Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-07-25
LoeAN,s ACCEPTANCE.
The Next Vice President gives His Views
upon National Questions and Political
Topics. .-His Letter Accepting the Nomi-

nation.
Washington, d. G., July 10Th. 1884
Dear Sir: Having received from you
on the oath Of June the official notifica.
tion of my nomination by the national
republican convention as the republican
candidate for vice president of the
United States, and considering it to be
the duty of every man devoting himself
to the public service to assume any
posltion to which he may be called by
the voice of his countrymen, l accept the
nomination with grateful heart and
deep sense of its responsibilities; and if
elected shall endeavor to discharge the
duties of the office to the best of my
ability.
This honor, as is we'll understood, was
rendered by the representatives of the
party, in manner SO hattering, will
serve to tighten whatever labors may
be called upon to perform.
Although the variety of subjects Gov
cred in the very excellent and vigorous
declaration of principles adopted by the
late convention, prohibits, upon an occa-
sion calling for brevity of expression,
that full elaboration of which they are
susceptible, I avail myself of party
usage to signify my approval of the vari.
GUS resolutions of the platform, and to
discuss them briefly.
The resolutions of the platform declar.
ing for levy of such duties ''as to afford
security to our diversified industries, and
protection to the rights and wages of the
laborer, to the end that active and intel.
ligent labor, as well as capital. may have
its just award, and the iaboring man his
full share in the national prosperity"
meets my hearty approval.
If there be nation on the face of the
earth which might, if it were desirable
thing, build wall upon its every bound
ary line, deny com mun1on to all the
world, and proceed to live upon its own
resources and productions, that nation is
the United States. There is hardly q
legitimate necessity of civilized COM
munities which cannot be produced from
the extraordinary resources of our sew
eral states and territories, with their
manufactures, mines, farms, timber
lands, and water ways. This circum.
stance, taken in connection with the fact
that our form of government is entirely
unique among the nations of the world,
makes it utterly absurd to institute
comparisons between our own economic
systems and those of other governments,
and especially to attempt to borrow sys.
tens from them. We stand alone in our
circumstances, our forces, our possibili.
ties, and our aspirations.
In all successful government it is q
prime requisite that capital and labor
should be upon the best terms, and thai
both should enjoy the highest attainable
prosperity. Ii there be disturbance OF
the just balance between them, one OF
the other suffers, and dissatisfaction fol
lows, which is harmful to both.
The lessons furnished blythe compare
lively short history of our own national
life, have been too much overlooked b,
our people. The fundamental article il
the old democratic creed proclaimed
almost absolute free trade, and this, too
no more than quarter of century ago
The low condition OF our national credit
and general lack of prosperit. unde
every man now in middle life.
: Although in the great number of 1e
forms instituted by the republican party
t sufficient credit has not been publicl,
9 awarded to that of tariff reform, its bene
fits have, nevertheless, been felt through
: out the land. The principle underlying
! this measure has been in process of grad
/. ual development By the republica
9 party during the comparatively brie
q period of its power, and to-day pol
tion of its antiquated democratic oppc
I nents make unwilling concession to til
3 correctness of the doctrine of an cquits
r bly, adjusted protective tariff, by follow
= ing slowly in its footsteps, though
: very long way in the rear.
G The principal inv olved is one of II
# great obscurity, and can be readily CON
d pretended by any intelligent perso
q calmly rejecting upon it. The politics
and social systems of some of OF
Q trade-competing nations have create
i working classes miserable in the e.
|. ;rennic. They receive the merest stipen
fos their daily toll, and in the great e,
pense of the necessities of life, are de
prived of those comforts of clothin,
j. housing and health producing food wit
"a which wholesome mental and social re-
reation can alone make existence happ
and desirable.
: Now, if the products of those countri.
G are to be placed in our markets, alon,
10 side of American products, either ii
!. American capitalist must suffer in b
~ legitimate profits, or he must make IL
- American laborer suffer, in the attem1
II to compete with the species of labC
- above referred to. In the case of sui
~ stantial reduction of pay, there can |
a no compensating advantages for Il
q American laborer, because the articl
= of daily consumption which he uses.
:, with the exception OF articles not pr
q duced in the United States, and easy
= being specially provided for, as cotf,
=, and tea-are grown il our own countr
y y and would not be affected in price by
Il lowering in duties. Therefore, while
70 70 would receive less for his labor, his co
20 of living would not be d
~ % creased. Being practically placed upc
6 the pay of the European laborer, O
own would be deprived of facilities
educating and sustaining his family
ia specially; he would be shorn of Il
a proper opportunities Of self improy
-, ment, and his value as citizen, charg,
:! with portion of the obligations of &c
d, ernment, would be lessened; the MOI
" tone of the laboripg class would sufr,
I'd and in turn the interests of capital, a
r the well being of orderly citizens
v general, would be menaced, while O
id evil would react upon another un
ID there would be general disturbance
the whole community. The true profile
of good and stable government is h.
ed to infuse prosperity among all classes
people-the manufacturer, the farm
the mechanic, and the laborer alil
| Such prosperity is preventive of crir
r ~ A.