Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-26
WHO MADE THIS
COUNTRY GREAT,
the QUESTION
A Congressman Of the Great
Southwest Calls to Mind a
Few Important Facts-Can
You Deny Any Of Them?

Washington. D. c.. Sept. 25.-(Spec-
iaD.-"1n this campaign year, when
the voters shall choose between two
great political parties, 1t Is pertinent
to ask. what made this country great 2
The Republican party made this ma
ton great. Republican principles, Re-
publican policies. Republican states
manship. Republican legislation, and
Republican management of national
affairs made this country great-great
IN its population, great In its wealth.
great in its industries. great in its
trade and commerce. great in
Its transportation and communica-
ton facilities. and great in its prestige
and power and influence throughout
the world" declared Representative
Dick T. Morgan Of Oklahoma. in a
statement given out here today.
To understand how the Republican
party made this country great, go back
to its platform of $780," continued Mr..
Morgan. There you will find the fun
damental principles upon which the
Republican party was founded-upon
which 1t won it's first national victory
and placed in the Presidential chair
the first Republican president-Abra-
ham Lincoln. That platform declared,
first, Tor the preservation Of the Union;
second, for human liberty and human
freedom: third. for the encouragement
OF foreign immigration: fourth. for a
free homestead law; fifth, for govern
mental aid in the construction Of a
transcontinental railway: and sixth,
for protective tariff policy.
OBSTRUCTION OF the Union would
have forever precluded the building Of
great nation on the American con-
tinent. We never could have built a
great nation here with slavery as its
chief corner stone. Happily for our
country, these two great questions
have long since been settled. Every
where our people are alike devoted to
the Union. loyal to the flag, and stand
for the highest ideals Of human liberty.
Nevertheless. it is an historical fact
that the echief purpose In organizing
the Republican party, was to prevent
the extension of slavery and to pre-
serve the Union.
Through the encouragement Of for
eign immigration the Republican party
contributed immensely to the growth
OF the nation. Population is one ele-
ment OF greatness. In the fifty years
Immediately preceding the ascendency
o. the Republican party to power
slightly over five millions Of foreign
born people came to this country. Dur
Inc hn Ss1x x1Hx
ceeding the ascendency Of the Repub-
lican party to power, 27,00O.000 immi-
grants from other countries came to
our shores. Had it not been for this
immigration the United States would
have today less than fifty millions of
inhabitants. The Republican party
championed the rights Of foreign born
citizens. 1t pursued economic policies
which gave them employment at re-
munerative wages and offered them
opportunities for success in every kind
Of business and in every line of human
endeavor
THE Republican party passed the
free homestead law. Lincoln's sigma
ture to this great act ranks second on
ly to his signature to the Emancipation
Proclamation. One made free men;
the other made free homes. The free
homestead act, conceived by Repub-
lican leaders. enacted into law by a
Republican congress, and approved by
a Republican President contributed to
the rapid settlement and development
of the country west Of the Mississippi
river in which today dwell millions of
our most intelligent, progressive, and
patriotic citizens.
CONSTRUCTION Of the first transcon-
tinental railway was an event Of vast