rrupted period of prosperity. This prosperous and happy
condition has come as the result, in a large part, of Republican
rule and Republican policy.

"For nearly forty-five years the history of the United States has
been the history of the Republican party, because, with the exception
of two short periods, Republican administration has guided the
destinies of the Nation; and the achievements of Republican
administrations during those forty-five years constitute the greatest
record in our history, and that record is a complete defence of
the party against assaults from whatever quarter.

"We stand to-day at the head of all the Nations in the value of
imports and exports, and these maintain the prosperity our country
has enjoyed since the American people declared in favor of a
protective tariff and a sound-money standard.

"The people do not prosper under vicious government. Good government
is essential to real prosperity, to properly develop and to advance
it. The Republican party has always secured for the Nation stability,
confidence and prosperity at home, and respect and prestige abroad.

"We are to-day at peace with all the Nations of the world. Perhaps
never before in our history have we had such intimate and friendly
relations with all the great Nations as we have to-day. Our country
has the respect of all the Governments of the world, great and
small. We are gradually assuming the first place among the naval
powers; but, unlike the older Nations, we are acquiring a great
navy in the interest of peace. Under the policy of this Government,
such a navy is one of the surest assurances against war. The
Nations know that the United States stands for peace, and under
Roosevelt's Republican administration, greater progress has been
made in the direction of international arbitration as a means of
settling disputes among nations than under any other previous
administration in our history.

"While the nations know that we stand for peace, they also know
that we will not tamely submit to the imposition of wrong, or to
offenses against our own honor and dignity, or to the oppression
of our sister republics in this Western world. We have no desire
to rob these republics of their independence, or a single foot of
their territory. Our recent action in Cuba has been an object
lesson to these republics, and to the world at large, of our
disinterested friendship. As we have repeatedly assured them, our
only desire