The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-07-19

inee for the Presidency, in accordance witt
the intimation given when he was formally
notified of his nomination by committee o.
the convention, has written the following let
ter, setting forth particularly his views upor
questions of public policy in issue in the cleo
ton pending.
AUGUSTA, Me-, July 10Th, 1884.
The Hon. John B. Henderson and others of tn
Committee, ETC., etc.
GENTLEMEN:-In accepting the nomination
for the Presidency rendered me by the Repub.
lican National Convention, beg to express
deep sense of the honor which is conferred anG
of tine duty which is imposed. I venture Il
baccompany the acceptance with some observa
lions upon the questions involved in the con-
test-questions whose settlement may affec
| the future of the Nation favorably or unfavor
ably for long series of years.
In enumerating the issues upon which the
Republican party appeals for popular support
the Convention has been 'singularly explicit
aud feliciIous. 1t has properly given the lead
| ing position to the Industrial interests of the
| country as affected by the tariff on imports
| On that question the two political parties are
| radically in conflict. almost the first act OF
| the Republicans, when they came into power
| in 1861, was the establishment of the principle
| of Protection to American labor and to Amer
lean capital. This principle the Republican
party has ever STAGE steadily maintained,
while on the other haud the Democratic party
in Congress has for fifty years persistently
Al.
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 more conspicuousy than in
their principal measure at the lats session of
Congress.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue laws are in their very nature sub
ject TO frequent revision in order that they
may be adapted TO changes and notifications
of trade. The Republican party is not con-
tending for the permanence of any particular
statute The issue between the two parties
does not have reference to a specific law. 1t is
far broader and far deeper. 1t involves prin-
ciple of wide application and benefcent inhu-
ence, against theory which we believe to be
unsound in conception and inevitably hurtful
in practice. In the many tariff revisions
which have beeu necessary for the past twenty
three years, or which may hereafter become
necessary, the Republican party has main
tanned and will maintain the policy of Protec-
ton to American industry, while our oppo-
nents insist upon revision, which practically
destroys that policy. The issue is thus dis
tinct, we'll defined and unavoidable. THE
pending election may determine the fate of
Protection for generation. The overthrow of
the policy means large and permanent reduc-
ton in the wages of the American laborer, be-
sides involving the loss of vast amounts of
American capital invested in manufacturing
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 atten-
ton to certain facts of official record which
seem to constitute demonstration.
In the census of 1850 an effort was made, for
the first time in our history, to obtain valna-
ton of all the property in the United States.
The attempt was in large degree unsuccessful.
Partly from lack of time, partly from preju-
dice among many who thought the inquiries
foreshadowed new scheme of taxation, tie
returns were incomplete aud 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 complete exhibit of all
the property.
In the Census of 1861 ~aowever, the work
was done with great thoroughness-the dis
tinction hs$ween assessed" value and "true"
wade being carefully observed. The grand re-
suit was that the "true value of all the prop
erty in the States and Territories Excluding
saves) amounted to fourteen thousand millions
OF dollars (S14 900, 900, 00O.) This aggregate
was the net result of the labor aud the savings
of all the people within the arsa of the United
States from the time the frat British coonist
landed in 1907 down to the year 1860. 1t rep.
resented the fruit of the toll of two hundred
and fifty years.
After 1860 the business of the country was
encouraged and developed by Protective Tar
iff. Al the end of twenty years the total prop
erty of the United States, as returned by the
Census OF 1880, amounted to the enormous ag-
gregate of fofty-four thousand millions of dol
attained, Notwithstanding the fact that count
less millions had in the interval been wasted
in the progress of a bloody war. 1t thus ap.
pears that while our population between 1860
and 1889 increased sixty per cent, the aggre-
gate property of the country increased two
hundred and fourteen per COMMISSIONING
vastly enhanced wealth per capita among the
people. Thirty thousand millions of dollars
$3.50, 900, 900, 000) had bsen 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 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 million dollars
per month surpasses the experience of all 9TH
or Nations, ancient or modern. Even the op-
ponents of the present Revenue system do not
pretend that in the whole history OF civiliza.
ton any parallel can be found to the material
progress of the United States, since the Access
sion 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
philanthropc field. Religious and charitable
institutions, schools, seminsries and colleges
have been founded and endowed far more gen.
erously than at any previous tiuein our his.
tory. Greater and more varied relief has beer
extended to human suffering ind the entire
progress Of the country in wealth has been &C
companied and dignied By broadening ani
elevation of our National character as PEG
| pie.
| Our opponents fiad fault that our Revenue
system produees'a surplus. But they shoulC
not forget that the law has given specific
purpose 70 which all of the surplus is profta
bly, and honorably applied-the reduction o
liz liz public debt and the consequent relief o
the burden of taxation. No dollar has b.sI
J | wasted, and the only extravaganza with WI I'll
: | the party stands CHARGED is the generous per
sioHing of soldiers, sainrs and their families
an extravaganza which embodies the highes
Of forulsf justice in the recognition and paymen
of ssred debt. Naturalization OF taxation
y, is to bessds the Republican party can b
81 trusted tccomI sIish it inSaah form as vii
most effectively aid SSe dustries OF the Ma
ton.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.