The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-07-01
Ell F0ri0I Comment.
The Republican Party's Greed.

From the st. Louis OtlODe-DeInOcrhts
A pleasant task confronted the men
who drew up the platform of 1904 for
the republican party. In telling what
the party stands for to-day they were
obliged to recount some of the great
things which it did yesterday and the
day before, back to a time beyond the
recollection of many of the men in the
convention. All this furnishes many of
the most inspiring chapters of Ameri-
can history. During the half a century
of the life of the republican party it
has been the dominant force in Ameri-
can politics, except in the latter part of
Pierce's service, through the whole of
Buchanan's and through part of Cleve-
lands. Since 1859, in the middle of Blu
chanans term the democratic party has
not had complete control of the national
government, except in 1S93-95, in
the first half of Cleveland's second
term During all the rest of the time
the republicans have been in the as
cendant IN part or all of the government,
and for most of the time it has been in
control of all of it. All the advances
which have been scored by the United
States between 1854 and 1904 have been
due to the intelligence, progressiveEess
and courage of the republican party.
The party which put down the rebel
lion, destroyed slavery, killed the seces-
sion heresy, created a more perfect union
than had existed prior to 1861, establish
ed the tariff, opened the West to set
tiers by it's free lands law, joined the
Pacific coast to the Mississippi valley
by bonds of steel, created the currency
system, established the gold standard,
started the scheme of national irriga-
ton which will add millions to the
Vests population, annexed Alaska,
drove the Spaniards out of Cuba aud off
the American continent, created the re-
public of Cuba, annexed Hawaii, Porto
Rico and the Philippines. gave the peo-
Piles of all these islands self.government
for the first time in their history, melted
the creation of the republic of Panama,
started the construction of the isthmian
canal and nearly tripled the country's
population and much more than quad
rupled its wealth, has record, remote
and near, which is the best possible plat
form on which to appeal to the people,
On the lines which have been laid down
by the action of the republican party in
the past half century it will conduct the
government in the future. In the spirit
and with the courage and sanity thus
far displayed the republican party will
meet present issues and the new ones
which arise.
Projections basic principle will be
maintained in the tariff laws, and no
alterations in the schedules will Ee made
except where demanded by the public
interest, and the changes 10 those cases
must be made by the friends and not the
enemies of protection. The gold stand
ard will be defended; trusts will be as
sailed when hostile to the public inter
est; the army and navy will be strength
ened and improved; the interests OF the
people of Porto Rico and the Philippines
will be protected; the country's debt to
the soldiers and sailors will be remem-
bered; steps will be taken to build up
the country's ocean marine, and the ex-
tension of the country's commerce over
the world will be pushed. The states
which have abolished the negro as a
voter while hanging on to the represen-
tation in congress which the negros
presence gives them will find something
to their interest in one plank of the
platform. President Roosevelt's act In
calling halt on Germany, England and
Italy in their raid on Venezuela will
show what the republican party stands
for in the maintenance of supervision
over the western hemisphere. Secretary
Hays work in getting pledges from Rus.
sia to maintain the open door in Man.
churia. his commercial treaty with China
and his defense of that empire against
threatened assaults from without FORE