The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-07-24
RED-HOT READING.
las. G. BI.iae's Letter Of Acceptance.
A Document Which Every American Git
izen should Read, Mark and In
wardIy Digest.
The Views Ofths First Citizen Of the Land
on the Tariff,
Civil Services the Currency and Other
Vital Questions:

was mailed yesterday TO the associated
press, and Is as follows:
AUGUSTA, Me-, July 10, 1884.
The Hon. John B. Henderson and others of
the Committee:
GENTLEAEN-1n accepting the nomi-
nation for the presidency, rendered me
by the Republican national convention,
l beg to express deep sense of the
honor which is conferred, and of the
duty which Is imposed. / venture 70
accompany the acceptance with some
observations upon the questions InvolV-
| ed IN the contest, questions whose set
Element may affect the future of the ma
ton favorablY or unfavorably for q long
series Of years: In enumersting the
issues upon which the Republican party
appeals for popular support, the conyen-
tiOn has been singularly explicit and
felicitous. It has properly given the
leading position to the indus
trial interests OF the country es affected
by
THE TARIFF ON IMPORTS.
On that question the two political par
ties are radically in conflict. Almost
the first act Of the Republicans when
they came into power ia 1891 was the
establishment OF the principles OF pro-
lection to American labor and Ameri-
can capital. This principle the Repub-
lican party has eyer since steadily main
tanned, while on the other hand the
Democratic party in congress has for
fifty years persIstently warred upon it.
Twice within that period our opponents
have destroyed tariffs arranged for pro.
lection, and since the close of the civil
war whenever they have controlled the
house of representatives hostile legisla-
ton has been a-sempted, never more
conspicuOusly than IN their principal
measure at the late session OF congress.
The tariff question and revenue laws
are In their very nature subject to fire.
quent revision in order that they may be
| adapted to the chr pges and notifications
OF trade. the Republican party is not
contending for the peImanancy of any
| particular statute. The issue between
the two parties does not have reference
to specific law, It Is far broader and
far deeper. 1t involves q principle of
wide application and benldcent infu-
ence against q theory which we believe
to be unsound in conception and inevi-
tably hartful in practice. In the many
tariff revisioas which have beeI neces-
sarY for the past twenty years. or which
may hereafter become necessaI y, the Re-
publican party has maintained and will
maintain the policy of protection to
| ouAOAAO . Jul OppOuCnt6
insist upon q revision which practically
DESTROYS that policy. The issue is thus
distinct, well defined and unavoidable
The pending election may determine the
fate of protection for a generation. The
| overthrow of the policy means q large
and permanent reduction in the wages
of the American laborer, besides involv-
ing the loss of a vast amount of Ameri-
can capital invested in manufacturing
enterprises. The value of the
present revenue system to the people of
the United States is not matter of the
DRY. shall submit no argument to sus-
tain 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 OBJ.
tain valuation of all the property in
/ the United States. The attempt was In
large degree unsuccessful, partly from
lack of time, and partly from prejudice
among many who thought the inquiries
foreshadOWed q new scheme of taxation.
The returns were incomplete and unsat-
IsfactOry. Little more was done than to
consolidate the local valuation used in
the states for purposes of assessment,
and that, as every one knows, differs
4
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 pro-
pertY in the states and territories lex
GLIDING slaves amounted to $14, 0O0, 600.
The 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 1860.
1t repTese nted 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 the enor-
nous aggregate of $44 600 600, 600. This
great result was attained nJtwithstand.
ing 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 go per cent, the sggre-
gate property of the country increased
ga per cent, showing
VASTLY ENHANCED WEALTH
per capita among the people. Thirty
billions had been added to the perman-
ent wealth of the nation. These results
are regarded by the older nations of the
world as phenomenal. That our coun-
try should surmount the peril and the
costs of q gigantic war, and for an entire
period of twenty years make an average
gain of wealth of $125, 600 600 per month
surpasses the experience of all other ma
tions, ancient or modern. Even the op-
ponents of the present revenue system
4 \ A. AZ -. l.
of civilization any parallel can be found
States. Since the accession
of the Republican party to
power the period between 1880
and to-day, has not been one OF material
prosperity only. At no time in the his.
tory of the United States has there been
such progress in the moral and philan.
tophic field. and religious and charitable
institutions, schools. seminaries and col
leges haYe been founded and endowed
far more generously than at any previous
time in our history. Greater and more
man suffering, and the entire progress oil
the country ia wealth has been accom-.
panied and dignifed by
BROADENING AND ELEVATION
of our national character as q people
Our opponents find fault that our
revenue system produces q surplus, but
they SHOULD not forget that the law has
given specific purpose to which all OF
the surplus Is probably and honorably
appiied-the reduction of the public
debt and the consequent relief OF the
burden of taxation. No dollar has been
wasted, and the only extravaganza with
which the party stands charged is the
generous pensioning of soldiers. sailor.
and their families, extFavagauce which
! embodies the highest form of justice in
the recognition and payment of sacred
debts. When reduction of taxation ID
to be made the Republican party can b
! trusted TO accomplish il in such q form
as will most effectively aid the industrie.
of the nation.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
4 frequeat sccusation by our oppon
ents is that the foreign commerce of the
. country has steadily decaYed under thu
influence of the protective tariff. II
this way they seek TO array the i'm
porting interest against the Republican
t party Il is . common and yet radica
error 70 confound the commerce of thI
country with its carrying trade, an errol
J often committed innOcentlY and some
) times deslgnedly, bnt en- error SO gros
I that il does not Distinguish between tn,
) ship and the cargo. Foreign commerce
represents the exports and imports OF {
I country regardless Of the nationality o
the vessels that carry the commodIte
= of exchange. Our carrying trade ha
from obvious causes suffered many dis
couragements SINCE 1860, but forelg1
commerce has in the same peroit
steadily and prodigiousiy increased; In
, creased indeed, at q rate and TO AZ
! amount which absolutely dwarfts al
!, preYiouB DEVELOPMENTS OF our trade he
: yond the sea. From 1850 TO the pressn
time the United States divided wit
I approximate equally between export
: and imports) reached the
ASTOUNDING AaGREGAFK
of So. 600 ,C00, 600. The balance IN thi
vast commerce inclined in our favoI
but il would hsVe been much larger !
S cur trade with the countries Of Americ
y Alseghere referred To had bean mar