The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-06-09
FULL TEXT OF REPUBLICAN PLATFORM


I'VE must have navy so strong
and so well proportional and equip.
ped, so thoroughly ready and prepar.
ed. that no enemy can gain command
Of the sea and effect landing in
force on either our Western or our
Eastern coast. To. secure these re-
suits we must have a coherent and
continuous policy OF national defense,
which even In these perilous days tho
Democratic party has utterly failed
to develop, but which we promise to
give to the country.
Tariff
"The Republican party stands now.
as always In the fullest sense for the
policy, OF tariff protection to American
industries and American labor, and
does not regard an anti.d,lmping pro-
vision as an adequate substitute.
protection shouiu be reasonable in
amount, but sufficient to protect ade.
quately American industry and Ameri
can labor and be so adjusted as to
prevent undue exactions by monopol.
les or trusts. 1t should, moreover,
give special attention to securing the
industrial independence Of the Unit.
ed States as in the case of dye stuffs.
Through wise tariff and Industrial
legislation our industries can be so
organized that they will become not
! only commercial bulwark, but pow.
erful aid to national defense.
1.-THE Underwood tariff act is com,
plete failure In every respect. Under
its administration imports have enor.
mously increased in spite of the fact
that the intercourse with foreign coun.
tries has been largely cut off by rea:
son OF the war, while the revenues OF
which We stand in such dire need have
been greatly reduced. Under the nor.
NAL conditions, which prevailed prior
to tho war, 1t was clearly demonstrat
ed that this act deprived the Ameri.
can producer and the American wage
Garner of that protection which entitl.
ed them to meet their foreign competi.
tors, and but for the advantageous
conditions created by the war. would
bring long since have paralyzed al!
forms OF American industry and dc.
prived American labor Of its just re.
ward.
ut has not in the least reduced the
cost of living which has constantly
advanced from the date of its enact.
ment. The welfare Of our people de-
mands its repeal and the substitution
Of q measure which in peace, as well
as In war, will produce ample revenue
and give reasonable protection to all
forms Of American production in mine.
forest, field and factory.
I'VE favor the creation Of tariff
commission with complete power to
gather and compile information for
the use OF Congress in all matters
relating to the tariff.
Business
1.-THE Republican party has long be.
lteved In the right supervision and
strict regulation OF the transportation
and great corporations of the country.
1t has put its creed into Its deeds, and
all ready effective laws regulating the
railroads and the great industrial cor
porations are the work of Republican
congresses and presidents. For this
policy Of regulation and supervision
the. Democrats, ina stumbling and
piecemeal way, arc undertaking to in.
volve the government In business
which should be left within the sphere
Of private enterprise, and In direct
competition with its own citizens, a
policy which is sure TO result In waste,
great expense to the taxpayers and
In an inferior product.
1.-THE Republican party believes
that all who violate the laws in regu.
lation Of business should be indiyid.
ually punished. But prosecution is
very different from persecution, and
business success, no matter how on,
estly attained, is apparently regarded
by the Democratic party as in itself
a crime. Such doctrines and beliefs
choke enterprise and stifie prosperity.
The Republican party believes in en-.
couraging American business, as 1t
believes In and will seek to advance
all American interests.
Rural Credits
I've favor an effective system OF
rural credits as opposed to the inef.
fective law proposed by the present
Democratic administration.
Rural Free Delivery
1--WE favor the extension Of the rural
free delivery system. and condemn the
Democratic administration for curtaIl.
ing and Gripping 1t.