The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-19
MR.. BIAINEs IETTER OF AoCEPTANCE.

The Hon. John B. Henderson and others of the Com
mittee etc.
Gentlemen-In accepting the nomination for
the presidency rendered me by the Republican
national convention, beg to express a deep
sense of the honor which is conferred and of
the duty which is imposed. I venture to &C
company 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 and
felicitous. 1t has properly given the leading
position to the industrial interests Of the coun-
question the two political parties are radically
in conflict Almost the first act of the Repub-
licans, when they came into power
in 1861 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 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
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 Republican party is not contending for the
permanency Of any particular statute. The is
sue between the two parties does not have refer
ence to specific law 1t is far broader and far
deeper 1t involves principle of wide applica-
ton and benefcent influence, against a theory
which we believe to be unsound in conception
and inevitably hurtful in practice. In the many
tariff revisons 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 pro
lection to American industry, while our oppon-
ents insist upon revision, which practically
destroys that policy. The issue is thus distinct,
welldefne and unavoidable. The pending
election may determine the fate of protection
for a generation. The overthrow of the policy
means large and permanent reduction in the
wages of the American laborer, besides involving
the loss of vast amounts of American capital in
vested in manufacturing enterprises. 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 sustain it. only
invite attention to certain facts of official record
which seem to constitute demonstration.
In the census of 1850 an effort was made, for
the first time inour history to obtain valua-
ton of all the property in the United States.
The attempt was in large degree unsuccessful
Partly from lack of time. partly from prejudice
among many who thought the inquiries foreshad-
owed 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
complete exhibit of all the property
Z. In the census Of 1860, however, the work was
done with great thoroughness- the distinction
between assessed value and s'truen value being
carefully observed. The grand result was that
the true value" of all property in the States and
Territories (excluding slaves amounted to four
teen thousand millions of dollars. This aggre-
gate 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 1860 1t
represented the fruit of the toll of two hundred
and fifty years.
After 1860 the business of the country was en-
couraged and developed by protective tariff.
At the end of twenty years the total property of
the United States as returned by the census Of
tad he &c
fortyfour thousand millions of dollars This
great result was attained, notwithstanding the
fact that countless millions had in the interval
been wasted in the progress of bloody war It
thus appears that, while our population between
1860 and 1880 increased go per cent, the aggre-
gate property of the country increased 2l4 per
cent. -showing a vastly enhanced wealth per
capita among the people. Thirty thousand mill
ions of dollars had been added during these TWEEN
ty years to the permanent wealth of the Nation.
These results are regarded by the older nations
Of the world as phenomenal That our country
should surmount the peril and the cost Of a
gigantic war, and for an entire period of twenty
years make an average gain to its wealth of one
hundred and twenty-five millions per month,
surpasses the experience Of all other nations,
ancient or modern. Even the opponents of the
presentrevenue system do not pretend that in the
whole history Of civilization any parallel can be
found to the material progress 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 phi
lanthropic fed. Religious and charitable insti-
buttons, schools, seminaries and colleges have
been founded and endowed far more generously
than at any previous time incur history. Greater
and more varied relief has been extended to hui
man suffering and the entire progress of the
country in wealth has been accompanied and