Graham guardian., 1916-06-23
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM


The impartial reader who can tell,
after a peruSal of its various planks.
Just what the party does stand for
in this campaign has powers of dis
cernment out of the ordinary.
Passing over the opening allusion
to the creation of the party in
1861, from which republican leaders
seem never to be able To get away
in any declaration Of party doctrine,
we come to the first plank, which
calls for the protection of American
rights at home and abroad. by
land and sea" but is conspicuousIy
silent as to the specific measures to
be taken to secure that protection.
Regarding foreign relations, we are
told that the present administra-
ton has destroyed our influence
abroad and Inundated us in our own
eyes," and that the republican
party believes that firm, consistent
and courageous foreign policy al
ways maintained by republican
presidents in accordance with Amer.
lean traditions is the best, as it is
the only true way to preserve our
peace and restore US to our right
full place among the nations. l." Fine
phrases but what do they mean?
Apparently, that if the foreign
policy of the nation is formulated
by a republican administration it is
iight-if by a democratic admins.
tration, it is wrong.
The platform almost bursts into
tears over the Mexican policy Of
President Wilson and pictures a
condition of affairs calculated to stir
the blood to fever heat: but here
again there is failure to proclaim
what a republican president would
have done under similar circum-
stances and complete omission of
any reference to conditions that eX.
listed under the administration of
President Taft. Whether Huerta
should have been recognized and
whether armed Intervention in Mex
leo is the remedy for present evils
are matters upon which the position
of the party is left to conjecture.
Of course, it is always safe to re-
affirm belief in the Monroe doctrine
and to favor closer relations with
the Latin-American republics.
These planks may be passed over
without comment. The condemna-
ton of the administrations Phillip
pine policy was about what was to
have been expected, but even that
is lacking in the definiteness of de-
tail as to policy that the public had
a right to expect.
The declaration for a protective
tariff and the condemnation of the
Underwood law follow along tradi.
tional republican lines and deal with
a subject that is not at the present
time vital to the American people.
The full effect of the Underwood
tariff will not be determined until
several years of peace abroad have
given an opportunity to test its
actual merit under normal condi-
tons. The plank calling for the
re-2stablishment of the American
merchant marine is reaffirmatiOn
of the republican theory of ship SUBJ
sides, and in view of the opposition
from republican sources to the ad-
ministration shipping bill, which
would speedily have secured the
creation of a merchant marine at a
time when it was most sorely needed,
is lacking in the ring of sincerity.
The remainder of the platform is
devoted to issues relatively unim.
portant. AS a whole the document
is lacking in appeal to the common
sense of the American people. The
candidate nominated must be much
stronger than his platform to stand
any chance of election next Novem,
Der. Albuquerque IN. NJ Journal.
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WILL SAVE THEIR TEETH