, 1904-06-24
THE PLATFORM.

Fltty years g the republican party
came into existence dedicated, among
other purposes. to the great task of ar
resting the extension of human slay-
cry. In 1860 it elected its first presi-
dent. During "A of the "A years which
have elapsed since the election of Lin
DIN the republican party has held
complete control of the government.
For Is more of the A years it has held
partial control through the possession
of one or two branches of the v
ment, while the democratic party dur
ing the same period has had complete
control for only two years.
This long tenure of power by the re-
publican party is not due to chance.
IL Is a demonstration hat the repub-
lican party has commanded Che conf
dence OF the American people for near
ly two generations to a degree never
equalled in our history. and has dis.
played a high capacity for rule and
government which has been made ey-
en- more conspicuous by the incapacity
and infirmity of purpose shown by its
opponents.
The republican party entered upon
its present period of complete suprem-
acy in 1897. We have every right TO
congratulate ourselves upon the work
since thcp accomplished, for it has
added luster even to the traditions of
the party which carried the govern
ment through the storms of civil war.
We chen found the country. after
four years of democratic rule. in evil
plight. oppressed with misfortune and
doubtful of the future. Public credit
had beel lowered, the were
declining, the debt was growing. the
administration attitude toward Spain
was feeble and Notifying, the stand
ard of value was threatened and uncer-
tain, labor was crippled. business was
sunk in the depression which had sue
ceeded the panic of 1898. hope was
faint and confidence was gone.
We met these unhappy conditions
vigorously. effectively and alone. We
replaced n democratic tariff law bas-
ed on free trade principles and garn-
ishcd with sectional protection by a
protective tariff and industry. freed
from oppression and stimulated by the
cncuUragPmen of wise laws has ex-
banded to a degree never before
known. has conquered new markets
and has created a volume of exports
which has surpassed Imagination.
Under the Dingley tariff labor has
been fully employed.
Wages have risen and all indus
tries have revived and ]prospered.
We firmly established the gold stan
dard which was then menaced with
destruction. Confidence returned 70
business and with confidence an I'M
eXampled prosperity.
FOR deficient revenues supplement-
ed by improvident issues of bonds
we gave the country an income which
produced a large surplus and which
enabled up only four years after the
Spanish war had closed t. remove
over 500, 600 900 of annual war taxes,
reduce the public deb and lower the
interest charges of the government.
The public credit, which had been
so lowered that in time of peace a
democratic administration made large
loans at e~Xtravagant rates OF interest
IN order to pay current expenditures.
rose under republican administration
to its highest point and enabled us to
borrow at , per cent even in time of
war.
We refused to palter longer with
the miseries of Cuba. We fought a
quick and vigorous war with Spain.
We SET Cuba free. governed the isl
and for three years and then gave
it to the Cuban people with order
restored, with ample revenues, with
education n public health estab-
lished, free from debt and connected
with the United States by wise pro-
visions for our mutual interest.
We have organized the
of Porto Rico IL its people now en-
JOY peace. freedom, order and prosper
ity.
In the Philippines we nave suppress
ed instruction. established order and
given life and property a secur-
lty neve known there before. We
have organized civil government,
made it effective and strong in admin
lstration and have conferred upon the
people of those islands the largest
civil liberty they have ever enjoyed.
BY our possession of the Philip
pines we Were enabled to take prompt
action i'll the relief of the legations
at PekinS and a decisive part in pre-
venting The PARTITION and the preserv-
ing OF the integrity of China.
The possession of a route for an
isthmian canal, so long the dream of
American craftsmanship. is now an ac-
compliShed fact. The great work of
connecting the Pacific and Allan
tic oceans by a canal is at last begun
and it is due to the republican party.
We have passed laws which will
bring the arid land of the United
States within the area of cultivation.
We have ~reorganized the army and
put ii in the highest state of efic-
iency.
We have passed laws for the i'm
provement and support of the militia. /
We have pushed forward the build |
ing of the navy, the defense and the |
projection of our honor and our inter- |
est.
Our administration of the great de-
partments of the government has been
honest and efficient, and wherever
wrong has been discovered, the re-
publican administration has not hes
ltated to probe the evil and bring |
the offenders to justice without re-
gard to party or political ties. Laws
enacted by the republican party which
the democratic party failed TO enforce
and which were intended for the pro-
lection of the public against the I'M
just discrimination or the illegal en-
croachment of vast a~ggregations of
capital, have been fearlessly enforc-
ed by a republican president and new
laws ensuring responsible publicity
as to the operation of great corpora
ions and providing additional rem
edles for the prevention of discrimina-
ton in freight rates have been passed
by a republican congress.
In this record of achievement dur
ing the past eight years may be read
the pledges which the republican par
ty has fulfilled. We propose to con-