Every political party desiring to gain supporters, prescribes certain rules and adopts certain principles, which must be accepted and followed by the candidates. of the party if they wish to be supported by the organization. This is called the platform or policy of a political party.

The Republican party, seeking public offices for its candidates, formed and adopted its platform last Saturday, which reads as follows:

1. We protest against an increase in city taxes or the creation of debts. We maintain that it is not necessary to raise taxes if the city funds are used properly and for practical purposes instead of for keeping an army of city officials.

2

2. We demand that every dollar obtained by taxation and spent by the city, must be accounted for by the city treasury, and that reports of city expenditures be made by a city committee.

3. Citizens should have the privilege of examining public accounts, provided that they will handle them carefully.

4. City pay rolls should be published every month, together with statements by the City Council.

5. Day work should be preferred to contract work whenever possible.

6. We favor an eight-hour working day, and maintain that it should be adopted by the city for public works.

7. Only citizens should be employed by the city.

8. Gambling houses in Chicago should be closed. Our candidate for mayor is obliged to take this action, and all mayors will be given full support in this respect.

9. The police Department must be rid of politics, and promotions must be gained by merit alone.

10. Accrued interest from public funds should be returned to the 3citizens. The City treasurer must not receive any compensation other than his salary. Our candidate must agree to this stipulation.

11. No one should be exempt from paying license or other fees. City officials are not entitled to any compensation other than their salaries.

12. The income from fees and other charges should be turned into the city treasury, not into the pockets of the relatives of city officials.

13. We demand very strict public safety regulations and sanitary conditions in the city.

14. Streets and alleys should be in charge of an independent department.

15. We demand a better school system and a well-developed manual training system. The principals of our public schools should be men of ability. of integrity, who favor the American school system.

We will discuss some of the points of this platform after we acquaint out readers with the platforms of other large parties, especially the Democratic, which will be formed next Saturday.

Mr. Hemstead Washburn, Republican candidate for mayor, has promised that he will endeavor to fulfill all points of the Republican platform.