The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-25

the Ballot.
AUGUSTA, Me-, July 18th, 1884.
The Hon, John B. Henderson and others OF
the committee, ETC., ETC.:
GENTLfHEN-In accepting the nomination
for the presidency rendered me by the Re-
publican national convention, beg to ex-
press a deep sense of the honor which Is con-
ferred and of the duty which, is imposed
ventures TO accompany the acceptance with
some Observations upon the questions in
volved in4hs contest-questions whose set
tlemeptfpAy affect the future of the nation
favorSNdy dkSh{S9 orably for long series Of
years.
In enumerating the issues upon which the
Republican party appeals for popular sup
port, the convention has been singularly ex-
plicit and felicitous. 1t has properly given
the leading position to the indu1fF1al inter
ests Of the country an affected by the tariff
on imports On that question the two politi-
cal parties are radically In conflict. Almost
the first act of the Republicans, when they
cnme into power in 1861, was the establish
mentrof the principle Of protection to Amer
lean 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 persistently war
red upon it. Twice within that period our
opponents have destroyed tariffs arranged
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< conspicu-
ously than in their principal measure at the
late session of congress
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue lays are in their very nature
subject to frequent revision IN order that
they may be adapted to changes and modi-
fications 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
specific law. 1t is far broader and far
deeper 1t involves a principle of wide APP
plication and beneficient influence, against
a theory which we believe to be unsound in
conception and inevitablyhurtful in practice.
In the many tariff revisions which have been
necessary for the past twenty three years, or
which may hereafter become necessary, the
Republican party has maintained and will
maintain the policy of protection'to Ameri-
can industry, while our opponents insist
upon revision, which practically destroys
that policy The issue is thus distinct, we'll
defined and unavoidable The pendingselec-
ton may determine the fate of protection
for a generation. The overthrow of the
policy means large and Prepayment reduc-
ton in the wages of the American laborer,
besides involving the loss of vast amounts
of capital invested in manufacturing enter
prises. The value of the present revenue
system to the people of the United States Is
not matter of theory, and shall submit
it. 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 large degree UNI
successful. Partly from lack of time, partly
from prejudice among many who thought
the inquiries foreshadowed 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 a
completeexhibit of all the property.
In the.census of 1860, however, the work
was done with great thoroughness-the
distinction between assessed" value and
"true'' 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 S14 200, 000,-
900. 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 colonist landed In
1907. down to the year 1850 1t represented
the fruit of the toll of $50 years.
After 1860 the business of the country was
encouraged and developed by protective
tariff. At the end of twenty years the total
property of the United States, as returned
by the census of 1880, amounted to S44,000,-
100000. This great result was attained not
withstanding the fact that countless millions
had in the interval been wasted In the prog
ress of bloody war. 1t thus appears that
while our population between 1860 and 1880
increased sixty per cent, the aggregate prop
erty of the country increased two hundred
and fourteen per cent-showing a vastly
enhanced wealth per capita among the peo-
pie. Thirty thousand millions of dollars had
been added during these twenty years to the
permanent wealth of the nation.
These results are regarded by the older ma
tions of the world as phenomenal That our
country should surmount the peril and the
cost of gigantic war and for an entire pc
Rod of twenty years make an average gain
to its wealth of 's125, O00. 900 per month sur
passes the experience of all other nations,
ancient or modern. Even tho opponents of
the present revenue system do not pretend
that in the whole history Of civilization any
parallel.can be found to the material prog
ress 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
and philanthropic field Religious and char
liable institutions, schools, seminaries and
colleges, have been founded and endowed
far more generously than at any previous
time in our history. Greater and more
varied relief has been extended TO human
suffering and the wealth has been accompa-
MED and dignifed by broadening and ele-
walton of our national character as people.
Our opponents find fault that our revenue
system produces surplus. But they should
not forget that the law has given a specific
purpose to which all of the surplus is profit
sbly and honorably-the reduction Of the