Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-19

letter accepting the republican nomination for the
Presidency:
AUGUSTA, NE, July Is. 1884,
The Hon. John b. Henderson ahd Others OF IN e
CO1h7diteF, etc. etc.
Gentlemen In accepting the nomination for the
presidency rendered Inc BY the renublican national
convention. b,g 10 express a deep sense OF the
honor which Is conferred and Of the duty which Is
Imposed. j venture to accompany the acceptance
with some Obseryi ions upon the questions involved
In the contest. questions whose settlement may
affect the future OF the nation fayOrably or I'M
1avGrably for a long series OF years
In enumerating the issues upon which the repub-
ncan party appeals for popular support, the con-
yention has been singulary explicit and felicitouS
III has properly given the leading position to the
industrial interests Of the country affected by
the tariff on imports ON that question the two
political parties are radically IL conflict. Almost
the first act OF tine republicans. when they came
into power fin 1s61, was the establishment OF the
principle OF protection TO American labor and to
American capital This principle the republican
party has ever since steadily maintained while on
The other hand the democratic party in Congress
has for fifty years persiStehty warred upon IL.
Twice within that period cur opponents have de-
strOyed tariffs arranged for protection, and since
the close OF TIE civil war; whenever they have con-
troed the House OF Representatives. host lie lesla-
ton has been attempted-never more conspcuOusly
than in their principal measure the late session
Of Congress
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 repub-
hcan party is not contending for the permanency of
any particular statute. The issue between the two
parties does not have reference to specific law 1t
Is far broader and far deeper. IL involves prnci-
pie OF Wide application and beneflcent influence
against theory which We believe to be unsOund I'm
conception and inevitably hurtful i'll practice. In
the many tariff rtyisIOnS which have been IeceS-
Sers 10, rh paso years or Which may
nas maintained and Will maintain the policy or pro-
lection TO American industry, while our opponents
insist upon revision, which practically destroys
that policy. The issue is thus distinct, Well de-
fined and unavoidable Il he pending election may
determine the fate OF protection for generation.
The overthrow OF the policy means large and per-
manent reduction in the wages OF the American
laDorer, besides involving the loss of vast amounts
OF American capital invested In manufacturing en-
terpriseS. The value Of the present revenue system
TO the people OF the United states Is not matter
OF theory, and shall submit no argument TO sus-
tain H. only invite attention to certain facts of
Official record which seem to constitute a demon
straJiOn.
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 at
tempt was in large degree unsuccessful. Partly
from lack OF time, partly from prejudice among
many who thought the Inquiries fOresiiadowed
new scheme OF taxation, the returns were fncOm-
than 10 consolidate the local valuation used In the
states for purposes OF assessment and that as
every one knows. differs widely from q complete
exhibit OF all the property.
In the census OF 1850, however, the work was
done with great thorcUghneSs, the distinction be-
tween "aSsessed'' value and "trne" value being
carefully observed The grand result was that
the true Value OF all the property in the states
and territories excluding Slaves) amounted to
fourteen thousand millions OF dollars CSri Co.,
So) This aggregate was the net result OF the
IDor and the savings OF all the people within the
british colOnist landed in 1907 down to the year
1StO- III represented the fruit OF the toll of two
hundred and fifty years
Alter 1860 the business of the country was en-
e0uraged and GeyeiOped by q protective tariff At
The end OF twenty years the total property of the
United states, as returned by the census OF 1880,
rnrsy-
thousand millions of dollars (s440OO GOOCCU. This
great result was attained notwithstanding the fact
tlat countless millions had in the interval been
Wasted III tie progress OF bloody war. II thus
appears that while appropriation between 1860 and
lseO increased sixty per cent the aggregate prop
efty OF the country increased two hundred and
fourteen Yer cent-SiOwinr a vastly enhanced
wealth per capt. among the people Thirty thou
sdnd millions OF dollars (s30.W0O00 COO had been
euutu u'lrlns these twenty Years to the permanent
wealth OF tie nation.
