Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-08-29
MEDICINE LODGE BARBER CO. KANSAS AUG, %, 1884,
CLEKELAND,S LETTER.
CAMPAIGN SOUNDED.
a Document Devoid Of Idle Words and
Empty Promises, But FUN Of Sound
Sense and Evidences of Earnes. ness.

"GENTLENfEN-I have received your
communication, dated July IS, 1884, in
forming me of my nomination for the
Office of president of the United States
by the national democratic convention
lately assembled at Chicago. 1 accept
the nomination with grateful appre-
citation of the supreme honor conferred,
and a solemn sense of the responsibility
which, in its acceptance, 1 assume.
THE PLATFORM APPROVED.
II have carefully considered the plat:
form adopted by the convention and
cordially approve the same. So plain
statement of democratic faith and
the principles upon which the party ab-
peals to the suffrages of the people
needs no supplement or explanation.
1t should be remembered that the office
OF president is essentially executive in
its nature. The laws enacted by the
legislative branch of the government
the chief executive is bound faithfully
to enforce, and when the wisdom of the
political party which selects one of its
members as nominee for that Office
has outlined its policy and declared its
principles, it seems to me that nothing
in the character of the Office or the ne
ceSsities of the case requires more from
the candidate accepting such a homi-
nation than the suggestion of certain
well known truths, so absolutely vital
to the welfare of the nation that they
cannot be too often recalled or too Sc
riously enforced.
PARTY, NOT PEOPLE.
1--WE proudly call ours a government
of the people. 1t is not such when a
class is tolerated which arrogates to it.
self the management of public affairs,
seeking to control the people, instead
OF representing them. Parties are the
necessary outgrowth of our institutions;
but government is not by the people
when one party fastens its control up
on the country and perpetuates its pow
er, by cajoling and betraying the peo-
pie, instead of serving them; govern
ment not by the people, when a result
which should represent the intelligent
will of free and thinking men is or can
be determined by the shameless disre-
gard of their suffrages; when an cleo
tion to office shall be the selection by
the voters of one of their number to as
sumo for time public trust instead
of his dedication to the profession of
politics.
ONE TERM.
when the holders of the ballot,
| quickened 10y sense of duty, shall
avenge truth betrayed and pledges bro
ken, and when the suffrage shall be
free and uncorrupted, the full realiza-
ton of the government by the people
will be at hand, and as means TO this
end not one would, in my Judgment,
be more effective than an amendment
to the constitution disqualifying the
president from reelection. When we
consider the patronage of this great
office, the allurements of power, the
temptation to retain public place once
gained, and, more than all, the availa-
bility party finds in an incumbent
whom horde of Offlce-holders, with a
zeal born of benefits received and fos.
tered by the hope of favors yet to come,
stand too ready to aid with money and
trained political service, we recognize
in the eligibility of the president to re-
election a most serious danger to that
calm, deliberate and intelligent politl-
cal action which must characterize a
government by the people.
LABOR.
"a true American sentiment recog-
nizes the dignity of labor and the fact
that honor lies in honest toll. Content
ed labor is sign ofnational prosperity;
ability to work constitutes the capital.
and the wages of labor the income of a
vast number of our population: and
this interest should be jealously pro-
tected. Our workingmen;are not ask
ing unreasonable indulgences, but as
intelligent and manly citizens they seek
the same consideration which those de-
mand who have other interests at
stake. They should receive their full
share of the care and attention of those
who make and execute the laws, to the
end that the wants and needs of the
employers and the employed shall alike
be subserved and the prosperity of the
country. the common heritage of both.
be advanced. As related to this sub
ject, while we should not discourage
the emigration of those who come to
acknowledge allegiance to our govern
ment and ada to our citizen population
yet as means of protection to our
workingmen, different rule should
prevail concerning those who, if they
come or are brought to our land, do
not intend to become Americans but
will injuriously compete with those
justly entitled to otlr field of labor. In
a letter accepting the nomination of the
office of governor, nearly two years ago
made the following statement to
which have steadily adhered:
" The laboring classes constitute the
main part of our population. They
should be protected in their efforts
peaceably to assert their right when en-
dangered by aggregated capital, and all
statutes ON this subject should recog-
nize the care of the state for honest
toll and be framed with view of i'm
proving the condition of the working
men,
"A proper regatd for the welfare of
the workingmaD being inseparably con-
nected with the integrity of our insti-
tutions, none of our citizens are more
interested than they in guarding
against any eOrrupting influences which
seek to pervert the benefcent purposes
of our government, and none should be
more watchful of the artful machina-
tions of those who allure them to self
inflicted injury