Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-08-17
THE REPUBLICAN, PLATFORM,

THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
That the State platform of the Vir-
ginia Republicans is truthful and force
full is proven by the character of criti-
cism it has evoked from the Democratic
press. For instance, one will only
have to read what our "holier than
thou Richmond contemporary, the
Times-Dispatch, has to say about it to
realize the strength and honesty of the
platform. The Times-Dispatch de-
clares: "The Republican platform
adopted by the Roanoke convention is
unique in that it neither points with
pride" nor views with alarm. ,"
Thus does our contemporary try to
waive aside the essential and undeniable
truths that bristle in every plank of the
platform. 1t is, indeed, unique plat
form in those particulars and must be
an alarming proclamation to the Vir-
ginia Democracy who have for so many
years made their platforms declarations
of claptrap, falsehood and dissimula-
ton.
The Dispatch also charges that
our platform lodges the temperance
question although it quotes that SEN
tence in which we declare our purpose
to adhere to the traditional Republi-
can doctrine of leaving to the people of
each community to decide whether in
toxicating liquors shall be sold among
them"
This is plain statement of the old,
honored and successful doctrine of local
option, and clearly refutes the accuse
ton of our Richmond contemporary
that the Virginia Republicans have
lodged on the temperance question.
How different is the attitude of the
Virginia Democracy on this important
question. The party has not the cour-
age to enunciate platform of princi-
pies, but makes it the privilege and
duty of each individual Democratic can
didate to construct platform for him
self. The Democratic candidates are
availing themselves to the fullest ex-
tent of the opportunity, and are offer
ing platforms that are ridiculously in
consistent. AS an instance, Judge
Mann is presenting his bill to the liquor
men as an anti-prohibition measure and
to anti-saloon people as temperance
law. He says to one, it is not prohi-
bition law but is intended to regulate
the sale of whiskey, and he boasts that
it is a great revenue getter. To the
other he says | am temperance man,
though l believe in letting liquor be
sold under certain regulations and in
filling the Golfers of the State with rev.
enues derived from the sale of intoxi-
cants.
The Times-Dispatch does not deny
the charge made by the Republicans as
to election frauds. 1t says:
1.-THE charge against the Democratic
party of election frauds is well ground
ed, but the Republican black and tan
regime was responsible for the prac-
tees and the great body of honest Dem
ocrats in the State have made stern
VOW that the practices shall cease.
1t is this persistent effort of the
Democratic press and what our contem-
porary calls "the great body of honest
Democrats" to justify and apologize for
the long continued, damnable frauds in
Virginia that led to the declaration in
the Republican platform "that pure
elections cannot be secured by Demo
cratic legislation or Democratic effort. "
A man cannot give up his sins so long
as he justifes and cherishes them. And
every effort of the honest Democratic
press and voters to secure pure cleo
lions will prove abortive unless they
cease to apologize for and cOndone the
frauds that have been committed.
The Times-Dispatch says:
"The promise of free books is a dem |