It being the duty of a political party to proclaim to the people its basic principles, we, the Republicans of Maine, assembled in convention in this centennial year of our party, do adopt the following platform.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
We pledge our whole-hearted support to President Eisenhower and his Republican Administration in the paramount effort to attain a lasting peace in a free world. We endorse the firm Republican foreign policy which has brought an armistice in Korea, has developed collective security in Europe, is giving aid to Indochina, and is strengthening our ties with our South American friends. Above all, this policy discards appeasement and encourages the United States and its Allies to openly and courageously fight the battle against Communism.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
We also acclaim the leadership of President Eisenhower in national affairs. We recognize his achievement in eliminating corruption in government, instituting economy and efficiency in governmental expenditures, ending controls, reducing taxation and making progress toward a balanced budget. We pledge our support to the President’s legislative program and emphasize the vital importance of a Congress loyal to the President and ready to cooperate in the objectives of his administration.
STATE AFFAIRS
STATE CONSTITUTION
We believe that the Maine House of Representatives should be reapportioned in accordance with the Constitution and judicial decisions pertaining thereto.
We recognize that the arguments in favor of a limited four year term for Governor warrant trial by experience and therefore we believe that the Constitution should be amended to provide this change.
We commend the action of the Legislature in initiating constitutional amendments that will grant to the Indians full voting rights and that will adjust the municipal debt limitation to a realistic level. We believe that each of these questions should be affirmatively supported on the September referendum ballot.
DEVELOPMENT
We believe that the industrial development of Maine merits equal attention with the advancement of our recreational interests. Our state government should press the study and development of all of Maine’s natural resources, notably the state’s mineral deposits. We commend our congressional delegation in its sponsorship of the federal study of Passamaquoddy tidal power project.
We pledge our active cooperation to those seeking broader markets for Maine products by the unrelenting promotion of Maine goods, services and facilities. We further pledge support to legislation that will aid in the aggressive development of the expanding market for our products of sea and shore.
We believe that the struggle to free our waters from pollution should continue. We hope that prompt and beneficial results will be obtained through cooperation among industries, municipalities, and the state, and we urge remedial legislation whenever necessary to supplement cooperation.
AGRICULTURE
We favor voluntary producer groups, dedicated to improved marketing and promotion of our agricultural crops. We believe a successful agricultural economy must depend upon producer initiative. We commend the Eisenhower administration for its stand against all inflexible price supports for products of agriculture.
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
We commend both Maine labor and industry for the part each plays in continuing to give the State of Maine the excellent labor management relations for which it is noted.
We believe that the Legislature should enact a fair labor relations law and an equitable minimum wage law.
EDUCATION
We pledge our support to a combined state and community effort that will continue the present trend toward better educational opportunities. We commend the progress made in the construction of modern schools and the substantial improvement in teachers’ salaries.
We promise continuing legislative study of the allocations of state funds for education so that distribution to communities may be made on the most equitable basis.
INSTITUTIONS
We commend the successive legislative steps that have made substantial appropriations for the capital needs of state institutions and we pledge an orderly program of plant improvements.
WELFARE
We believe that the state welfare program should be expanded to include provisions for aid to the disabled.
HIGHWAYS
We pledge continuance of the accelerated highway construction program, placing special emphasis on the needs of farm-to-market and state aid roads. We favor continuation of the enlarged town road improvement fund.
FINANCE
We are proud of the excellent financial condition of the state. Under successive Republican administrations the functions of state government have been efficiently performed and always with balanced budgets. We believe that the general state tax structure is now adequate to support desirable state services. We oppose any attempts within and without the Republican Party, to promise increased services and decreased taxes, a policy that must lead to deficit financing in state government.
CONCLUSION
The Republican Party commends Governor Cross and the members of his administration for their efficient and industrious attention to affairs of the state.
While recognizing that change is inherent in all institutions, we of the Republican Party do not advocate change for the sake of change, nor do we believe that long established institutions should be lightly curtailed or abolished.
Source: Vose, Clement. Editor. Political Party Platforms, State of Maine, 1952-1958. Citizenship Clearing House, Bowdoin College. Brunswick, Maine. 1958. Citing the Portland Press Herald, April 15, 1954.