Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-19
ELtysE.
HIS Letter OF acceptance states.
maniike Discussion OF the Questions
at Issue.
Following IL Mr.. Blsins's letter Of

msniike Discussion OF the Qaestisn.
at Issue.
Following IL Mr.. Blaius's letter O;
acceptance
AUGUSTA. Me-. July Is, 1894.
10 the Hon. John b. Hendey,soa arsi
others of the C1mD,iitse In
accepting the nomination for the Presi
dency. rendered ne by the Republican
National Convention. beg 10 express
deep sense of the honor which il con-
ferred and Of the duty which is imposed.
venture to accompany the acceptance
with some observations upon the ques-
tions involved in the contest questions
whose settlement may sffec. toe future
OF the nation favorably or unfavorably
for long series of years.
In enumerstinQ the issues upon which
the Republican party appeals for popu.
lar support, the Convention has been
sinRularly explicit and felieitous. Il has
properly given the leading position to
the industrial interests Of the country
as affected by the tarif on imports.
On that question the tao political par
ties are radically In conflict. Almost
the first act Of the Republicans when
they came into power in lSsjl was the
establishment of the principle OF pro
lection to American labor and American
capital. This principle the Republican
party has ever since steadily maintained,
while on the other hand the Dem
ocratc party in Congress has for
nifty years past persistently warred
npon II. Twice within that period
our opponents have DESTROYED tariff.
arranged for protection, and since HE
close of the civil war. whenever they
have controlled the House of Repre-
sentatives, hostile legislation has been
attempted, bat never more conspIcu-
ously than IN their principal measure At
the last session Of Congress. The tariff
question aud revenue laws are in their
very nature subject to frequent revision,
in order that they may lie adapted to
the changes and notifications of trade.
The Republican party IL not contending
for the permanency of any particular
statute. The issue between the two
parties does not have reference to a
specific Law /; it IL far broa Ser, and II is
far deeper. 1t involves a principle of
wide application and beneiiceut inhu-
ence, against a theory which We believe
To TO unsouud In conception and inevl
tahlv hurtfnl IN practice. In The many
tariff revisions which have been ueces
sary for the past - years. or which may
hereafter become necessary, the Repub-
lican party has maintained aud will
maintain the policy Of protection to
American industry, while our opponents
insist on revision which practically
destroys that policy. The issue Is thus
distinct, well defined and nnagoId tble.
The pending election may deternine
tue fate of protection for a generation.
The overthrow of the policy means a
large and permanent reduction Ia the
wages of American laborers, besides in
volvinR the loss OF vast amounts of
American capital invested in manufac-
turing enterprises.
The value of the present revenue sys-
tenn TO the people OF the United States,
is not a matter of theory, and / shall
submit no argument to sustain IL.
only invite attention to certain facts of
official record, which seem to constitute
an effort was made for tue first time in
our history to obtain a valuation of all
the property IN the United States. The
attempt WAS in large degree unsucoess-
fol, partly from lack of time and partly
u hL1thE WIN
thought the enquiries foreshadowsd a
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
every one knows, differs widely from
complete exhibit If all the property. In
the census of 1860, however, the work
a q, a h..
distinction between assessed value
and true" value being carefully
observed. The grand result was that
the true" value OF all property IN the
States and Territories (includlng slaves
amoanted TO $l4,U0O.UOUCU Ia this
aggregate Was the net result of the labor
and the saving of the people within the
area of the United States from the time
the first British oolonist landed In 1907
to tue year 1860. IL represented the
fruit of the toll of 30 years. After 1860
the business of the country WAS eneour
aged and developed by protective tar
if. At the end of the 20 years the total
property Of the United States. a. re-
turned by the census of $50, amounted
tn the enormous aggregate of 1900,
00O,GO0. This great result was attained
Notwithstanding the fact that countless
millions had IN the interval been wasted
IN the progress of bloody war. IL thus
Dpears that while our population be-
tween 1860 and 1850 increased 60 per
cent the aggregate property OF the
country increased PA per cent, show
ing vastly enhanced wealth per edpifa
among the people. $30,ooo,0OOO0 had
been added during these 10 years tn the
permanent wealth of the nation. These
results are regarded by the old nations
of the world as phenomenal. That our
country shonld surmount the peril aud
the costs Of gigantic war, and for an
entire period of 20 years make an aver
age gain to its wealth of Sl25 OCo,OO per
month, surpasses the experience of all
other nations, ancient or modern. Even
the opponents of the present revehue
81 At, III do not pretend that in the whole
history of civilization Any parallel can
he found TO the material progress OF the
United States since the accession of the
Republican party TO power.
The period between 1850 and today
has not been one of material prosper
ity only. At no time in the history of
the United States has there been such
progress in the moral and philanthropio
field. Religious aud charitable insti-
tutions, schools. seminsrles aud colleges
have been founded and endowed far
more generously than at any previous
time in our history. Greater and more
varied relief has been extended 10
human suffering, and the entire prog
eress of the country in wealth has been
accompanied and d enified by a broad
ening and elevation of our national
character as people. Our opponents
find fault that our revenue system pro-
duces q surplus, but they should not
forget that the law Was given a SPECIFIC
purpose to which all of the surplus is
profi,ably and honorably applied. she
reduction Of the public debt and the
consequent relief of the burden OF tax
alton. Not dollsr has been wasted
and the only extravaeauce with which
the party stands charged with Is the
generous pensioning Of soldiers. sailors
and their families. an extravagance
which embodies the highest form OF
Justice in the recognition and payment
of a sacred debt. When reduction OF
taxation is TO be made the Republican
party can be trusted to accomplish II IN
such form rs will most effectively aid
the industries of the Nation.
A frequent accusation by ear oppo-
nents is that the foreign comnierce OF
the country has steadily decayed under