The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-10-13
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SJortOu's Letter.

"Vlt tVu
Levi p. Morton has published his
letter of accepting the Republican
nomination for Vice President, and
expressing his views in reference
to the questions of the campaign.
Mr.. Morton talks like Republi-
can of the most ultra class, and his
utterances are made in that pos
tive style, which seeks to impress
themselves upon the reader with
out examination or proof.
A close examination of his pro-
duction, will however prove Mr..
Morton to be but superficial states
man, and one given to assertion
rather than close reasoning. For
example he says:
"The American people have now
enjoyed the protective system for
long continuous period than ever
before in the history of the nation
al government. The result is that
for more than quarter of Il cent
ury they have relied degree of
industrial and financial prosperity
unprecedented in this country, and
never equaled in any other"
Here Mr.. Morton evidently des-
Tres to impress the people with the
doctrine that the present tariff is
the legitimate progenitor of what
ever of national prosperity we have
enjoyed during the last quarter of
century, and would advocate it's
indefinite continuance. But if the
tariff is the responsible agent, it
must be held responsible for the
whole condition of American busi-
ness during the time specified.
During the last twenty-five years
we have passed through three f.
nancial disturbances or panics, that
of 1878 to 1879 being the longest
and most severe of any in our hist
ory, and for which Mr.. Ms argu-
ments make the tariff wholly re-
sponsible. Again, during the last
"quarter of a century, we have had
more labor strikes and more dis
agreement between employer and
employee, and the wages of the
laborer has been oftener lowered
than during any other twenty-five
of our history. Therefore the pro-
tective tariff is the parent of strikes
lock-outs and industrial depres-
sions. Once more; during the
twenty-five years last past, we
have seen an army of tramps
travelling over the length and
breadth of the land, seeking en-
ployment and finding none. We
are therefore indebted to the pro-
tective system for the great bless
ing of tramps.
During this period we have had
great importations of the lowest
grades of foreigners to supplant
the native and naturalized Ameri-
can in all the protected industries,
which condition is, and is intended
to be a standing menace to the
American laborer, for which con-
dition the protective tariff is wholly
responsible. Also: During the last
"quarter of a century we have seen
the whole number of American
manufacturing establishments de-
creased by nearly one half, while
the capital invested in the re-
mainder has more than doubled,
thus breaking down the individual
for the advancement of the large
company, and by so doing reducing
competition at home while COM
petion from abroad is barred, for
which blessing consumers can bow
down and worship the protective
tariff. Then we have Trusts, Pools,
Combines and Syndicates, none
of which, or any like them existed
before the time spoken of, and all
made possible and their continu-
ance insured by what Mr.. Morton
and his party are pleased to call
the American Protective System.