nearly $212,000,000 in bonds. We condemn the action of the Secretary of the Treasury in following the Republican precedent of paying the obligations of the Government in gold, which were specifically made payable in coin. We hereby instruct our delegates to the National Convention, both as to platform and candidates, to advocate and vote as a unit unflinchingly and at all hazards for the restoration of silver and otherwise, in obedience to the letter and spirit of the principles herein enunciated."

Tariff.-"We warn the people against the combined evils of the gold standard and the McKinley tariff. These twin monsters go hand in hand in their mission of destruction, drawing the very sustenance from the body of the people and concentrating all wealth and power in the hands of a few. We denounce the McKinley tariff and all other forms of protective tariff legislation, and favor the constitutional tariff for revenue only."

State Banks.-"We favor the repeal of the unconstitutional tax of 10 per cent on State banks of issue."

Income Tax.-"We declare ourselves in favor of a graduated income tax in order that wealth may bear its due proportion of the burden of supporting the Government, and we favor an immediate amendment of the Constitution of the United States authorizing its levy and collection in express terms, leaving nothing for judicial construction."

POPULIST.

August 13. 1896.-Approved of the platform of the National Convention, 1896; demanded a free ballot and fair count in all elections held in North Carolina; favored the exercise by the State of the reserved constitutional power to make all gold and silver coin of the United States (including the trade dollar) a legal tender for the payment of debts, and that this right be enforced by the passage of an appropriate act by the General Assembly; declared that all money demands should be payable in the lawful money of the United States, without preference or discrimination, and therefore favored the passage by the General Assembly of a law to prohibit the taking or giving of gold notes, bonds and mortgages in this State, and the making of all money demands solvable in any kind of lawful money of the United States; pledged to maintain the 6 per cent interest law enacted by the Legislature; declared in favor of improving and broadening the public school system; condemned Democratic State Administration for its failure to execute the anti-trust laws; favored the establishment of equitable and low railroad freight rates; mended a constitutional prohibition of the purchase, lease or rental of parallel or competing railway lines; condemned the lease of the North Carolina Railroad to the Southern Railway Company, favored a law forbidding the giving of free passes to public officials, and forbidding their receiving the same.

NORTH DAKOTA.

REPUBLICAN.

the

recom

and

April 15, 1896.-The platform instructs its delegates for McKinley, declares in

of

June 23, 1897. "The Republicans Ohio rejoice in the magnificent victory of last year, whereby the people of the United States overwhelmingly decided in favor of an honest dollar and a chance to earn it, and elected as President that splendid son of Ohio, William McKinley.

"The platform upon which that victory was won declares the true principles and policy of the Republican party. To all the declarations of that platform we pledge anew our allegiance, and unqualifiedly commend the President and Congress for their wise and statesmanlike execution of its piedges.

"The Republican party has always been the friend of the downtrodden and oppressed, and has always deeply sympathized with the struggle of any people for independence. We extend our sympathy to the patriots of Cuba in their efforts to achieve freedom from Spanish cruelty and oppression, and hope that the day of their deliverance is near at hand. We commend the course of the President, and express our confidence in his speedy and patriotic disposition of the Cuban question in accordance with wise statesmanship and a firm and vigorous foreign policy.

"We believe that the Administration in negotiating the treaty for the annexation of Hawaii has acted wisely, and we express the hope that the Senate will ratify the same.

"We denounce the violation of the spirit of the Civil Service act by President Cleveland in those orders which extended its operation beyond its purpose and intent, and demand such revocation of orders or modification of the law as will accomplish its manifest purpose.

"We commend reforms inaugurated in the Pension Bureau under the present Administration, and regard them an earnest of the sincerity of our pledges to the veterans of the Republic, which we here renew, of a watchful care and recognition and enforcement of their just claims upon a grateful people.

"We favor the passage by Congress of such a law as will provide a National

Board of Arbitration to secure, as far as possible, the adjustment and settlement of such differences as may arise between corporations engaged in interstate commerce and their employes.

