The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-09-23

In Cuba it fulfilled solemn pledge
to the world by surrendering control
when orderly government had been
established, retaining only that degree
of suzerainty, by treaty, essential to
the permanence of republican gov
eminent in the island.
It prohibited the immigration of
Oriental coolies, maintaining stand
ards of living hopelessly below the
American level, and of the criminal,
the insane or the pauperized from any
land.
1t created the Department of Agri-
culture, and brought it to a high state
of usefulness as factor in agri-
cultural development; it established
free delivery of mail in the smaller
cities and towns and in rural dis
tricts; it created the parcel post and
the postal savings banks; it vastly in
creased the scope and efficiency of
the postal service of the United
States.
It created the Department of Com
merce and Labor; now two depart
ments. Through its naval construc-
ton program, it brought the United
States to the third place among the
worlds naval powers, and sent the
American fleet on a trip around the
world which immeasurably increased
American prestige abroad.
1t originated the conservation
movement, and inaugurated the irri-
CATION projects on the arid lands of
the West.
1t gave statehood to more than one
fourth of the states of the Union
West Virginia. Nevada, Colorado,
North Dakota, Montana, Washington,
Idaho, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New
Mexico, and Arizona.
It raised the American flag in the
Hawaiian and Samoan islands, pro-
viding naval bases essential to. the
preservation of American prestige in
the Pacific.
It passed the Sherman antitrust
law, the most effective statute for the
prevention of monopolistic combina-
tions in restraint of trade yet enact
ed in the United States, and enforced
it in the dissolution of many such
combinations; it passed. the Inter
state Commerce act, the railway rate
bill, the pure food law; it created a
commerce court and a tariff commits
sion.
It established the system of pro-
motions for efficiency in the diplom-
attic and consular service, improving
greatly the character and broadening
the usefulness of both.
1t brought about, through the medi-
alton of Republican President, the
termination of the Russian-Japanese
war; and it took the first step toward
international peace through the form
ulation of treaties of place and arbi-
tration with the great powers of Eur
ope.
Through postal subventions, under
the Harrison administration, il
brought into being the only trans
Atlantic steamship line operating
under the American flag, and was de-
feated in repeated efforts to restore
the American merchant marine only
by persistent Democratic opposition.
1t proposed the amendments to the
Constitution providing for the direct
election of United States Senators,
and making lawful the income tax as
method of federal taxation.
1t suppressed the Louisiana and
other lotteries, and enacted and en-
forced legislation prohibiting the use
of the mails for fraudulent purposes
It established the gold standard
making and keeping every dollar OF
American money equal to the best
known in the world.
It established so firmly the nations
credit, that its securities became the
most desirable in the world, bearing
the smallest rate of interest.
It gave to the nation in SO years
the leadership of 10 Presidents, nc
one of whom was of doubtful pa
triotism or ability, and each of whom
gave to the country an administers
ton signalized by some notable pub.
lie service: Lincoln, Johnson, Grant
Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison
Mckinley, Roosevelt and Taft; gave
to American public life such names as
Seward, Stanton, Chase, Morton,
Blaine, Conkling, Schurz, Curtis
Sherman, Fairbanks, Allison, Logan
Foster, Reed, Hay and a host OF
others whose biographies are a par
of the creditable history of the repub.
lie.
These are a few of the enduring
achievements of the Republican
party; achievements the lasting value
of which is not a mere subject fol
academic speculation, but which ha.
borne the test of time; deeds of thu
past which give weight to the party:
pledges for the future. It is a glor
ious record which should inspire ever