Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-06-29
THE PLATFORM
Preamble Asserts Ideal of Government
of Laws, Not of Men.

of Laws, Not Of Men.
Chicago, June 24.-The Republican
platform, as adopted by a vote Of 666
to SO, was as follows:
1.-THE Republican party, assembled
by its representatives in national con
vention, declares its unchanging faith
in government of the people, by the
people, for the people. We renew our
allegiance to the principles of the Re.
publican party and our devotion to
the cause of Republican institutions
established by the fathers.
ut is appropriate that we should
now recall with a sense of generation
and gratitude the name of our first
great leader, who was nominated In
this city, and whose lofty principles
and superb devotion to his country are
an inspiration to the party he honored
Abraham Lincoln, In the present
state of public affairs we should be
inspired by his broad craftsmanship
and by his tolerent spirit toward men.
I'VE believe in our self-controlled
representative democracy, which is a.
government of laws, not of men. and
in which torder is the prerequisite Of
progress.
THE principles of constitutional
government which make provision for
orderly and effective expression of the
popular will, for the protection of civil
liberty and the rights of men, and for
the Interpretation of the law by an
I 11r1tY a nc cd Ind f.tl
ciary, have proved themselves capable
of sustaining the structure of a gov.
eminent which, after more than cen
fury of development, embraces one
hundred millions of people, scattered
over a wide and diverse territory, but
bound by common purpose, common
ideals and common affection TO the
constitution of the United States. TN
der the constitution and the principles
asserted and yitalized by it, the United
States has grown to be one of the
great civilized and civilizing powers of
the earth. II offers home and an OPP
portunity to the ambitious and the in
dustrious from other lands. Resting
upon the broad basis of a peoples con
hdence and a peoples support, and
managed by the peopl themselves,
the government of the United States
will meet the problems of the future
as satisfactorily as it has solved those
of the past.
'The Republican party reafiirms its
intention to uphold at all times the
authority and integrity of the courts,
both state and federal, and it will ever
insist that their powers to enforce
their process and TO protect life, lib.
erty and property shall be preserved
inviolate An orderly method is proyid.
ed under our system of government by
which the people may, when they
choose, alter or amend the constitu.
tional provisions which underlie that
government. Until these constitutional
provisions are so altered or amended
in orderly fashion II is the duty oil
the courts TO see to it that when chal.
lenged they are enforced.
That the courts, both federal and
state, may bear the heavy burden laid
upon them to the complete satisfaction
OF public opinion, we favor legislation
to prevent long delays and the tedious
and costly appeals which have so OF.
ten amounted to a denial of justice in
civil cases and to failure to protect
the public at large in criminal cases.
"Since the responsibility of the judi,
ciary is SO great, the standards of jul.
dicial action must be always and ey-
erywhere above suspicion and re.
proach. While we regard the recall of
Judges as unnecessary and,unwise, we
favor such action as may be necessary
to simplify the process by which any
judge who is found to be derelict in
his duty may be removed from office.
Monopoly and Privilege.
1.-THE Republican party is opposed
to special privilege and monopoly. IL
placed upon the statute book the inter
state commerce act OF 1887, and the
important amendments thereto, and
the antitrust act OF 1890, and 1t has
consistently and successfully enforced
the provisions of these laws II will
take no backward step to permit the
re-establishment in any degree Of con-