"Faithfully wedded to the principle of protection, we demand for the wool-growers of Ohio such ample protection for wool as shall speedily increase American flocks sufficiently to supply all American needs.

con

"We indorse the wise, faithful and satisfactory administration of Governor Bushnell, and congratulate the people of this State upon the financial condition of their commonwealth, which demonstrates that the legislative power of the State was economically and honestly exercised by a Republican Legislature. We promise a tinuance of biennial sessions; such legislato remedy the tion as may be necessary present inequalities of taxation; the making of only such appropriations as may properly be required for the needs of our rapidly growing State; and the avoidance of unnecessary special legislation, believing that the Republican idea of home rule is best subserved by leaving the broadest possible powers of local government with the people. The success of the Republican party will insure the advantages of better schools, better roads, and all those progressive ideas which keep Ohio at the head of the sisterhood of States.

"The thanks of the people of this_State are due to Senators Foraker and Hanna for their splendid efforts during the present session of Congress, and we congratulate the people on their representation in the United States Senate.

"Desiring to continue such representation, and appreciative of his services to the party and to the people of the State and Nation, and his eminent and proved fitness for the place, we indorse the candidacy of the Hon. Marcus A. Hanna for United States Senator to succeed himself, and pledge the support of the party in the next General Assembly to his election to both the short and long terms.'

DEMOCRATIC.

June 30, 1897.-The platform reaffirmed and indorsed the declaration of principles contained in the Democratic National platform at Chicago in 1896, "in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, as legal-tender money, without waiting for the consent of any other nation"; it opposed the retirement of non-interest-bearing legal-tender notes of the United States, either by the substitution of National bank notes or by the accumulation of a surplus in the Treasury to enable the Secretary to impound them; declared that a surplus is not only an evidence of excessive, and therefore unconstitutional, taxation, but is a self-evident contraction of the already insufficient volume of the currency; favored a tariff for revenue sufficient to meet the demands of the Government economically administered, and declared that the existing Democratic tariff laws were sufficient; declared all trusts and monopolies hostile and dangerous to the people's inerest and a standing menace to the perpetuity of our free institutions; demanded the rigorous enforcement of all anti-trust

as

laws and such additional legislation may be necessary for their immediate and final suppression; demanded the recognition of the belligerent rights of the Republic of Cuba as an act of justice to an American nation struggling for liberty against foreign oppressors, and denounced and protested against the election of Senator Hanna.

NATIONAL DEMOCRATS.

September 9, 1897.-The platform reaffirmed allegiance to the principles of the party as set forth in the platform adopted at Indianapolis in 1896; and declared that the criticism and attack upon the platform have vindicated its strength and wisdom. So declared for the maintenance of the gold standard, for the retirement of the greenback, and for the extension of the Civil Service merit system wherever possible in the Nation and State. It demarded retrenchment of expenses and scope of Government, so that there be left the utmost freedom of individual effort consistent with safety and peace; denounced the recent tariff legislation as an encouragement of extravagance and an infringement of private right, an unfair tax on all for the benefit of some of the people, and an arbitrary interference by legislation with the natural laws of trade; denounced in the Dingley bill the heavier duties on lumber, wool and hides as increasing the cost of clothing and shelter to the people; condemned the proposed annexation of the Hawaiian Islands as introducing into our Union a large Asiatic and tropical population utterly unfitted for American citizenship, as the beginning of a policy of territorial expansion certain to entail upon our country large taxation to sustain strong armies and navies in distant lands and on distant seas, and as constituting a menace to peaceful industry by exposing our country to foreign wars; and disapproved the hostile action of the Republican party of Ohio in its attack on Civil Service Reform, and expressed thanks to President McKinley for his support and extension of the merit system.

POPULIST.

to

August 11, 1897.-The preamble declared the party's purposes to be identical with those of the National Constitution; that the Republic can only endure as a free Government while built upon the love of the whole people for each other and for the Nation; that it is the duty of the whole people, acting through National, State and municipal administrations, see that opportunities for employment are open to all who are in enforced idleness by reason of closing of shops, factories and mines, and because of the improvement of labor-saving machinery. It continued: "It is the crime of the nineteenth century that three millions of our fellowcitizens are in involuntary idleness, thus causing an irretrievable loss of millions of dollars daily, hence we demand that whenever any State, Territory, township, municipality or incorporated town or village deems it necessary to make public improvements they shall be permitted to deposit with the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States a non-interestbearing bond, not to exceed one-tenth the assessed valuation of the property of the

