Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1894 — Republican Platform. [ARTICLE]

Republican Platform.

o We, the Republicans of Indiana, in delegate Convention assembled, reaffirm our faith in the progressive principles of the Republican party. We believe its policies, past and present, best calciilated to promote the happiness and prosperity of the people. The administration of President Harrison and the Congressional legislation of that party were wise, pure and patriotic, and we point to the contrast between the home and foreign policies of that administration, and thefpresent travesty on government inffidtod on the whole people. We believe in the Republican doctrine of protectiou£and reciprocity, which furnishes a home market for the productions of our factories and oiir farms and protects the American laborer against the pauper labor of Eui-ppe. We denounce the unwise and unpatriotic action of the Democratic party in attempting to elimate the reciprocity principle from our tariff system, thereby closing a large foreign market to products of American farmers and depressing agricultural interests. We denounce the present attempt of’ a Democratic Congress to overthrow and destroy the American industrial system, a course that, with a general fear of a violent readjustment cf he country's business to a free-trade basis, lias increased the national debt and has plunged the country into the most disastrious business depression of its history, has closed large numbers of banks and factories throughout the country, lias thrown an unprecedented number of Ainier can citizens out of employment, has compelled thousands of able bodied and ’industrious men to humiliate themselves by asking for charity, and has filled our broad land with free souphouses and food markets. We believe in currency composed of gold, silver and paper, Readily convertible at a fixed standard of value, and entirely under national control, and we favor the imposition of increased duties upon the imports from all countries which oppose the coinage of silver upon a" basis to be determined by an international congress for such purpose. We denounce the avowed purpose of the Democratic party to restore the era of _“jvild-cat” money. We believe in a liberal construction of our pension laws, and we condemn the unjust policy of the present , administration of depriving ex-soldters of their pension without a hearing—a policy intended to cast odium upon loyalty and patriotism. We believe it to be the duty of the State, as well as a nation, to make suitable provision for the care and maintenance of all indig en soldiers, their wives. and widows,. We, there sore, favor the establishment by the State of a suitable soldiers’ home for the reception of such soldiers, their wives and widows as 1 may be overtaken by adversity... AVe:demand a rigid enforcement of all existing immigration laws by the national government, and demand such further legislation as will protect our people and institutions against the influx of the criminal and vicious classes. denounce the unpatriotic action of the Cleveland administration in hauling down the American flag at Hawaii, and condemn the arrogant assumption of power displayed in the effort to restore a tyrannical Queen over a free people who had thrown off the yoke of despotism. • ' ■ We condemn the outrageous bargain and sale of Federal patronage by the Cleveland adminis tration in its unblushing efforts to usurp the prerogatives of the legislative branch of the government to force a favorite measure through Congress and compel tlie confirmation of Presidential appointments by the Senate. We condemn the reckless and extravagant administration of the financial affairs of this state whereby the people are subjected to unjust and unnecessary burdens of taxation, by an increased asessmen t of property and increased rate of t axation, and by multiplication of offices to be sup ported Dy the taxpayers of the State. We believe that the benevolent, educational and correctional Institutions of the State should be placed under non-partisan control. We believe in such legislation. State and National, as will protect the lives and limbs of emidoyes of railways, mines and factories. We condemn the policies steadily pursued by the Democratic Legislature of Indiana in so gerrymandering the State as to deny tlie people a fair representation of their views in tne State Legislature and National Congress, thus impeding the foundations of our institutions.