appro
val of Roosevelt's administration.
| The skilful and farseeing diplomacy
which effected the negotiation and
ratification of the treaty with China,
whereby the United States in the face
of subtle but powerful opposition. ac-
quired treaty rights in Msnchuria,
is cited in substantiation of the
assertion that Theodore Roosevelt is
an exceptionally conservative and wise
executive.
The administration and conRress
ara warmly commended for the acqui-
sition of the Panama canal, the com.
pletion offwhich must accrue so large
/ lv to the advantage of the United
States and to the world at large.
The president is praised for his sue
cessful enforcement of the Sherman
antitrust law, which was enacted by
a Republican congress and first APP
piled by republican president is
given to the phraseology of this plank
of the platform. 1t says in effect that
it is net the policy or intention OF the
republican party to assail legi innate
industry and business or to infringe on
the rights of persons or property, but
to attack only those monopolies which
are ia the nature of a conspiracy
against commerce.
Grateful comment on the extraordi-
nary prosperity of the nation is fol-
lowed by brief contrast of existing
conditions with those of 1898 aud by
the assertion that the monetary sys-
tenn of the nation is now on such a
stable and satisfactory basis that men
look back with wonder and amaz =
ment when they recall the wild vag-
aries and still wilder democratic
theories of 1896.
The section of the platform which
deals with prote ton is almost a re
plea of the Massachusetts plank 1t
reads substantially as follows:
Protection, which guards and devel.
ops our industries, is a cardinal prin-
ciple of the republican party. We in.
sist upon the maintenance Of this
principle, but we recognize that par.
ticular tariff schedules are neither sa.
cred nor ilnmutable Rates of duty
may be altered when changed condi.
tons demand their alienation, but
less it is clear that the benefit will
more than compensate for the distul-
bance of business which inevitably
attends revision of the tariff SEIZED.
ules Nor can such revision be in.
trusted with safety to any other than
the party of protection. To intrust
it to the democratic party is again to
invite the democratic disaster and
panic of 1898.
Other planks deal with the nation
debt to those who imperilled their
lives for the preservation of the re-
public, which are declared to have
been faithfully paid with the respon-
sibilities incurred by the treaty OF
Paris, which is declared to have been
sacredly kept, as witness the prosper.
ity of Porto Rico and the Philippine
islands; with the sacredness of the
ballot, the equality of all citizens, etc.
| SKETCH OF THEO. ROOSEVELT.
Theodore Roosevelt. renominated for
president by the republicans, was