The Dillon tribune., 1884-07-26
Ghe niHnn gribnne,
Issued EVERY SATURDAY MORNING
t:LAlNE'S LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
AUGUSTA, Me, July IS, 1854.
To tile /oa. s1oh" h. Henderson a~d okhers

To tie Xoa. 1toh" h. henderson a~d okhers
of lie National Committees:
GENTLEMEN: In accepting the nomin.
;.,ion for the Presidency, rendered me by
he Republican National Committee, beg
. express deep sense Of the honor which
:, conferred aud OF the duty which is i,npo-
~ed. venture to accompany the accept.
.nce with some observations upon the
,uestions involved in the contest-ques.
ions whose settlement may effect the fu-
:ure OF the nation favorablv Or unfavorably
or a long series of years. In enumerating
he issues upon which the Republican par
" appeals for popular support, the conven
ION has been sinyularly explicit, te'icitous.
it has very properly given the leading po-
,ition to the industrial interests OF the
country as effected BY the tariff on imports.
Upon that question the two political par
ties are radically In conflict. Almost the
'.rst act Of The Republicans when they came
into power in 1861, was the establishment,
of the principle Of protection to American
labor and to American capital. Tha, prin-
ciple the Republican party has ever since
steadily maintained; while on the other
hand the Democratic party in Congress has
.or fifty years persistently warred upon it.
Twice within that period our opponents
'bNSC oSSuOyVN NbtNHSSu HI POtSA~
tion and since the close Of the civil war,
whenever they have controlled the House
Of Representatives, .Istile legislation has
been attempted; never more conspicnously
than in their principal measure at the late
session Of Congress. Tie tariff question
and the revenue laws are In their very ma.
ture subject to frequent revision in order
that they may be adapted {, change and
notifications Of trade. The Republican
party Is not contending for the permanepcv
OF any particular statute. The issue be.
tween the two rarties does not have refer.
ence to specific law. 1t is far broader and
far deeper. 1t involves principle of wide
application and benifcent influence against
theory which we believe to be unsound in
conception and inevitably hurtful, in prac.
tice. In the many tariff revisions which
have been necessary for the past twenty
three years, or which may hereafter be.
come necessary, the Republican party has
maintained and will maintain the policy Of
protection to American industry, while our
opponents insist on q revision which rrac-
tically destroys that policy. The issue is
The election may determine the fate of pro.
lection for generation. The overthrow Of
the policy means large and permanent re-
,uction in the wages Of the American la
borer, besides involving the loss Of vast
amounts Of American capital invested in
manufacturing enterprises. The value of
the present. revenue system to the people
If the United States is not a matter Of
thought, and shall submit 10 arguments
to sustain it, only invite attention to Ger
tain facy OF official record which seem to
constitute demonstration. In the census
of 1880 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 large degree unsuccessful,
partly from lack of time and partly from
prejudice among many who thought the
inquiries foreshadowed a new scheme of
taxation. The returns were incomplete and
unsatisfactory. Little more done than to
consolidate the local valuation used in the
States for purposes Of assessment, and that,
AS every one knows, differs widely from a
complete exhibit Of all the property. In
thu. census of 1850, however, the work was
done with great thoroughness. The dis.
tinctiOn between "aesessed" value and
.true" value being carefully observed. The
grand result was that the "true" value OF
all the property in the States and Terrific.
ries including slaves amounted to $14,ooo,-
ooo,ooo. This aggregate was the net result
Of the labor and the savings Of all the peo.
ple within the area Of the United States
from the time the time first British cooniSt
landed in 1907, down to the year 1860. 1t
represented the fruit of the toll Of two hun.
Ared and fifty years. After 1850 tie busi.
ness Of the country was encouraged and
developed BY protective tariff. AT the
End of twenty years the total property oi
the United States as returned by the census
IF 1880 amounted to the emo, NOUS aggre.
gate Of $44,ooo,ooo,ooo. This great resul,
was attained notwithstanding the fact that
countless millions had in the interval been
wasted in the progress of tl"ody war
1t thus appears that while our population
between 1860 to 1880 increased sixty-five
per cent, the aggregate property Of the
country actually ala per cent, showing q
ras,ly enhanced wealth per capita among
the people. Thirty billions OF dollars had
,,een added during these twenty years to
The permanent wealth Of the nation. These
results are regarded by the older nations oi
the world as phenomenal. That our coun
,ry should surmount the peril and the cos,
II gigantic war, aud for period Of TWEEN
" years make an average gain to Its wealth
IL $l2sooooo per month, surprises the
experiences ot all other nations ancient u
modern. Even opponents Of the present
revenue system do not pretend that in the
whole history Of civilization any parallel
AN be found to the material progress Of the
United States since the accession Of the
Republican party to power. The period
between 1860 and 10 day has not been one
or material prosperity only. At no time
n the history of the United States ha.
there been such progress in the moral and
philanthropic fields Of religious and charit
able Institutions. Schools, seminaries and
colleges have been founded and endowed
sar more generously than at any previous
time in our history. Greater and more
varied relief has been extended to human
suffering and the entire progress Of the
country in wealth has been accompanied
and dignified by a broadening and elevation
Df our national character as people. Our
opponents find fault that our revenue sys
tenn produces surplus, but they should not
forget that the law was provided for spe
cific purpose to which all of the surplus l.
,rotitablv and honorably applied to the re-
luction Of the public debt, and the conse
auent relief OF the burden Of taxation. MOI
dollar has been wasted, and the only ex
.ravagance with which the party stands
charged is the generous pensioning of sol
r.