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* BEPUBLICAN PARTY. 49 REPUDIATION. of Indiana, and Morton, of New York, helped the party to regain those States and win the elec- tion. A seanty majority was secured in botli branches of Congress. The "'Omnibus Bill" for the admission of the Dakotas, Jlontana, and 'ashinylon brought the Kepublicans some votes, and Speaker Keed's rules put the House under tlu; firm control of the majority, although tlicy arinised not a little opposition. The protectionist McKiiiley Tarill' ]!ill was passed, with the addi tion of a reciprocity clause. But in the Congres- sional elections of 1890 the Kepublicans were overwhelmingly defeated, and the Democrats car- ried the Presidential election of lSi)2 by a largo electoral majority. The Rei)ublican platform had. been very similar to that of 1888, and the nomina- tions had aroused little enthusiasm ; <a rise in retail (irices had followed the going into eticct or the JlcKiiiley tarilV. and had made it unpopular. During the first half of Cleveland's second ad- ministration the Kepublicans were in a decided minority in both Houses. But the reaction due to the disastrous panic of 1893 and dissatisfaction with tlie long-deferred and inconsistent Wilson- ' Gorman Tariff Bill presently reversed the situa- tion in Congress, again bringing the Republicans into control. In the campaign of 1896 the cur- rency issue was the all-important one. Twenty- two Republican State conventions pronounced against the free coinage of silver, and the plat- form of the national convention asserted the party's opposition to free coinage except by inter- national agreement. Upon the adoption of this resolution, thirty-four free-silver delegates with- drew from the convention. The platform further "renewed and emphasized the party's allegiance to the policy of protection," and promised "to all of our products" "the most ample protection;" it favored a protectorate over Hawaii, and insisted that the United States "should actively use its influence and good offices to restore peace and give independence to Cuba." In this campaign the Republicans received aid from the 'Ciold Democrats;' even the "Solid South' was broken. JIcKinley received a majority over all other can- didates of 280.257. The appeal which the Demo- crats had made to class animosity had reacted in favor of the Republicans, as the party of con- servatism. In the following year the Re]uiblicans found themselves in control of both branches of Congress, though their majority in the Senate was but narrow. The Dingley Bill was promptly passed, restoring the strongly protective character to the tariir. The war with Spain, in 1898. forced to the front questions of policy which had been quite unforeseen, and on which clean-cut party lines could not be drawn. The annexation of Hawaii had long been a favorite measure with .some Republi- cans, and was eifected by Republican votes. In 1899 the Republicans secured a strong majority in the Senate, and forthwith enacted a law making the gold dollar unequivocally the unit of value. Upon questions relating to the government of 'dependencies,' however, there was some crossing of ])arty lines, a few leading Republicans with most of the Democrats taking the ground that the United States could not govern alien peoples without the consent of the governed. In the campaign of 1900 the great issue was that of 'imperialistic expansion.' The Republican plat- form renewed the pledge of independence to Cuba ; and declared it to be "the high duty of the Gov- ernment" "to put down armed insurrection and to confer the blessings of liberty and civilization upon all rescued peoples," promising them the largest measure of self-goverinuent consistent with their welfare and our duties. Again Mc- Kiiiley was the Republican nominee against Bryan, and he increased his vote overtlial of 189(1. Outside of the Southern States the Democrats secured only l.'i electoral votes, all from Stales dominated by the silver interest. In the first Congress of the new century the Ke]niblicans in- creased their strength in both Houses. The pledge of Cuban intleijendenc'c was redeemed, but within the party there arose serious diflerences as to the policy to be pursued toward the I'hilippines and also over reciprocity, which had been strong- ly indorsed in Republican platforms, but to which large financial interests, of great weight in Republican councils, stood inllexibly (qiposed. The Republican Party began its career tlirough a fusion of various party elements op]iosed to the extension of slavery. Its original task was ac- complished with the close of the reconstruction period. New tasks have caused a differentiation in the party's personnel and in its centres of influence. In the industrial agitations of the closing years of the nineteenth century it found it- self forced to stand upon the defensive as the party of conservatism. It has ever represented strong nationalizing forces at home, and a vigorous foreign policy, and its principles of broad inter- pretation of the Constitution have led it to enter with confidence upon the solution of problems imposed upon the United States by the expansion which followed the war with Sjjain. Bibliography. Wilson, Jlisc and Fall of the iSlare Power (Boston, 1872) ; Cireeley, The Amer- ican Conf/lct (Hartford, 1804) ; Bancroft, Life of Seward (New York, 1900) ; Blaine, Tircnli/ Years of Congress (Norwich, 1884) ; an article by .John- ston, in Lalor's Cj/clopwdia of Political Science, Political Economy, and United States History (Chicago, 1881) ; Rhodes, llistory of the United States from the Compromise of 1S50 (New Y'ork, 1896) ; Stanwood, History of the Presidency (Boston, 1900); Smith, The Liberty and Free Soil Parties in the l^'orthwest (New Y'ork, 1897) ; Nicolay and Hay, Ahraham Lincoln, a History (New York, 1890) ; .1. T. Morse. Life of Lincoln (Boston, 1898) ; Autohioffraphy of Thnrlow M-eed (Boston, 1884) ; Geo. W. Julian, Political Recol- lections, IS'iO to 1S72 (Chicago, 1S84) ; H. E. von Hoist, Political and Constitutional History of the United States, vols. iv. to viii. (Chicago, 1876-92) ; J. P. Gordy, History of Political Parties and Political History of the United States (Columbus, Ohio, 1895-98). REPUBLICAN RIVER. One of the head- streams of the Kansas Kivcr. It is formed by two forks in east central Colorado, and flows north- east into Nebraska, then east, and finally south- east into Kansas, where it joins the Smoky Hill River at Junction City to form the Kansas River (Map: Nebraska, F 3). It is about 500 miles long. REPUDIATION (Lat. repudiatio, from re- pudiarr. to repudiate, from repudium, repudia- tion, rejection of what one is ashamed of. from re-, back again, anew + piidere, to be ashamed). The refusal of a State or government to pay its debt. It grows out of the practical bankruiilcy of the State, though it often seeks justificatiou