The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-06-30

Following is the full text of the plat
form Of the Republican party as adopt
ed by the National Convention in ses-
sion in the city of Chicago on June
22nd:
Fifty years ago the Republican
party came into existence, dedicated.
among other purposes, to the great
task of arresting the extension Of
human slavery. In 1860 it elected its
frst President. During twenty-four
o. the forty-four years which have
elapsed since the election Of Lincoln,
the Republican party has held COM
plete control Of the government. For
eighteen more of the forty-four years
it has held partial control, through
the possession Of one or two branches
CT the government, while the Demo-
cratic party, during the same period,
has had complete control for only two
years. This long tenure Of power by
the Republican party is not due to
chance. 1t is a demonstration that the
Republican party has commanded the
confidence Of the American people for
nearly two generations to degree
never equaled in our history, and has
displayed high capacity for rule and
government which has been made even
more conspicuous by the incapacity and
irfirmity of purpose shown by its op-
ponents.
The Republican party entered upon
its present period Of complete supre-
macy in 1897. We have every right to
congratulate ourselves upon the work
since then accomplished, for it has
added lustre even to the traditions Of
the party which carried the govern
ment through the storms Of civil war.
1--WE then found the country, after
four years of Democratic rule, in evil
plight, oppressed with misfortune and
doubtful Of the future. Public credit
had been lowered, the revenues were
declining, the debt was growing, the
administrations attitude towards Spain
was feeble and mortifying, the stand
ard Of values was threatened and un-
certain, labor was unemployed, busi-
ness was sunk in the depression which
had succeeded the panic Of 1893, hope
was faint and confidence was gone.
Unhappy Conditions Met.
1--WE met these unhappy conditions
vigorously, effectively and at once.
1--WE replaced a Democratic tariff
law, based on free trade principles and
gernished with sectional protection, by
consistent protective tariff; and in
dustry, freed from oppression and stim-
ulated by the encouragement Of wise
L,ws, has expanded to degree never
before known, has conquered new mar
kets and has created volume of ex-
ports which has surpassed imagipa-
ton. Under the Dingley tariff, labor
has been fully employed, wages have
risen, and all industries have revived
and prospered.
1--WE firmly established the gold
standard, which was then menaced
with destruction. Confidence returned
to business, and with confidence an
rnexampled prosperity.
For deficient revenue, supplement-
ed by improvident issues Of bonds, We
gave the country an income which pro-
duced a large surplus and which en-
abled us, only four years after the
Spanish war had closed, to remove over
one hundred millions of annual war
taxes, reduce the public debt, and lower
the interest charges Of the govern
ment.
"The public debt, which had been so
lowered that in time Of peace Demo-
cratic administration made large loans
at extravagant rates of interest in Or
der to pay current expenditures, rose
under Republican administration to its
highest point, and enabled US to borrow
at 2 per cent. even in time Of war.
Expansion Record.
1--WE refused to palter long with the
niseries of Cuba. We fought quick
and victorious war with Spain. We set
Cuba free, governed the island for
three years, and then gave it to the
Cuban people, with order restored, with
ample revenues, with education and
public health established, free from
debt and connected with the United
States by wise provisions for our mu-
tual interests.
1--WE have organized the government
CT Porto Rico; and its people now en-
Joy peace, freedom, order and pros
perity.
I'm the Philippines, we have sup
pressed insurrection, established order
and given to life and property secu-
rity never known there before. We
have organized civil government, made
1t effective and strong in administra-
tion and have conferred upon the peo-
pie of those islands the largest civil
liberty they have ever enjoyed.
by our possession of the Philip
pines, we were enabled to take prompt
and effective action In the relief o
the legations at Pekin and a decisive
part in preventing the partition ant
preserving the integrity of China.
"The possession Of a route for az
isthmian canal, so long the dream
American craftsmanship, Is now an &C
complished fact. The great work
connecting the Pacific and Atlantic b:
canal IS at last begun, and it is duo
to the republican party.
1--WE have passed laws which viii
bring the arid lands Of the Unitei
States within the area O. cultivation.