The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-14
Platform Adopted at Hunt
ington on Appeal to In
telligence.
REGITESPARTY'S RECORD
Clear Cut Pronouncement
onSNational and Local
Issues.

by the Republican colsensi
The Republicans OF West virginia
In convention assembled, reatiirmeu
their loyalty to the foundation prlh
ciples OF the Republican party ana
enunciation Of Republican doctrine
adopted by the National Republican
convention at Chicago, June 3, 1915
we pledge our unwayering support
IN sfie tpresidential and vice.prestdent
iallnominees OF that convention. Chas
p. Hughes, and Charles Warren Far
hanks and we see In the harmonious
and enthusiastic nomination OF these
pools in November. We belieSe tha'
the American people harf become l.,
thoroughly tired OF the vasciIlatlo.'
and uncertainty OF the present aa
rlinistration, OF a policy which nus
brought US to a point OF diplomatic
rupture with great European yowers
without In the slightest degree In
auriag safety to our citizens follow
Ing their lawful pursuits or bringing
respect to the American flag. On
both continents, east and west. Amer
loan diplomacy has been been put In
question, the American Flag insuitea'
American property destroyed, AmeFi
can{men. women and children, In Am
erican uniforms, have been ruthless
ly shot down. ~
The laundering Inconsistency OF our
dealings with Mexico during the past
three years have wrought hut MI
initiation and shame. We refused on
alleged high moral grounds. TO rec
ognize the de facto government OF
Mexico. then firmly entrenched, al.
ready recognized by practically all
other civilized powers Of the tirst
class, and In a position to maintain
law and order and had dealings IN
commerce with and gave political rec
IGNITION 10 thief, q bandit, q spoiler
Of churches and ravisher OF women,
and FINALLY furnished him with arms
and ammunition with which to XIII
American citizens. We stood idly BY
and saw over $4,000 American resi-
dents in Mexico driven from their
homes an made refugees on the face
ofStfe earth, while their property. the
accumulation Of years. avs either stol.
en- orfwantonly destroyed. We invad'
ed Mexico with an armed force, de-
manding the salute of the American
Flag, and after wasting the lives OF
our soldiers, sneaked out like whip
ped school boys, the Flag still unsalut'
ed. We have allowed Americans, Nv
ing on American soil and going quiet
" about their own AFFAIRS. to be rob
bed and murdered without securing
compensation or exacting punishment.
Finally, we invaded Mexico with a
large armed force and the slogan.
.syilla, dead or alive" and now after
q fewSweeks, our armies are checked,
our soldiers have been killed and cap
tured, our men are being withdrawn
and we are preparing to scuttle, with
out villa, dead or alive. We said to
Caranza that he must turn over TO
us the imprisoned American soldiers
that had not been killed in the vicious
attack for which he acknowledged
responsibility, but we allowed TO go
unheeded the question Of the fourteen
dead, whose bones were left to be
picked by vultures on the Mexican
desert thereby saying that to kill an
American soldier was no offense, but
to capture one without turning him
back to US would be cause for war.
BY an officious interference In Mexi-
can affairs We destroyed the only sta
Bile Mexican government, and We have
not had the courage or the honesty to
tEke Ion ourselves the duty Of restor'
lug stable government. Over $780,.
600 100000 Of American capital vast.
ca: over a thousand American lives
lost, without blow being struck for
the honor Of the Flag. These the re.
suits of woodrow wilson's policy OF
officious interference buster, hesita'
ton, uncertainty Of purpose and weak
ness Of performances policy once
Hosproudly dubbed Watchful Waiting,
but which might be better named Care.
full Cowardice.
Protective Tariff
It has always been q careful prin'
ciple OF the Republican party that,
by the proper use OF protective tariff
and the resultant keeping out OF for
eign goods made by cheap foreign Ia.
Dor, American labor was most bene.
fited. The Republican party has new.
or consented to that lowering Of the
standard OF wages and living con.
ditions surrounding American labor
that must necessarily follow the un-
restricted competition OF foreign
made goods with American goods.
The Great. European conflict, which
has now been waging for two years,
has brought about artificial and un.
usual conditions which prove conclu.
sfyelyi the correctness of the principle
for which the Republican Party has
always fought. Because the great
masses OF Europe are engaged In n
death struggle, European goods are
not seeking admission at American
Custom Houses. And to this condi.
ton, and not alone to the manufacture
Of munitions, may be ascribed any
such degree OF prosperity as the
country now enjoys, and we point to
this unnatural condition, brought
about by the European war, as IRE.
futable proof of the soundness Of the
doctrine always fought for by the Re.
publican party and here rcafflrmed by
us, that protection to American labor,
through q protective tariff, should be
and become the established doctrine
Of this country, and that through the
Republican party, and that party
alone, can this result be accomplished.
Although the world has been at war
for two years, and, though President
Wilson has repeatedly stated that no
one could tell from one day to an.
other whether or not the United
States would be drawn into the vortex
Of war, We call attention to the fact
that no preparation has been made to
meet such situation II It should