State, Territory, county, township, municipality or incorporated town or village, and said bond to be retired at the rate of 4 per cent per annum. Corporations are creatures of statutes and have no vested rights which may not be altered or abolished by the lawmaking power. When corporations combine to control prices or restrict production, the State is in duty bound to annul their charters, or, if foreign corporations, to deprive them of their privileges of doing business in the State." The platform reaffirmed adherence to the principles of the People's party as enunciated in the Omaha and St. Louis platforms; denounced the methods of election of United States Senator; also the Republican party for passing the Fifty-Year Franchise bill, and the Democratic party for not having the courage to brand it as an infamous robbery and pledging its repeal. It demanded home rule for counties, cities and municipalities in all things without the interference of the Legislature; the repeal of the Dana law, which denies the citizens of Ohio the right to nominate whom they will and have their nominees printed upon the official ballot; that the several political parties be represented in legislative bodies in proportion to the number of votes each party shall cast; a reduction of all official salaries to conform to reduction in wages of the wealth creators and the price of farm products; that the Constitution of the State of Ohio be so amended that when 10 per centum of the qualified electors of the State, the county or the municipality shall have initiated a movement for an act or proposition it shall be mandatory on the Secretary of the State to refer the act or proposition to the people affected for their acceptance or rejection at the next general election, and if it shall be approved by a majority of the electors voting upon the same it shall become valid and operative from and after the official canvass and declaration of each vote.

Resolutions extending sympathy to the striking miners and extending sympathy to Cuba and denouncing the National Administrations for their action in the Cuban matter, and demanding a service pension of $8 per month to all soldiers and one cent a day for each day of actual service, were adopted.

OKLAHOMA.

REPUBLICAN.

March 28, 1896.-"We contend for honest money, for a currency of gold, silver and raper with which to measure our exchange that shall be as sound as the Government and as untarnished as its honor, and to that end we favor bimetallism and den. and the use of both gold and silver as standard money, under such restrictions to be determined by legislation as will secure the maintenance of the parities of the values of the two metals; also, that the purchasing and debt-paying power of the dollar, whether of silver, gold or paper, shall be at all times equal, and we believe the best way to continue the parity of our dollars, and at the same time enlarge the circulating medium, with the growth of the

commensurate

April 10, 1896.-By a vote of 129 to 8 the platform of the National Convention of 1892 was indorsed. The platform reasserted the doctrine of "Reciprocity, Protection, Sound Money and Prosperity.' The following is the financial plank: "The American people from tradition and interest favor bimetallism, and the Republican party demands the use of both gold and silver as standard money, with such restrictions and under such provisions, to be determined by legislation, as will secure the maintenance of the parity of the values of the metals, so that the purchasing and debt-paying power of the dollar, whether of silver, gold or paper, shall be at all times equal. The interests of the producers of the country-its farmers and its workingmen-demand that every dollar, paper or coin, issued by the Government shall be as good as any other dollar."

PENNSYLVANIA. REPUBLICAN.

August 26, 1897.-The Republicans Pennsylvania ratify and reaffirm the doctrines enunciated in the National platform adopted at St. Louis in 1896, and approved by the people at the last Presidential election.

We rejoice with the people of the Nation upon the passage of the Dingley

Tariff bill. Its enactment redeems the pledges made by the Republican party to our prostrate manufacturing, commercial and business interests, and holds out to them the bright promise of prosperity and material development, such as has ever attended upon legislation designed for the protection of home industries and the preservation of home markets. Already the hum of reviving industry is heard throughout the land, and the business interests are responding eagerly to the encouraging influence of this legislation.

