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gratitude to the soldiers and sailors who
have fought its battles , and it is the
government's duty to provide for the
survivors and for the widows and
orphans of those who have fallen in the
country's wars. The pension laws
founded in this just sentiment should be
liberal and should be liberally admin
istered and preference should be given ,
wherever practicable , with respect to
employment in the public service to sol
diers and sailors and to their widows
and orphans.
Civil Service.
We commend the policy of the repub
lican party in maintaining the efficiency
of the civil service. The administration
has acted wisely in its effort to secure
for public service in Cuba , Porto Rico ,
Hawaii and the Philippines only those
whose fitness lias been determined by
training and experience. We believe
that employment in the public service in
these territories should be confined , as
far as practicable , to their inhabitants.
It was the plain purpose of the Fif
teenth Amendment to the Constitution
to prevent discrimination on account of
race or color in regulating the elective
franchise. Devices of state govern
ments , whether by statutory or constitu
tional enactment , to avoid the purpose
of this amendment , are revolutionary ,
and should be condemned.
Public Improvement ! * .
Public movements looking to a perma
nent improvement of the roads and
highways of the country meet with our
cordial approval , and we recommend
this subject to the earnest consideration
of the people and of the legislatures of
the several states.
We favor the extension of the rural
free delivery service wherever its ex
tension may be justified.
In further pursuance of the constant
policy of the republican party to pro
vide free homes on the public domain ,
we recommend adequate national legis
latiou to reclaim the arid lauds of the
United States , reserving control of the
distribution of water for irrigation to
the respective states and territories.
We favor home rule for , and the early
admission to statehood of the territories
of New Mexico , Arizona and Oklahoma.
The Dlngley Act.
The Diugley act , amended to provide
sufficient revenue for the conduct of the
war , has so well performed its work
that it has been possible to reduce the
war debt in the sum of $40,000,000. So
ample are the government's revenues ,
and so great is the public confidence in
the integrity of its obligations that its
newly funded 2 per cent bonds sell at a
premium. The country is now justified
in expecting , and it will be the policy of
the republican party , to bring about a
reduction of the war tax.
Favor Canal.
We favor the construction , control
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and protection of nn isthmian canal by
the government of the United States.
Now markets are necessary for the
increasing surplus of our farm products.
Every effort should bo made to open and
obtain now markets , especially in the
Orient , and the administration is warmly
to be commended for its successful effort
to commit all trading and colonizing
nations to the policy of the open door in
China. In the interest of our expanding
commerce wo recommend that congress
create a department of commerce and
industries , in the charge of a secretary
with a seat in the cabinet. The United
States consular system should be re
organized under the supervision of this
new department upon such a basis of
appointment and tenure as will render
it still more serviceable to the nation's
increasing trade.
"IJoxcrs. "
The American government must pro
tect the person and property of every
citizen wherever they are wrongfully
violated or placed in peril.
We congratulate the women of
America upon their splendid record of
public service in the volunteer aid as
sociations and as nurses in camp and
hospital during the recent campaigns of
our armies in the Eastern and Western
Indies , and we appreciate their faithful
cooperations in all works of education
and industry.
Foreign Alia Irs.
President MoKiuley has conducted
the foreign affairs of the United States
with distinguished credit to the Ameri
can people. In releasing us from the
vexatious conditions of a European al
liance for the government of Samoa his
course is especially to be commended.
By securing to our undivided control of
the most important island of the Samoau
group and the best harbor in the south
ern Pacific every American interest has
been safeguarded.
Tito Boors.
We commend the part taken by our
government in the peace conference at
The Hague. We assert our steadfast
adherence to the policy announced in
the Monroe doctrine. The provisions of
The Hague conference were wisely re
garded when President MoKinley ten
dered his friendly offices in the interest
of peace between Great Britain and the
South African republics. While the
American government must continue
the policy prescribed by Washington ,
affirmed by every succeeding president
and imposed upon us by The Hague
treaty , of non-interference in European
controversies , the American people
earnestly hope that a way may soon
be found , honorable alike to both con
tending parties , to terminate the strife
between them.
The Purlg Treaty.
In accepting by the treaty of Paris
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the just responsibility of our victories in
the Spanish war , the president and the
senate won the undoubted approval of
the American people. No other course
was possible than to destroy Spain's
sovereignty throughout the Western
Indies and in the Philippine Islands.
That course created our responsibility
before the world and with the unorgan
ized population whom our intervention
had freed from Spain , to provide for the
establishment of good government and
for the performance of international
obligations. Our authority could not bo
less than our responsibility and wherever
sovereign rights were extended it became
the high duty of the government to
maintain its authority , to put down
armed insurrection and to confer the
blessings of liberty and civilization upon
all the rescued peoples. The largest
measure of self-government consistent
with their welfare and our duties shall
be secured to them by law. To Cuba
independence and self-government were
assured in the same voice by which war
was declared , and to the letter this
pledge shall be performed. The repub
lican party , upon its history and upon
this declaration of its principles and
policies , confidently invokes the con
siderate and approving judgment of the
American people.
WONDERFUL , CHANGE IN KANSAS.
If William J. Bryan succeeds in car
rying Kansas this year it will not be
by reason of any lack of prosperity , for
the reports agree that it is going to be
the banner year for crops in that state.
The wheat crop alone will give an esti
mated yield of 90,000,000 bushels , which
is 20,000,000 bushels ahead of former
records. With the increased prices of
wheat , this crop should bring in about
$54,000,000. To that must be added the
profits on the corn crop , which also is
above the average. In some portions of
the country the wheat crop is a partial
failure , but Kansas and Oklahoma have
the largest crops they have ever pro
duced , and one authority estimates that
the country tributary to Kansas Oity ,
which includes Kansas , Oklahoma and
portions of Missouri and Iowa , will
yield $100,000,000 worth of wheat. The
Kansas farmers have already paid off
most of their mortgages , and for some
time past the banks of that state have
been sending large sums of money east
ward for investment. It is said to be a
fact that several industrial enterprises
in the East have been financed with
money furnished indirectly by the Kan
sas farmers , this being quite a change
from the days when all Kansas was
mortgaged to eastern money loaners and
was howling for stay laws to prevent
the loan companies from foreclosing.
And the marvelous change has not been
brought about by cheap money or by
radical legislation of any sort. Oakland
Enquirer.
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