The Republican journal., 1886-08-19
Conlnlitte.
HNLowELL, August IL, 1886.


Hon GEORGE c. WING, S. w. MATTHEWS,
ESQ, /. A. BARKER, ESQ, Col. H. H.
BURBANK, Jas. MORRISON, ESQ:
Gentlemen: | acknowledge the receipt of
your communication officially advising me that
on the 9th day of June was nominated by the
Republican State Convention as a candidate
for governor of Maine
Coming to me without solicitation. and | can
truly add without personal desire, | esteem
this mark of confidence on the part of my
fellow Republicans as the chief honor of my
life. Sincerely attached as | have always
been to the principles of the Republican party
and earnestly as l have sought to promote
the adoption of those principles, it has not
been my habit to participate in political dis
Cussion or in the active work of party organ
ization. My opinions and conclusions are
those of man devoted during his whole life
to business affairs-interested in public meas
ures and in political struggles only as they
tend to promote the welfare of the country
and the prosperity Of the people. | appre-
ciate therefore all the more deeply the dis
tinguished mark of favor and confidence
conferred upon me by a large convention
composed Of prominent citizens and repre-
sentng the character and worth of the Re
publican party Of the State
Unaccustomed as am to public speech and
not intending therefore to make a canvass of
the State may be pardoned hope for ex-
pressing my views on political issues at
greater length than is usual in a letter of &C
ceptance. feel that a candidate for public
office has no right to withhold his views on
any question of policy that is engaging the
attention of the people. | should be unwilling
to receive the vote of any man in the State by
an evasion on my part of any public issue, or
by reason of a misrepresentation on bis part
which perfect frankness from me might re
move. | shall therefore speak without re
serve.
For some time past the country has been
agitated in many sections by questions re
lating to the rights and interests Of labor The
desire Of the working man to receive the
highest price for his labor is not only natural
but commendable. Labor is the commodity
which he has to sell, and his comforts in life
depend upon the amount he may receive in
exchange for it. He has the same right to
combine with his fellows to promote their
common interests that capitalists have to com
bine for their common interest. The laborer
and the capitalist are restrained only by their
own Judgment and by the imperative obliga-
ton not to interfere with the Just and legal
rights of others.
| have heretofore taken occasion to express
my opinion that popular msjudgment arises
from the error of treating the laborer and the
capitalist as belonging to fixed and permanent
classes. The laborer of to-day by industry
and economy may become the capitalist of a
few years hence and the capitalist of to-day
by extravaganza and mismanagement may
become the day laborer in an equally short
period. Thus the persons who represent
labor and capital are continually changing
and interchanging. A permanent consoda-
ton of the persons of one class against the
persons of the other class is therefore as i'm
possible as it is undesirable, and the country
stands in no danger Of the manifold evils
which such a condition might entail.
1t must always be borne in mind that pros
perity cannot exist in any community where
labor and capital are at war. Each has the
power to inhict great evil on the other and
each will suffer while causing damage to the
other. 1t is therefore the duty of patriotic
men, of all men who wish well to the com
munity and desire prosperity among the
people, to harmonic the interest of en-
ployers and employees and make the interest
of each the interest of both. In this work of
friendly cooperation the legislative power
of the State can aid by providing an impartial
system of arbitration of all disputes that
may arise between labor and capital. Neither