"Dollar wheat" has sounded the deathknell of the "free coinage" heresy. In the late Presidential campaign the strongest bid made for the agricultural vote by the Democratic party was the promise that their success in that election would raise the market price of wheat to $1 a bushel --payable in silver. They were overwhelmingly defeated at the polls, and the farmer now receives for his wheat $1 a bushel, payable in gold. The dollar he

own

thus receives will buy in the market $2 35 worth of silver, as measured by the coinage value of that metal. We pledge ourselves anew to the Republican doctrine of We adhere to and renew again the pledges of the Republican party to maintain a just, reasonable and equitable system of Civil Service, but we denounce President Cleveland for his partisan abuse of its powers and his manipulation and unjust extension of its provisions beyond that which was originally contemplated by the law or required in the interest of good government, so as to protect the unfit appointees of his party from threatening non-partisan competition. By his violation of the spirit and intent of the law the offices of the Federal Government have been filled with representatives of a single party; the standard of efficiency has been degraded; veterans of the late war have been dismissed to make places for political favorites without just or reasonable cause; promotions and transfers have been made for partisan reasons, regardless of merit and in disregard of the spirit of the Civil Service law. With an earnest desire to sustain the principles of the law and secure an honest, economical and efficient administration of the affairs of the Government, we demand that the President of the United States, by executive order, and Congress, by legislative enactment at the approaching session, shall establish a Civil Service system that shall meet the approval of the better judgment and common-sense of the American people.

We heartily and cordially indorse the Administration of President McKinley. Although but a few months have passed since his induction into the high office for which he was chosen, he has proved himself worthy of the confidence reposed in him by the American people. Firm as an executive officer; diplomatic and dignified in his official relations with other countries; wise and conservative in council; unyielding and immovable in his devotion to the principles of good government; determined and uncompromising in the advocacy of a party policy that is restoring prosperity to our country; constant and faithful to the doctrines of his party; demanding that the integrity of our mone-tary system shall be maintained, he has met the highest expectations of the Republican party and the American people.

Upon State matters the platform declared in favor of reform in State and municipal government; purification of elections, and the free exercise of the elective franchise. It commended the Legislature for its enactment of laws for the betterment of the condition of the laboring classes; for making up the deficit in the Treasury, thus enabling the State to appropriate $5,500,000 annually for the public schools, and for the passage of laws requiring the payment of interest on deposits of moneys belonging to the State by the various banking institutions.

DEMOCRATIC.

August 31, 1897.-Reaffirmed and reiterated the principles of the Democratic party as expressed in the platform adopted by the National Convention at Chicago in 1896.

"We are firmly and unalterably opposed

to the single gold standard, which has been the direct cause of the financial distress that has followed upon our people since its adoption, and we are in favor of a complete and immediate return to our original specie basis as it existed prior to the demonetization act of 1873. We congratulate William J. Bryan, the glorious champion of a righteous cause, for his masterly leadership in support of these principles.

"We denounce the Dingley tariff law as a measure designed and passed in answer to the demands of trusts and monopolies, every important feature of which is a refuge for the protection of some trust or combination existing in opposition to the public good and in violation of the common law. The schedule is in brief an assessment upon the individual citizens of the country for the benefit of trusts in re-turn for money advanced to carry the recent election and add enormously to the burdens of labor by increasing the cost of the necessaries of life without enhancing in the least respect the wages of labor.

"We abhor the character of the warfare waged by the Government of Spain agamst the inhabitants of the hapless island of Cuba, in which the humane methods of c.vilized warfare have given place to savage atrocities committed upon unarmed civilians and defenceless women and children. The ruthless nature of the conflict waged, as well as the danger to our own peace inevitably resulting from he further continuance of such a system of anarchy SO near our porder, renders immediate armed intervention by our Government imperative.

"We sympathize with the miners of the Commonwealth in their unequal struggle to obtain a fair compensation for their daily toil, and declare that the ancient and Anglo-Saxon right of trial by jury ought to be preserved; and we deplore the tendency of certain Federal and State Courts to detract from this right by an unwarranted extension and abuse of the remedy of injunction in differences between capital and labor."

RHODE ISLAND.

REPUBLICAN.

March 16, 1897.-Congratulates the entire country on the election of a Republican President and Congress-on the happy deliverance of a great people from Governmental misrule and helplessnessand on their return to the principles of the Republican party, as set forth in its platform of 1896.

Pledges to President McKinley unswerving loyalty and support, and awaits the action of Congress in the revision of the tariff laws, to the end that sufficient revenue may be obtained to pay the expenses of Government; that the National indebtedness may be decreased; that labor and capital may be protected; and that the varied industries may again become the active evidences of increasing wealth and prosperity.

