Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-13
General Harrison's Letter.

General Harrison's Letter.
The letter Of General Harrison, for
mally accepting the nomination OF the
republican party, followed hard upon
that Of the democratic candidate, Us il
to give the people of the country an OPP
portunity to Immediately compare the
two documents. If this idea moved the
republican candidate to make public his
letter, which evidently was ready some
time ago, within forty-eight hours after
the appearance OF Mr.. Cleveland's for
nal acceptance, it was ashrewd thought
which General Harrison will not fail to
profit by. No candid and fair-minded
mar who will compare these letters car
fail to be impressed in favor of that of
the republican candidate.
The distinctive merit of General Har-
rison's letter is that it explains clearly
and sufficiently the position Of its au-
thor with respect to all matters which
Immediately concern the interests and
welfare of the American people. 1t is
not confined to "a single issue and made
to do service for one question. Every
| problem that engages the attention of
the country in the present campaign re-
ceives attention, and not in a merely
perfunctory way, but with a care
and ~fullness that leaves no room for a
doubt or question respecting the atti-
tude of the republican candidate. Re-
garding the leading issue of the cam
paign, the tariff question. General Har-
rison's letter is entirely reassuring to
| tho cd vnnatoc ~ a ,,tat and anritnh 1a
policy Of tariff revision. He points out
most forcibly and convincingly that the
contest of the two great parties is not
between schedules, but between wide
apart principles. On the part Of the
democracy the purpose and inevitable
drift is toward free trade, while the
republicans insist upon preserving
the principle Of protection. THE
republican party holds,' says General
Harrison, THAT a protective tariff is
constitutional, wholesome and neces-
sary. We do not offer a fixed schedule,
but a principle. We will revise the
schedule and modify rates, but always
with a provision as to the effec upon
domestic production and the wage of
our working people," No one who has
believed the republican candi-
date to be in favor of maintaining the
war tariff can fail to be convinced Of
his mistake after reading the
letter of acceptance, and those
who have %gratuitously charged
that General Harrison was opposed
to a revision of the tariff will be com
PEELED to acknowledge that they have
done him an injustice. If he shall be
elected to the presidency he a be
safely depended on to recommend to
congress such changes and reductions
Of the tariff as will give the people
needed relief without imperiling any
established industry or enterprise,
This is the plain promise and assur.
ance of the letter, and the character OF
General Harrison warrants confidence
that the promise will be kept.
With regard to the importa'
ton of foreign laborers and
the immigration of Chinese
General Harrison's plain and unmis
takably honest language is all that an,
fair-minded American citizen coult
ask. He does not believe that we should
exclude the worthy people of Other
lands who seek homes in this country
but that we should rigidly enforce the
Jaws for keeping out all the objection
able classes, as paupers, criminals, ant
those aliens who cannot assimilate will
us. His position regarding Chinese i'm
migration is so clearly stated that nj
one will hereafter venture to question
it. General Harrison recognize
the objections to this immigration
as conclusive, and assures the countr
that if elected he would faithfully en-
force the laws relating to this subject
Protection of the political rights Q
every citizen, public education, tn
trusts, pensions and civil service re
form are all referred to briefly in tn
letter, and are treated with a clear
ness and directness which enable tn
:. least intelligent reader to UNDERSTAND
the views and position of the author.
is a concise, straightforward and mani
, testify sincere letter that General Harr
son has addressed to his party and t
the country, and we believe it will hav
the effect of greatly strengthening tn
4 republican cause.
The Sioux Agreement.