CHAPTER III.

THE PLATFORM.

"Do not stand on the platform when the train is in motion," is a legend seriously employed in railroad travel and ironically employed among the political parties. Every party is supposed to have certain principles which constitute its distinctive features and form a basis on which to rest its demand for votes. These features are technically "the planks," of which "the party platform" is constructed, and on which it presents itself to the world and does its work. It is a natural impulse to make unsightly and unsound platforms look the best possible. The rough planks of the platform at the country picnic are decorated with evergreens; the extemporized platform of the Fourth of July rally is covered with flags, and so the unsightliness and unsoundness of many a party platform has been concealed with redundant verbiage and vague phrases. Indeed, so much does the average "platform" deal in meaningless, or double-meaning phrases, that no man can be fairly credited with standing on it. And yet the party platform is an institution. The stump speakers of the cam

paign quote it, and the excited disputants appeal to it. To many it has the authority of both law and gospel.

The platform for the campaign of 1884 was adopted at Chicago, Thursday, June 5th.

As the platform was being read there were interruptions of applause at the points approving the President's administration; declaring that duties shall be made not for revenue only; claiming full and adequate protection for sheep husbandry; recommending legislation to regulate the railroads; disapproving the importation of contract labor, whether from Europe or Asia; favoring the civil service law; condemning the acquisition of large tracts of lands, especially by non-resident aliens; declaring the policy of non-interference with foreign nations, and that foreign nations shall refrain from intermeddling in American affairs; for the enforcement of the laws against polygamy and condemning the fraud and violence of the Democracy in the Southern States. The resolutions were adopted without discussion and amid much applause. The full text of the platform is given below:

THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

The Republicans of the United States, in Convention assembled, renew their allegiance to the principles upon which they have triumphed in six successive Presidential elections, and congratulate the American people on the

attainment of so many results in legislation and administration by which the Republican party has, after saving the Union, done so much to render its institutions just, equal and beneficent-the safeguard of liberty, and the embodiment of the best thought and highest purposes of our citizens. The Republican party has gained its strength by quick and faithful response to the demands of the people for the freedom and the equality of all men; for a united nation, assuring the rights of all citizens; for the elevation of labor; for an honest currency; for purity in legislation, and for integrity and accountability in all departments of the Government, and it accepts anew the duty of leading in the work of progress and reform. We lament the death of President Garfield, whose sound statesmanship, long conspicuous in Congress, gave promise of a strong and successful administration, a promise fully realized during the short period of his office as President of the United States. His distinguished success in war and in peace have endeared him to the hearts of the American people. In the administration of President Arthur we recognize a wise, conservative and patriotic policy, under which the country has been blessed with remarkable prosperity, and we believe his eminent services are entitled to, and will receive, the hearty approval of every citizen.

It is the first duty of a good government to protect the rights and promote the interests of its own people; the largest diversity of industry is most productive of general prosperity, and of the comfort and independence of the people.

THE TARIFF.

We therefore demand that the imposition of duties on foreign imports shall be made not for "revenue only,"

but that in raising the requisite revenues for the Government, such duties shall be so levied as to afford security to our diversified industries, and protection to the rights and wages of the laborer, to the end that active and intelligent labor, as well as capital, may have its just award, and the laboring man his full share in the national prosperity. Against the so-called economical system of the Democratic party, which would degrade our labor to the foreign standard, we enter our earnest protest. The Democratic party has failed completely to relieve the people of the burden of unnecessary taxation by a wise reduction of the surplus.

The Republican party pledges itself to correct the inequalities of the tariff, and to reduce the surplus, not by the vicious and indiscriminate process of horizontal reduction, but by such methods as will relieve the tax-payer without injuring the laborer or the great productive interests of the country.

We recognize the importance of sheep husbandry in the United States, the serious depression which it is now experiencing, and the danger threatening its future prosperity, and we therefore respect the demands of the representatives of this important agricultural interest for a readjustment of duty upon foreign wool, in order that such industry shall have full and adequate protection.

We have always recommended the best money known to the civilized world, and we urge that an effort be made to unite all commercial nations in the establishment of the international standard which shall fix for all the relative value of gold and silver coinage.

POWERS OF CONGRESS.

The regulation of commerce with foreign nations, and between the States, is one of the most important preroga

tives of the General Government, and the Republican party distinctly announces its purpose to support such legislation as will fully and efficiently carry out the constitutional power of Congress over inter-State commerce. The principle of the public regulation of railway corporations is a wise and salutary one for the protection of all classes of the people, and we favor legislation that shall prevent unjust discrimination and excessive charges for transportation, and that shall secure to the people and to the railways alike the fair and equal protection of the laws. We favor the establishment of a national bureau of labor, the enforcement of the eight-hour law, a wise and judicious system of general education by adequate appropriation from the national revenues wherever the same is needed. We believe that everywhere the protection to a citizen of American birth must be secured to the citizens by American adoption, and we favor the settlement of national differences by international arbitration.

The Republican party, having its birth in a hatred of slave labor, and in a desire that all men may be free and equal, is unalterably opposed to placing our workingmen in competition with any form of servile labor, whether at home or abroad. In this spirit we denounce the importation of contract labor, whether from Europe or Asia, as an offense against the spirit of American institutions, and we pledge ourselves to sustain the present law restricting Chinese immigration, and to provide such further legislation as is necessary to carry out its purposes.

CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

The reform of the civil service, auspiciously begun under Republican administration, should be completed