Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-13
The establishment of the gold stand

TIE enactment of the Dingley tariff.
followed.
Antitrust legislation re-cnforced by
congress, and enforced in the courts
by the efforts of the Executive.
The maintenance of inst and liberal
pensions to deserving veterans. We
commend the recent order of the COM
missioner of pensions that advancing
Iage shall he regarded as presumptive
|eviderce of disability. We gracefully
return our Acknowledgements to the last
Democratic administration for the first
practical enforcement of this principle
as a rule of evidence.
| We have fought and won the Spanish
war. We have not shrunk from the
burdens of our victory. We have given
to Cuba a stable government, and have
left them, with all good wishes, free
to work out their own salvation.
We have established good govern
ment in Porto Rico and the Philip
pines; we are successfully lifting them
UP to the plain of a higher citizenship;
we are educating their children. We
have built the American school house
|
folds of the American flag we are
teaching the lesson of patriotism and
good government. We will not lay
down the task until we have made
them fit for self-government. Then
we wiz settle the question of our fu-
ture relations with reference to their
highest interest, and the welfare of our
own people. Meanwhile they are en-
joying larger liberty than they had
ever dreamed before they came under
the protecting fold of our flag.
We have extended the rural free de-
livery service until the farmers in the
thlckly settled communities are served
with their letters and papers promptly,
and at their own doors. These are
some of the things we have accom-
lplished.
The Republican party has no apollo
gies to Offer no heresies to recant, no
Kansas City or other disgraceful party
platform to retract. no offensive de-
ceased issues to be buried. and no peer
less leaders who have passed into in
nocuous desuetude ready for the politi-
cal graveyard.
The Republican party is very much
alive. Its record is like an open book
known and read of all men," Its poll
cies are as clear as the sunlight; they
are written in our statutes. They are
interviewer into the splendid prosperity
Of our common country.
Who can write the platform of our
opponents? Who can state the prin-
IcipleS of the Democracy of 1904? Were
they correctly set forth at Kansas City .
Do they now demand the immediate
surrender of our insular possessions
and the base abandonment of our
wards to the tender mercies of Euro
pean monarchies? Are they for IS to /,
fiat money and a dishOnore1 currency +?
VIII they again proclaim Socialism and
anarchy? Will they re-affirm the sense
less Socialistic plank in their last plat
| form in this state and resolve that the
national government shall seize the
| coal mines and run the mining busi-
ness? Who can tell? Will the peer
less leader from Nebraska, incompar-
able in march to defeat, or the
matchless mislcader from Maryland. or
the astutc and willy leader from our
own state draw the platform? 1t makes
little difference; because the brain that
guides the pen will yield to the settled
d"" frine of modern Democracy, plat
10 'S are useful to get in on. never to
St;,sd upon" The Democratic leaders
are 2nXiously considering what issues
| they may get rid of and how best to
do it. When their platform is finally
written up, its chief plank will be de-
nunciation of Republican policies and
defamation of the Republican candi-
date. The end will be another over
wheming Republican victory in No
vember.
| OF course. they will want to revise
the tariff. That is n chronic condition
with them. They start out from false
premises. They assert it is impossible
to frame tariff law raising the re-
CURED revenue, without affording ade-
4uate protection to every industry
1hls is mistake. A tariff law can be
so framed us to raise the necessary
| revenue. for revenue only, which will
| not protect in spots like the infamous
Wilson-Gorman bill. The plan of some
of the leaders is. to hide the cloyen foot
OF free trade in a gradual but radical
reduction. They think it better to kill
| our industries by the process of slow
| torture.
What other legislation they will de-
clare for no man is wise enough to
| determine.
How different it is with the Rcpub-
lican party. Our principles have stood
tn" test of time They have led the
way TO splendid progress and glorious
achievement. We believe in protection
to the American farmer and the Amer
lcah factory that we may give constant
labor and good pay to the American
workman. We believe in reciprocitv.
reciprocity that comedies duties only
that are not needed to protect our own
citizens. a reciprocity that will de-
prlVe no American workman in field or
factory of his daily wagc-the reci
| prority advocated by the immortal do
lender Of protection, William McKiu-
ley. We have the advantage in tho
coming campaign: the native born
voters of 1904 were here 10 years ago
They witnessed the four bitter years
under the direful Wilson bill and thcv
shldder at the thought of their return.
! They have witnessed the seven Years of
1 IL