These results are regarded by the older nations
OF the world rs phenomenal. That our country
shouid sdTInount the peril and the cost OF a
gigantic war and for entire period of twenty
years make an average gain TO its wealth of one
huhuTed and twenty-five million dollars per month
surl%SS,S the experience of all other nations
ancient or modern Even the opponents OF the
present revenue system do not pretend that i'm the
Wrote history OF Civilization any parallel can be
found 10 The material progress OF the United
states Stree the acct SiOn OF the republican party
10 power.
ire period between 1850 and to-day has not been
one OF material prosperity only. At TO time In the
history OF the United states has there been such
progress In the moral and phiianthrOpic field
Religious and charitable Institutions schools. SEM
lnarles and colleges have been founded and en-
lowed lar more generously than at any previous
time IN our history Greater and more varied relief
mas been extended TO human suffering and the
ehure progress OF the country in wealth has been
accompanied and dignfed by broadening and
elevation or our national character as people.
our opponents find fault that our revenue system
that the law has gwen SPECIFIC purpose to which
an OF tne surplus Is profitaby and honorably ap-
ped-the reduction OF the public debt and the con-
sequent relief OF the burden Of taxation No dollar
mas Deem wasted and the only extravagance with
which the party stands charged is the generous
pensiOnin OF soldiers sailors and their families an
extravaganza which embodies the highest form of
Justice In the recognition and payment OF a sacred
oett when reduction Of taxation Is to be made the
republican party can be trusted 10 accomplish IL In
such form Will most effectively aid the indus
Iles or the nation.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE..
frequent accusation by our opponents Is that
the foreign commerce OF the country has steadily
decayed under the influence OF the protective
tariff In this way they seek 10 array the fmport-
ing interest against the republican party. IL IS
common and yet radical error to cOnfouDd the COM
iaerce OF The country with its carrying trade-an
error often committed tnnocenty and sometimes
Ges1gnedly-but an error gross that it does not
distinguish between the ship ard the cargo For
elgn commerce represents the exports and imports
or country regardless OF the nationality of the
vessel that may carry the commodities OF exchange
our carving trade has from obvious causes suf-
IeFtd many GlScOurdgeIreHtS since 1860. but our
foreign commerce has III TIE same period steadily
and prGdigtOusy incrca. ed-!ncrcaSPd indeed at A
rate ana 10 an emcunt rhich absolutely dwarf all
previous developments OF trade beyord the
sea- trGiii 1851 80 the present time the foreipn
commerce OF the United States divided with an
pToNlInate equality between exports and impOrtSl
redcEet the astounding aggregate OF IwPDty-four
thousand millions Of dollars (s24. eco OOaGOO The
balance In This vast coIpcrcc inclined IA our favor
but 10 would have been much larger il orr trade
with the countries OF America. elsewhere referred
70. had been more wisely adjusted
II Is difficult even to appreciate the magnitude of
our port trade since 1860 and we can gain "A cor
rect conception Of IL only by comparison with pre-
ceGinE results in The field. The total exports
frC.n the ntCd states from the Declaration OF In
dependence In 11s6 down to the day OF Llncoln's
election. IN 1ShO added TO all that had pre- SiOusly
Deem exported from the American Colonies from
their original settlement, amounted To less than
Mn" fhOtS2nd millions or dollars 80 00 coo GO On
The other haad our exports rCm 1860 TO the close OF
The las; fiscal year exceeded twelve thousand mil
Hons OF dOllarS( - eco 900 GOETHE whole of it being
the product of American labor Evidently pro-
tectlVe tarln has not injured Our export trade.
when, under its influence, we exported IN twenty
-FOUR years forty per cent more than the total
amount that had been exported IN the entire pre-
ViOuS history OF American commerce. All the de-
tails, when analyzed correspond with this gigantic
result The commercial cities Of the Union never
had such growth as they have enjoyed since 1850
Our chief emporium, the city OF New York with its
dependencies, has within that period doubled her
population and increased her wealth nye-fold Dur
Ing the same period the imports and exports which
have entered end left her harbor are more than
double IN bulk and value the whole amount import
cd ana exported by her between the settlement of
the first Dutch colony the island OF Manhattan
and the outbreak OF The civil war in 1860
AGRICULTURE AND TIE TARIFF
The agricultural interest is by far the largest In
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