The Portland daily press., 1888-09-11
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
Full Text of the Long Delayed Docu-
ment.

dwell upon the impressive relation OIL sucn
action to the American people, whose conn
dence is thus invited to the political party TO
which belong, just entering upon contest
for continued supremacy. The world does
not afford a spectacle more sublime than is
furnished when millions of free and intelli-
gent American citizens select their chief
magistrate and bid one of their number to
find the highest earthly honor and the full
measure of public duty in ready submission
T. their will. 1t follows that candidate for
this high Office can never forget that
when the turmoil and the strife which
attend the selection of its incumbent shall be
heard no more, there must be in the euiet
calm which follows complete and solemn
self conservation by toe peoples chosen
President of every faculty and endeavor to
the service of confiding and generous nation
OF Tree men.
These thoughts are intensified by the light
Of my experience in the Presidential Office
which has soberly impressed me with the
severe responsibilities which Ii imposes
while 1t has quickened my love for American
institutions, and taught me the priceless
value of the trust of my countrymen.
1t is OF the highest Importance that those
who administer our government should Jeal-
ously protect and maintain the rights OF
American citizens at home and abroad, and
should strive and achieve for our country
her proper place among the nations of the
earth, but there is no people whose home
interests are so great and whose numerous
objects of domestic concern deserve so much
watchfulnesS and care.
Among these are the regulation Of a sound
financial system suited to our need, thus Sc
curing an efficient agency of national wealth
and oauaral nr0snaritV. the construction and
equipment of means Of defence to insure our
national safety and maintain the honor be-
meath which such national safety reposes,
sthe protection OF our national DOMAIN sun
stretching beyond the needs OF a century,s
expansion, and its preservation for the set
tier and the pioneer OF our marvellous
growth; sensible and sincere recognition
Of the value of American labor, leading to
scrupulous care and just appreciation of the
interests of our workingmen, the limitation
and checking of such monopolistic tenden-
cies and schemes as Interfere with the advan-
tages and benefits which the people may
rightly claim; a generous regard and care
for our surviving soldiers and sailors and
for the widows and orphans of such as have
died. to the end that while the appreciation
of their services and sacrifices is quickened,
the application Of their pension fund to inn
proper cases may be prevented; protection
against servile immigration, which lnJuri-
oHsly completes with our laboring men In the
field of toll and adds to our population an
element Ignorant of our institutions and
laws, impossible of assimilation with our
people and dangerous to our peace and well
fare. strict and steadfast adherence to the
principles of civil service reform and thor
Ough execution of the laws passed for their
enforcement, thus permitting to our people
the advantages of business methods in the
operation of the government; the guaranty
to our colored citizens of all their rights of
citizenship and their just recognition and
encouragement in all things. pertaining to
that relation a firm, patriotic and humane
Indian policy, so that in peaceful relations
with the government, the civilization OF the
Indian may be promoted with resulting
quiet and safety to the settlers on our from
tier; and the curtailment of public expense
by the introduction of economical methods in
every department of the government,
The pledges contained In the platform
adopted by the late convention Of the ma
tional Democracy lead to the advancement
of those objects and insure good government,
the aspiration of every true American citl-
zen and the motive for every patriotic action
and effort. In the consciousness thai. much
has been done in the direction OF good gov
submitting its record to the fair inspection
of my countrymen, endorse the platform
thus presented with the determination that
If am again called to the Chief Magistracy
there shall be a continuance of devoted en-
deavor to advance the interests Of the entire
country.
Our scale of Federal taxation and its con-
sequences largely engross, at this time, the
attention of our citizens. and the people are
soberly considering the necessity OF measures
Of relief. Our government is the creation OF
the people, established to carry out their de-
signs and accomplish their good. 1t was
founded on justice and was made for a free,
intelligent and virtu0us people. 1t is only
useful when within their control and only
serves their will when regulated and guided
4l..xf.. aH 10 frnn
ment, because it guarantees to every Ameri-
can citizen the unrestricted personal use and
enjoyment of all the reward OF his toll and
of all his income. except may be his
| fair contribution to necessary. public ex-
| pense Therefore, it is not only right, but
| the duty of a free people, in the enforcement
Of this guaranty, to insist that expense
should be strictly limited to the actual pub
lie needs 1t seems perfectly clear that
when the government this instrumental
ity created and maintained by the people to
do their bidding. turns upon them. and
through another perversion OF its powers,
EFFORTS from their labor and capital tri-
butes largely in excess Of public necessities,
the creature has rebelled against the. creator
and the masters are robbed by their SER
wants.
The cost of the government must continue
| to be met by tariff duties collected at our
custom houses upon imported goods, and by
internal revenue taxes assessed upon spirit
/ uOuS anu ludlb liYuOios tODuNCO anu OACOihoi-
garine.
/ suppose it is needless to explain that all
these duties and assessments are added TO
the price of the articles upon which they are
| levied, and thus became tax upon all those
who buy these articles for use and consump-
ton. suppose, too, it is well understood
| that the effect of the tariff taxation is not
| limited to the consumers of imported arti-
| cles but that the duties imposed upon such
articles permit corresponding increase in
IN In taid NM Anna in {
| of the same kind, W mich increase Is paid by
| all our people as consumers Of home produc-
| tions and, entering every American home,
| constitutes a form Of taxation as certain and
| as inevitable as though the amount was an
| nually paid into the hand OF the tax gatherer.
| These results are inseparable from the
| plan we have adopted for the collection of
our revenue by tariff duties. They are not
mentioned to discredit the system, but by
way of preface to the statement that every
million of dollars collected at our custom
houses for duties upon imported articles and
paid into the public treasury represent many
| millions more, which, though never reaching
the national treasury, are paid by our citl-
| zens as the increased cost of domestic pro-
| auctions resulting from our tariff laws. In
| these circumstances, and in view of this
necessary effect of the operation of our
| plan for raising revenue, the absolute duty
of limiting the rate of tariff charges to the
necessities Of an upright and economical ad-
| VI bHC 6ONChuuC1ts oOCiuo w DS
perfectly plain. The continuance, upon a
pretext Of meeting public expenditures OF
| such a scale of tariff taxation as draws from
the substance Of the people sum largely in
excess of public needs, Is surely something
| which, under a government based upon JUS
| tice, and which finds its strength aud useful
ness la the faith aud the trust of the people
| ought not to be tolerated. While the heavi-
est burdens incident to the necessities
Of the government are unconplainingly borne
| light burdens become grievous and intoler-
| able when not justified by such necessities.
| Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation
| and yet this is our condition. We are an
| nually collecting at our custom houses and
| by means of our internal revenue taxation
many millions in excess ofall legitimate
| public needs. AS consequence, there now
| remains in the national treasury surplus
| of more than $130,000,000. No better evil
dence could be furnished that the people are
exorbitantly taxed. Tb extent of the
superfuous burden indicated by this surplu:
will be better appreciated when it is sug
gested that such surplus alone represents
taxation aggregatiDg more than one hun
bred and eight thousand dollars il
county containing $4,000 inhabitants
Taxation has always been the feature of or
gained government the hardest to reconcile
with the peoples idea of freedom and hap
piness. When presented in direct form
nothing will arouse popular discomfort NOR,
quickly and profoundly than unjust and un
necessary taxation. Our farmers, mechan
les, laborers and all our citizens closely scar
the slightest increase in the taxes assessed
| upon their lands and other property and de
| mand good reasons for such increase. AnC