The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-07-23
Gen. Logan's Letter.
The Salient Features of the Republican
Platform Discussed.
WAsH1NGroN. JulY 19, 1s84.

vention IS the Republican candidate for Vice
President of the United States, and consider
ing 1t to be the duty Of every man devoting
himself to the public service to assume any
position to which he may be called by the
voice of his countrymen, accept the nomins-
tlon with grateful heart and a deep sense of
its responsibilities; and il elected shall en-
deavor to discharge the duties of the office to
the best Of my ability.
This honor, as is well understood, was wholly
ansought by me. That it was rendered by the
representatives of the party In a manner so
tfattering, will serve to tighten whatever la
bors may be called upon to perform.
Although the variety of subjects covered in
the very excellent and vigorous declaration of
principles adopted by the late convention pro.
hibits, upon an occasion calling for brevity of
expression, that full elaboration of which
which they are susceptible, avail myself of
party usage to signify my approval of the vari-
GUS resolutions of the platform, and to discuss
them briefly
PROTECTION TO AMERICAN LABOR.
The resolutions of the platform declaring for
levy of such duties 'as to afford security to
| our diversified industries, and protection to the
rights and wages of the labOrer, to the end that
active and intelligent labor, as well as capital,
may have its just award, and the laboring man
his full share in the national prosperity"
meets my hearty approval.
If there be nation on the face OF the earth
which might, if it were desirable thing, build
a wall upon its every boundary line, deny COM
munion to all the world, and proceed to live
upon its own resources and productions, that
nation is the United States. There is hardly
legitimate necessity of civilized communities
| which cannot be produced from the extraordin-
| airy resources Of our several States and Terri
| tories with their manufactures, mines, farms,
| timber lands and water ways. This circum-
| stance, taken in connection with the fact that
| our form of government is entirely unique
| among the nations of the world, makes it ut
terly absurd to institute comparisons between
| our own economic systems and those of other
! governments, and especially to attempt to bor-
| row systems from them. We stand alone in
our circumstances, our forces, our possibilities
| and our aspirations
In all successful government it is prime
| requisite that capital and labor should be- upon
/ the best ter as and that both should enjoy the
| highest attainable prosperity. 1T there be
| disturbance of the just balance between them,
one or the other suffers, and dissatisfaction fol-
/ lows, which is harmful to both.
The lessons furnished by the comparatively
/ short history of onr own national life have
/ been too much overlooked by our people
/ The fundamental article in the old Democrat
/ ic creed proclaimed almost absolute free trade,
| and this, too, no more than quarter of a CEN
| fury ago. The low condition of our national
i credit; the financial and business uncertain
/ ties and general lack of prosperity under that
| system can be remembered by every man now
1 in middle life.
| Although in the great Number of reforms in
| stituted by the Repu bcau party sufficient cred
| it has not been publicly awarded TO that of tar
| iffreform its benefits have, nevertheless, been
| felt throughout the land. The principle I'm
| derlyiDg this measure has been 10 process of
gradual development by the Republican party
| during the comparatively brief period of its
| power, and to-day portion of its Anticipated
/ Democratic opponents make unwilling conces-
4 sion to the correctness of the doctrine of an
/ equitably adjusted protective tariff by follow
4 ing slowly in its footsteps, though very long
/ way in the rear.
| The principle involved is one of no great OBJ
/ scurity and can be readily eomprehended by
4 any Intelligent person calmly rejecting upon
1 it. The political and social systems of some of
/ our trade competing nations have created work
/ ing classes miserable in the extreme. They re-
| ceive the meres5 stipend for their daily toll,
| aud in the great expense OF the necessities of
4 life are deprived of those comforts of clothing
| housing, and health-producing food with
/ which wholesome mental and social recreation
can alone make existence happy and desirable.
| Now, If the products of those countries ara to
4 D0 placed IN our markets. &lOOSSlQ6 OF An16rl-
| can products, either the American capitalist
| must suffer in his legitimate profits, or he
Il must make the American laborer suffer, in the
| attempt to compete with the species of labor
| above referred to- In the case of a substantial
| reduction OF pay, there can be no compromising
| advantages for the American laborer, because
| the articles of daily consumption which he
| uses-with the exception of articles not pro-
| duced in the United States, and easy of being
| specially provided for, as coffee and tea--are
4 W00l0 Dath Q
| affected in price by lowering in duties
/ Therefore, while he would receive less for his
| labor his cost of living would not be decreased
| Being practically placed upon the pay of the
/ European laborer, our own would be deprived
| of facilities for educating an sustaining his
| family respectfully; he would be shorn of the
| proper opportunities of self improvement, and
| his value as a citizen, charged with portion
| of the obligations of government, would bs les
/ sened; the moral tone Of the laborng class
| would suffer, and in turn the interests of capi.
| tai, and the well being of orderly citizens in
| general, would be menaced, while one evil
| would react upon another until there would
| be general disturbance of the whole commu-
| nifty. The true problem of a good and stable
/ government is how to infuse prosperity among
| all classes OF people-the manufacturer, the
| farmer, the mechanic and the laboTer alike.
| Such prosperity is preventive OF crime, Sc
| curty of capital, and the very best guarantee
/ of general peace and happiness.
| The obvious policy of our Government is to
protect both capital and labor by proper i'm
| position of duties This protection should ex-
/ tend to every article of American production
/ which goes to build up the general prosperity
| of our people, The National Convention, in
view of the special dangers men acing the wool
| interests of the United States, deemed it wise
| to adopt separate resolution on the subject of
| its proper protection. This industry is a very
| large and important one The necessary legis-
| lation to sustain this industry upon a prosper
| GUS basis should be extended.
No one realizes more fully than myself the
great delicacy and difficulty of adjusting tar
| if so nicely and equitably as to protect every
| home industry, sustain every class of Ameri-
1 can labor, promote to the highest point our
/ great agricultural interests, and at the same
/ time to give TO one and all the advantages per-
/ tanning to foreign productions not in com petit
| ton with our own, thus not only building up
| our foreign commerce, but taking measures to
/ carry it in our own bottoms.
Difficult IS this work appears, and really is,
| it IS susceptible of accomplishment by patient
| and Intelligent labor, and to no hands can it
be committed with as great assurance of sue
cess as to those of the Republican party.
OUR MONETARY SYSTEM.
The Republican party is the inasputable au-
thor Of financial and monetary system which
| it is safe to say has never before been equaled
by that of any other nation.
Under the operation of our system of finance
the country was safely carried through an ex
tended and expensive war, with national
| credit which has risen higher aud higher with
eacn succeeding year, until now the credit of
| the United States is surpassed by that of no
other nation, while its securities at a constant
~ increasing premium, are eagerly sought a.
ter by investors in all parts of the world
Our system of currency is most admirable in
construction. While all the conveniences of a
bill circulation attach to it, every dollar of
paper represents dollar of the world money
standards and as long as the just and wise
policy of the Republican party is continued
there can be no impairment OF the national
credit Therefore, under present laws relating
thereto it will be impossible for any man TO
losea penny in the bonds or bills OF the United
States, or in the bills of the National banks.
The advantage of having bank note In the
house which will be as good in tho morning
as it was the night before, should be appreciat-
ed by all.
The convertibility of the currency should be
maintained intact, and the establishment of
an international standard among all CONNER
cial nations, fixing the relative values OF gold
and silver coinage, would be measure of pecu-
liar advantage.
INTER STATE, FOREIGN COMMERCE, AND FOR.
EIGN RELATIONS.
The subjects embraced in the resolutions re-
spectively looking to the promotion of our in