486 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



cord; Rev. I). C. Knowles, Tilton; Rev. J. H. 

 Bliss, Franklin ; Rev. J. S. Harrington, Farming- 

 ton; Hon. John B. Smith, Hillsborough : C'. I'. 

 Willey, Portsmouth ; Hon. Dexter Richards, New- 

 port ; I. J. Dunn, Keene ; Hon. L. H. Pillsbury, 

 Derry; George B. Cox, Esq., Laconia; Rev. J. R. 

 Horn'e, Bartlett ; Rev. Henry II. Manser, East Jaf- 

 frev. 



Rev. Dr. D. C. Knowles, Rev. J. H. Nichols, and 

 L. H. Pillsbury were appointed a committee of agi- 

 tation. 



Forests. Gov. Rollins says in his message : " 

 can not escape the conviction that the forests of 

 New Hampshire are among the first and most 

 important of our resources, and that we can not 

 long postpone the necessity of taking action to se- 

 cure their preservation from wanton destruction. 

 Already they support directly an industry which 

 produces f 10,000,000 annually, and indirectly they 

 contribute largely to the public welfare in both a 

 scenic and economic sense. They are capable also, 

 I believe, of contributing increasingly to the in- 

 come of the State treasury if a suitable means of 

 State ownership and management could be devised. 

 Pending that, however, I recommend that the work 

 of education and investigation already begun by the 

 Forestry Commission be continued, and that a rea- 

 sonable appropriation be placed at the disposal of 

 the board for making an accurate forest survey of 

 the White Mountain region with a view to deter- 

 mining exactly what part the State should take 

 in any effort to perpetuate the forest cover and to 

 secure its rational and continued use. The most 

 obvious means to arrest the devastation of the for- 

 est cover is to apply the police power of the State 

 in such a manner as to prevent the removal of im- 

 mature timber. To this end, therefore, I commend 

 to your attention the reports of the Forestry Com- 

 mission, which treat this subject in detail. I also 

 invoke your individual interest in behalf of forest 

 culture, to the end that all of our people may be 

 led to see the importance of our natural resources 

 of climate and scenery, which contribute so largely, 

 both directly and indirectly, to the income of our 

 citizens." 



Industrial School. The annual appropriation 

 for the State Industrial School at Manchester is 

 $6.000, and in the last year a special appropriation 

 of $2,500 was added. 



Political. The Republican State Convention 

 was held in Concord, Sept. 13. The significant por- 

 tions of the platform adopted were the following : 



"The Republicans of New Hampshire reaffirm 

 the St. Louis platform, especially indorsing the 

 gold standard, and congratulate the people upon 

 the speedy fulfillment of its important pledges. 



" We heartily commend the wise and patriotic ad- 

 ministration of President McKinley. The patience, 

 tact, and sagacity of the President have maintained 

 the unity or his party while securing the approba- 

 tion of the whole people, irrespective of political 

 affiliations. 



" We commend the successful conduct of the war 

 with Spain, a war prompted by the noblest senti- 

 ments of humanity. 



" We approve the increase of the navy, the up- 

 building of our merchant marine, the enlargement of 

 the regular army to meet the present requirements of 

 the country, the construction of a canaj connecting 

 the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the annexation of 

 Hawaii and Puerto Rico, the provision for a free and 

 stable government for Cuba and its ultimate annex- 

 ation. 



"While reaffirming the Monroe doctrine, we favor 

 such disposition of the Philippines as will best pro- 

 mote the growing commercial and political interests 

 of the Tnited States, extinguish the sovereignty of 



Spain, and make good our obligations to the peoples 

 of those islands. 



" We favor a conservative movement for the per- 

 manent improvement of the public roads of the 

 State. 



" The Republican party favors, as it did in the 

 Legislatures of 1893 and 1895, submitting to the 

 people the question of calling a constitutional con- 

 vention, that they may act upon the question of 

 abolishing free passes, and upon any changes of the 

 organic law which experience has shown to be ad- 

 visable to make. In the meantime we favor such 

 legislation as may properly anticipate the adoption 

 of a constitutional amendment prohibiting free 

 passes." 



Frank W. Rollins, of Concord, was nominated 

 for Governor. 



The Democratic Convention met in Concord and 

 adopted a platform, of which the , significant para- 

 graphs were these : 



" We, the Democrats of New Hampshire, reaffirm 

 the principles of the Democratic party as enunciated 

 in national conventions since the foundation of the 

 party. 



" We emphatically declare our admiration for, 

 and confidence in, the wisdom and patriotism of 

 our great national leader, William J. Bryan. 



" We renew our adhesion to the Monroe doctrine, 

 asserting that our national ' sphere of influence ' 

 comprehends and embraces the entire Western 

 Hemisphere ; and that, beyond securing requisite 

 coaling and naval stations in other parts of the 

 world, for the convenience and protection of our 

 commerce, we should seek to acquire no territory. 



" We oppose the maintenance of a large standing 

 army in time of peace. We favor a navy equal to 

 that of any other nation, and the construction and 

 maintenance by the United States of an isthmian 

 canal, free from the control of all private indi- 

 viduals, corporations, syndicates, or foreign gov- 

 ernments as a preventive of war. 



" Taxation is an incident, not an object of gov- 

 ernment. The great sums now required to defray 

 necessary expenses should be levied through a sys- 

 tem of imposts bearing as lightly as is consistent 

 upon those articles in common use. 



"We denounce the Republican party for the 

 passage of the Dingley tariff bill, a measure cal- 

 culated only to protect monopolies, insufficient t<> 

 raise the necessary revenue to meet the ordinary 

 expenditures of the Government, and based upon 

 no principle of equity or justice. 



" We condemn the action of the Secretary of the 

 Treasury in the unnecessary issue of $200,000,000 

 of long-term interest-bearing bonds. 



"We favor the election of Secretary of State, 

 Treasurer, Attorney-General, Superintendent ol! 

 Public Instruction, Railroad. Bank, and Insurance 

 Commissioners by the people at the polls. 



"We favor the" calling of a convention to amend 

 the constitution by providing for the election of all 

 judges, for stated terms, by the people; also abol- 

 ishing the Executive Council, and establishing the 

 office of Lieutenant Governor. 



"We demand the repeal of all laws providing 

 standing appropriations for any and all purposes. 



"We condemn the action of the last Legislature 

 in enacting a law legalizing free passes, and demand 

 its repeal. 



"The history of prohibitory legislation in this 

 State is a disgrace to civilization. It has been con- 

 ceived in hypocrisy, nurtured in greed and corrup- 

 tion, is openly disregarded, and enforced spasmod- 

 ically by mercenary cranks. It cultivates perjury 

 and "breeds contempt for the majesty of law. We 

 demand its repeal and the enactment of such laws 

 as will provide for the prohibition, regulation, or 



