The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-10-29
A Letter which Calls for a Prom ID
and Manly Reply from Mr..
Sherman.
MANSFIELD. OHIO, Oct. "a, Is

MANSFIELD, OHIO, Oct. "a, 1885.
Hon. JOHN SHERMAN, Mansfield, O.:
Dear Sr-Recalling your numerous
public and private declarations made
here during and since the recent po
litical canvass, all. of them intended
to give the public the impression that
after years of study you had reached
the firm and Intelligent conclusion
that the high taxes we now pay under
the name Of a PROTECTIvE tariff are
beneficial and that a reduction of these
taxes, as proposed by Tariff Reformers
(whom you choose to refer to upon all
occasions as Free Traders), would in
jure your friends and neighbors living
i'm Mansfield and Richland county, I
beg leave to invite you to publicly dis
cuss the subject. In order to make it
locally interesting, easily understood
and practically useful to our neighbors
and friends, will affirm that " A tar
iff for revenue only, is better for the
people of Richland county than the
present system of high taxes known
as Protective tariff, and that reduc-
tions in tariff taxes can be made that
would improve and enlarge the busi-
ness of Richland county, increase its
population, advance the price of real
estate, extend the demand for labor,
increase the wages for labor and reduce
the cost Of living for every man, wo-
man and child in the county,"
In order to enable you to accept this
challenge would add that you may
name the time and place, and, il you
prefer to discuss it with some one, who
is not, Qike myself q practical man
and manufacturer, or with some one
Of greater abilities or wider reputation,
will choose from among the gentle.
men name below a more acceptable
man. for my object in asking you to
make q complete public record upon
this question is to have the people ol
our own town and county, and those
who read the discussion, get an oppor
tunity of hearing both sides of it.
am sure you will welcome q chanct
like this to present your views along
side of those who differ from you, for
if, after claiming in season and out o
season in the interest of high tarif
taxes when the friends Of lou taxation wer
absent and unable to have hearing befor
the same audience. it would strike tn;
public unpleasantly to find you avoid
ing joint discussion when the time
place, and opponent were all PRACTICAL!
, of your own choosing.
. You know how you would regar,
the attitude of any member of tn,
United States Senate of fairly reason
able ability, who should decline o
otherwise avoid public discussion O
f about the only live political question
left. Of course the people also ar
) quick, and properly 80, too, to assigl
> reasons when public man like your
! self declines to discuss public ques
ton jointly in public, manly man
> ner, under conditions favorable to hin
as in this instance they are to you.
Should you, when this discussion i
over. wish to broader it, your wishe
will be promptly acceded to.
} Do not permit any necessary alb
sence from home to interfere, for tn
discussion can take place at Washing
ton, New York, or at any other plac
| you may name, and at any time yo
, select, and our people here will be abl
r to get printed reports of what is said
, Please authorize me to furnish you
reply to the public through the press
as the matter Is in no sense or light
personal one, and in it please nam
some person who will be authorizes
!. by you in connection with MIR. Nor
man M. Wolfe, Chairman of the Rich
land County Democratic Committee
to arrange the necessary details.
Respectfully yours,
MICHAEL d. HARTER.
*The gentlemen referred to above are: Speak
er Carlisle. General Morrison, congressman Hur
and Springer A G. Thurman, Gov. Hoadl,
) Durbin Ward. j. M. Osborn. David A. Well
| w. G. Sumner. Pr,f. Perry. J. Q. Smith. Henr
, Watterson. J. Schoenhof. Thos. G. Shearmal
II. J. Philpott. Josiah Quincy. R. R. Bowke
A. J. Eddy. J. B. Sargent. Rowland Hazard
MIR. Wright. of the Philadelphia Record; Jo
} Medil. e. L. dodkin. Horace White,J. S. Moor
\ Charles Nordhoff. or the Editor of the New or
Times. MD.H.
Z F. M. Green, of Summit county,
, elected to the Legislature, notwith
, standing Schumacher, the great Pre-