The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-06-30
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM

the Philippines, which was prevented
only by the vigorous opposition Of
Republican members of Congress, aid
ed by a few patriotic Democrats.
We reiterate our unqualified approx
al of the action taken in December,
1911, by the President and Congress
to secure with Russia, as with other
countries, treaty that will recognize
the absolute right of expatriation
and prevent all discrimination Of
whatever kind between American cit
liens, whether native born or alien,
and regardless of race, religion, or
previous political allegiance. We re-
new the pledge to observe this prin-
ciple, and to maintain the right of
asylum, which is neither to be sur
rendered nor restricted, and we unite
in the cherished hope that the war
which is now -desolating the world
may speedily end, with a complete
and lasting restoration of brotherhood
among the nations of the earth and
the assurance Of full equal rights,
civil and religious, to all men in ev-
cry land.
Protection of the Country
In order to maintain our peace and
make certain the security of our peo-
pie within our own borders, the coun-
try must have not only adequate, but
thorough and complete national de-
Tense, ready for any emergency. We
must have a sufficient and effective
regular army, and provision for
ample reserves, already drilled and
disciplined, who can be called at once
to the colors when the hour of danger
comes.
We must have navy so strong and
so well proportional and equipped, SO
thoroughly ready and prepared, that
no enemy can gain command of the
sea and effect a landing in force on
either our Western or our Eastern
coast. To secure these results we
must have a coherent and continuous
policy of national defense, which, ev-
en- in these perilous days, the Demo.
cratic party has utterly failed to de-
velop, but which we promise to give
the country
Tariff
The Republican party stands now, |
always has, in the fullest sense, Off |
the policy of tariff protection to Amer
lean industries and American labor, |
and does not regard an anti-dumping |
provision as an adequate substitute. |
Such protection should be reasonable |
in amount, but sufficient to protect |
adequately American industry and |
American labor, and be so adjusted |
as to prevent undue exactions by
monopolies or trusts. 1t should, more
over, give special attention to secur-
ing the industrial independence of the
United 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 a commercial bulwark, but
powerful aid to national defense.
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 intercourses 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
normal conditions which prevailed
prior to the war, it was clearly dem
onstrated that this act deprived the
American producer and American
wage Garner of that protection which
entitled them to meet their foreign
competitors, and, but for the ADVENT
tious conditions created by the war,
would long since have paralyzed all
forms of American industry and de-
prived American labor of its just re-
ward.
1t has not in the least reduced the
cost of living, which has constantly
advanced from the date of its enact
ment. Welfare of our people demands
its repeal and the substitution of a
measure which, in peace as we'll as in
war, will produce ample revenue and
give reasonable protection to all forms
of American production in mine, for
est, field and factory.
We favor the creation of a tariff
commission, with complete power to
gather and compile information for
the use of Congress in all matters re-
lating to the tariff.
Business
The Republican party has long be-
lleNeu III Cne rigid supervision ana
strict regulation of the transportation
and great corporations of the coun-
try 1t has put its creed into its
deeds, and all really effective laws
regulating the railroads and great in
dustrial corporations are the work of
Republican Congresses and Presi-
dents. For this policy of regulation
and supervision, the Democrats, in
stumbling and piece-meal way, are
left within the private enterprise, and
in direct competition with its own cit
liens, a policy which is sure to result
in waste, great expense to the tax
payer and in inferior product.
The Republican party firmly be-
lieves that all who violate hte laws in
regulation Of business should be indi-
vidually punished. But prosecution
is very different from persecution, and
business success, no matter how hon
estly attained, is apparently regarded
by the Democratic party as in itself
crime. Such doctrines and beliefs
choke enterprise and stifie prosperity.
The Republican party believes in en-
couraging American business, as it
believes in, and will seek to advance,
III