Appreciates the assistance rendered to the Republican party in the Presidential campaign by those who severed their connection with the Democratic party, and, placing principles above party name, sup

ported with intelligence, patriotism and honesty, the cause of sound money and national honor. Reaffirmed as a cardinal doctrine of the Republican party that the gold standard of value must be maintained. It is the recognized standard of civilization; the only standard of national and commercial honesty.

Sympathized with the people of Cuba and favored such intervention in Cuban affairs by the National Government as the law of nations permits and the law 'of humanity demands.

"We believe in the protection of all American citizens, native born and naturalized, at home and abroad, and in such conduct of our foreign affairs as shall most emphatically distinguish it from the inefficient and unpatriotic foreign policy of the last four years."

The platform also advocated liberal National and State appropriations for needed public improvements.

DEMOCRATIC.

COW

March 10, 1897.-The platform charged "the Republican Legislature with ardice in that it has three times refused to legislate before election so that the people before re-electing them could judge of its acts, and after election has passed bills in the interests of the monopolistic corporations and inimical to the rights of the people of this State, and we invite the close attention of the citizens of this State to the character of the legislation which will be attempted after the present election is past"; also that it had disregarded the desires and rights of the people of the city of Providence and passed an act increasing the burdens upon the taxpayers, by augmenting the salaries of the Board of Canvassers and Registration, against the earnest protest of the City Council and the citizens of the city; that it is a tribunal for special legislation merely; that it has been recklessly extravagant, only directly, but through the many commissions appointed by it.

not

The platform invited the co-operation of the men of all parties to assist in "remedying these abuses"; pledged the nominees of the convention and the nominees of the legislative tickets throughout the State, so to legislate and administer that the laws will give equal justice to all and special favors to none; to so amend and adjust the tax laws of this State that it will be no longer possible for the very rich to escape taxation; to grant home rule to the various cities and towns as far as it is possible; to regulate and control all quasi-public corporations that, without taking from said corporations their just rights, the rights of the people shall neither be infringed upon nor taken away; and so to legislate and administer that no corporation, public or private, can be established nor prosecute its business under the laws of the State, unless its capital stock is represented by absolute cash, or property of the cash value.

REPUBLICAN (BLACK AND TAN). September 17, 1896.-The platform indorsed that of the National Convention; renewed allegiance to the policy of protection; declared unreservedly for sound money and unalterable opposition to any measure calculated to debase the currency or impair the credit of the country; opposed the free coinage of silver, except by international agreement with the leading nations of the world; condemned the practice of lynching; denounced the frauds in the State elections; demanded that the Republican party be given representation on the boards of Election Commissioners and managers, and demanded searching investigation of the charges of fraud in the affairs of the dispensary and the bond deal.

REPUBLICAN (LILY WHITE).

September 17, 1896.-The platform indorsed the National Republican platform and the ticket, etc.; opposed the continuance of frauds in the elections: the dispensary and all its accompanying evils, the State judiciary prostituted to partisan purposes, the police system, and Tillmanism with its innumerable evils; denounced the brutal and inhuman practice of lynching, and invoked the aid of the pulpit, the press and the people in cultivating a sentiment to crush it out.

DEMOCRATIC.

or

May 20, 1896.-The platform denounced President Cleveland's Administration, declaring that he had subsidized the press; declared the Federal courts as now ganized a menace to the public; demanded that a Constitutional Convention be called to form an organic law suitable to the whole country, and contained this financial plank.

"A sound and just system of finance is the most potent factor in a nation's prosperity, and we demand the restoration of the money of the Constitution by giving silver the same rights and privileges now given to gold. We demand the free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, regardless of the action of any and all other nations, and that such coinage be a legal tender for all debts, public and private. Congress alone has the power to coin and issue money, and President Jackson declared that this power could not be delegated to a corporation. Therefore we demand the national banking system be abolished."

Another plank was on interstate commerce, as follows:

"The absorption of wealth by a few, the consolidation of our leading railroad systems, and the formation of trusts and pools require a stricter control by the Federal Government of those arteries of commerce. We demand the enlargement of the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission.'