St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-19
And Making "Some Observations"
Upon Platform
Topics.
Sn-s costing Tricky and Deceptive Sta
tisticaI Arguments Upon
The Tariff Question.
Boldly Ignoring the Poverty and Desperation
of Labor in the Protected
Industries.
And Uttering Oracular Platitudes Regard
ing Other Leading Questions of
National Policy.
AUGUSTA. Me-, July IS, 1884

AUGUSTA, Me-, July IS, 1884.
Committee, etc, etc.
Gentlemen: In accepting the nomination for
the presidency rendered me by the Republican
national convention, l beg to express deep
sense of the honor which is conferred and of the
duty which is imposed. venture to accompany
the acceptance with some observations upon the
questions involved in the contest-questions
whose settlement may affect the future of the
nation favorably or unfavorably for long series
of years.
In enumerating the issues upon which the Re-
publican party appeals for popular support, the
convention has been singularly explicit aud fell
citous. 1t has properly given the leading posi-.
ton to the industrial interests Of the country as
affected by the tariff on imports On that ques-
ton the two political parties are radically in con
fict Almost the first act of the Republicans
when they came into power in 1861 was the es-
adjustment of the principle Of protection to Anne
ricn labor and to American capital This prin-
ciple the Republican party has ever since steadily
maintained, while on the other hand the Demo
cratic party in congress has for fifty years per-
sistently warred upon it. Twice within that
period our opponents have destroyed tariffs ar
ranged for protection, and since the close of the
civil war, whenever they have controlled the
house of representatives,, hostile legislation has
been attempted-never more conspicuously than
IN their principal measure at the late session of
gVess.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue laws are in their very nature subject
to frequent revision in order that they may be
adapted to changes and notifications of trade.
The Republican party is not contending for the
permanency of any particular statute The issue
between the two parties does not have reference
to a specific law. It's far broader and far deep
er. 1t involves principle of wide application
md benefcent influence, against theory which
we believe to be unsound in conception and inev-
itably hurtful in practice. In the many tariff re-
visions which have been necessary for the past
twenty three years, or which may hereafter be-
come necessary, the Republican party has maiI
tanned and will maintain the prolicy of protection
to American industry, while our opponents insist
upon a revision which practically destroys that
policy. The issue is thus distinct, well defined
and unavoidable. The pending election may de-
termine the fate Of the policy for generation.
The overthrow of protection means large and
permanent reduction in the wages of the Ameri-
can laborer, besides involving the loss of vast
amounts of American capital invested in manu-
featuring enterprises. The value of the present
revenue system to the people of the United States
is not a matter of theory, and shall submit no
argument to sustain it. l only invite attention
to certain facts of official record which seem to
constitute a demonstration.
In the census Of 1850 an effort was made, for
the first time in our history, to obtain valuation
of all the property in the United States. The
attempt was in a large degree unsuccessful
Partly from lack of time, partly from prejudice
among many who thought the inquiries fore
Swallowed u new scheme of taxation, the returns
were incomplete and unsatisfactory. Little more
was done than to consolidate the local valuation
used in the states for purposes Of assessment
and that, as everyone knows differs widely from
q complete exhibit of all the property.
In the census of 1860, however, the work was
done with great thoroughness-the distinction
between ''nssessed" value and true value be-
ing carefully observed. The grand result was
that the ''true value of all the property in the
states and territories Excluding sayes) amoun-
ted to fourteen thousand millions of dollars
(S14,000,000, 000). This aggregate was the net
result of the labor and the savings OF all the
people within the area of the United States from
the time the first British coonist landed in 1907
down to the year 1860. 1t represented the fruit
OF tue LOll OF TWO uuuuTtu anu uItl yours.
After 1860 the business of the country was
encouraged and developed by protective tariff,
st the end of twenty years the total property Of
the United States, as returned by the census Of
$780, amounted to the enormous aggregate Of
forty-four thousand millions of dollars (S44 ,000
900, o0o.) This great result was attained, not
vathstanding the fact that countless millions had
in the interval been wasted in the progress of a
Nv thua that tvhila M
ulation between 1860 and 1880 increased sixty
percent, the aggregate property of the country
increased two hundred and fourteen per cent,
showing a vastly enhanced wealth per capita
among the people. Thirty thousand millions Of
dollars $3.50, 900, 600 COO had been added during
these twenty years to the permanent wealth of
the nation.
These results are regarded by the older ma
lions OF the world as phenomenal That coun-
try should surmount the peril and the
cost of gigantic war and for an entire period
OF twenty years make an average gain to its
wealth of one hundred and twenty-five million
dollars per month surpasses the experience Of
all other nations, ancient or modern. Even the
opponents OF the present revenue system do
not pretend that in the whole history of cviliga-
ton any parallel can be found to the material pro-
gress of the United states, since the accession of
the Republican party to power.
The period between 1860 and to-day has not
been one of material prosperity only. At no
time in the history of the United States has there
been such progress in the moral aud philanthro-
pic field. Religious and charitable institutions,
schools, seminaries and colleges, have been
founded and endowed far more generously than
ut any previous time in our history. Greater
and more varied relief has been extended to hu-
man suffering and the entire progress of the
country in wealth has been accompanied and dig
nihed by broadening and elevation Of our ma
tional character as people.
Our opponents hnd fault that our revenue sys-
tenn produces surplus. But they should not
forget that the law has given specific purpose
to which sll of the surplus is probably and hon
orally applied-the reduction Of the public debt
and the consequent relief of the burden of taxa
ton No dollar has been wasted, and the only
extravaganza with which the party stands charged
Is the generous pensioning Of soldiers, sailors
and their families-an extravaganza which en-
bodies the highest form OF justice in the recogni.
ton and payment Of q sacred debt When redue-
ton of taxation is TO be made, the Republican
party can be trusted to accomplish it in such
form as viii most effectively aid the industries
OF the nation.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
frequent accusation by our opponents is
that the foreign commerce o. the country hiss
steadily decsyed under the influence of the pro-
teetive tariff. In this way they seek to array the
importing interest against the Republican party.
Il is a common and yet radical error 20 confouad
the commerce Of the country with its carrying
trade, an error often committed innocently snd
sometimes designedly, but an error gross that
il does not distinguish between the ship and the
cargo. Foreign commerce represents the ex-