(who had hailed from the host state of Illinois and been nominated at the
1860 convention held in Chicago) The Republican platform celebrated the Roosevelt administration's economic policies such as the keeping of the protective tariff, establishment of a permanent currency system (the
Federal Reserve), additional government supervision and control over
trusts. It championed enforcement of
railroad rate laws, giving the
Interstate Commerce Commission authority to investigate interstate railroads, and reduction of work hours for railroad workers, as well as general reduction in the work week. In foreign policy, it supported a buildup of the armed forces, protection of American citizens abroad, extension of foreign commerce, vigorous arbitration and the Hague treaties, a revival of the
U.S. Merchant Marine, support of war veterans, self-government for
Cuba and the
Philippines with citizenship for residents of
Puerto Rico. In other areas, it advocated court reform, creation of a federal Bureau of Mines and
Mining, extension of rural
mail delivery, environmental conservation, upholding of the rights of
African-Americans and the civil service, and greater efficiency in national
public health agencies. The platform lastly expressed pride in U.S. involvement in the building of the
Panama Canal, the admission of the
New Mexico and
Arizona Territories; called for the celebration of the birthday of
Abraham Lincoln; and generally deplored the
Democratic Party while celebrating the policies of the Republicans. The platform explained the differences between democracy and republicanism in which the Republicans made clear that democracy was leaning towards socialism and republicanism towards individualism. ==Speakers==