River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-06-30
THE REPUBLICAN
PLATFORM IN FULL
Declaration of Principles Adopted at the Chi
cago Convention-Its Treatment of the
Tariff. Trusts and Other Questions

Chicago, June 23.-Following is the
platform in full adopted by the ma
tional republican convention Wednes-
day:
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
| 1t elected it's first president. During "A
| of the A years which have elapsed since
| the election of Lincoln the republican party
! has held complete control of the govern
| ment. For Is more of the A years it has
| held partial control through the possession
! OF one or two branches of the government,
! While the democratic 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 re-
| publican party has commanded the con-
hdence of the American people for nearly
! TWO generations to a degree never eQualed
| In our history, and has displayed high
capacity for rule and government which
! mas been made even more conspicuous by
the lncapacity and informity of purpose
| shown by its opponents
! The republican party entered upon its
present period OF complete supremacy in
1897. We have every right to congratulate
| ourselves upon the work since then ac
complished, for it has added ulster even
to the traditions of the party which car
ried the government through the storms
of civil war
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 low
cred, the revenues were declining, the debt
was growing, the administrators atti-
tude toward Spain was feeble and mortify-
ing, the standard of values was threat
ened and uncertain, labor was unemployed
business was sunk in the depression which
had succeeded the panic of 1898, hope was
faint and confidence was gone
We met these unhappy conditions Wig
orously. effectively and at once.
The Tariff Question.
| We replaced a democratic tariff law
based on free trade principles and gar
n1shed with sectional protection by a con-
sdstent protective tariff, and industry,
freed from oppression and stimulated by
the encouragement of wise laws, has ex-
panded to degree never before known,
has conquered new markets and has Gre
ated volume of exports which has sur
passed imagination. Under the Dingley
tariff labor has been fully employed
Wages have risen and all industries have
revived and prospered. We firmly estab-
lished the gold standard which was then
menaced with destruction. Confidence re-
turned to business and with confidence an
unexampled prosperity. For deficient rev.
enues supplemented by improvident issues
of bonds we gave the country an income
which produced a large surplus and which
enabled us only four years after the Span
ish war had closed to remove over $780,
900 of annual war taxes, reduce the pub
lie debt 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 extravagant rates of interest in
order to pay current expenditures rose un-
der republican administration to it's high
est point and enabled US to borrow at two
per cent. even in time of war.
We refused to palter longer with the mis-
cries of Cuba We fought quick and vic
torious war with Spain. We set Cuba free,
governed the island for three years and
then gave it to the Cuban people with or
der restored, with ample revenues, with
education and public health established,
free from debt and connected with the
United States by wise provisions for our
mutual interests.
We have organized the government of
Porto Rico and its people now enjoy peace,
Freedom order and prosperity
In the philippines we have suppressed in
surrectton, established order and given
to life and property a security never known
there sefore. We have organized civil
government, made it effective and strong
in administration and have conferred upon
the people of hoseislands the largest civil
liberty they have ever enjoyed. BY our
possession of the Philippines we were en-
abled to take prompt and effective action
in the relief of the legations at Picking
and decisive part in preventing the parti-
ton and the preserving of the integrity of
China.
The possession of a route for an isthmian
canal, so long the dream of American
craftsmanship, 10 now an accomplished
a hn rrIr 49,
Pacific and Atlantic 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 lands of the United States within
the area of cultivation.
We have reorganized the army and put
1t in the highest state of efficiency.
We have passed laws for the improve
ment and support of the militia.
we have pushed forward the building
of the navy, the defense and the protection
OF our honor and our interests
Our administration of the great depart
ments of the government has been honest
and efficient, and wherever wrongdoing has
been discovered the republican administra-
ton has not he5itated to probe the evil and
bring Offenders to justice without regard
to party or political ties
Trust Laws Enforced.
Laws enacted by the republican party
winch the democratic party failed to en-
force and which were intended for the
protection of the public against the I'M
just discrimination or the illegal en-
croachment of vast aggregations of cap
ltal have been fearlessly enforced by a
republican president and new laws insur-
ing reasonable publicity as to the oper-
alton of great corporations and provid-
ing additional remedies for the proven
ton of discrimination in freight rates
have been passed by a republican con-
gress.
In this record of achievement during
the past eight years may be read the
pledges which the republican party has
fulfilled. We propose to continue these
policies and we declare our constant adj
herence to the following principles:
Protection Upheld.
Protection which guards and develops
our industries is a cardinal policy of the
republican party. The measure of protec-
ton should always at least equal the
difference in the cost of production at
home and abroad. We insist upon the
maintenance of the principles of protec-
ton, and therefore rates of duty should
be readjusted only when conditions have
so changed that the public interest de-
mands their alteration, but this WORK
cannot safely be committed to any otner
hands than those of the republican party.
To entrust it to the democratic party is
to invite disaster Whether, as in 1892,
the democratic party declared the pro-
tective tariff unconstitutional, or whether
1t demands tariff reform or tariff revi-
sion. its real object is always the de-
struction of the protective system. How
ever specious the name, the purpose is
ever the same. A democratic tariff has
always been followed by business ao-