The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-10-20
JUDGE THuRMAN.s LETTER.

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COLUMBUS, o, Oct. 1.-THE letter
of Judge Allen G. thurman accepting
the democratic nomination for the vice.
presidency was given 10 the press this
evening. The first draft of the lettor
was in the judges own handwriting.
1t reads as follows:-
COLUMBUS, o., Oct. u, 1883.
Hon. Patrick A. Collins and others,
committee :-Gentlemen-In obedience
to custom ! send you this formal sccep-
lance of my nomination for the Office
OF vice president of the United States,
made by the, patioDal convention of the
democratic party at st. Louis.
When you did me the honor to call
upon me ct Columbus and officially
notify me OF my nomination, / express
ed TO you my sense of obligation to the
convention, and stated that, although 1
had not sought the nomination, L did
not feel at liberty, under the circum-
stances, to decline it. | thought then,
as | still think, that whatever I could
properly do to promote tho re- election
of President Cleveland l ought to do.
His administration has been marked by
such integrity, good sense. manly
courage and exalted patriotism that a
just appreciation of these high qualities
seems to call for his g election.
L am also strongly impressed with
the belief that his reelection would
powerfully tend to strengthen that feel
ing of fraternity among the American
people that is 10 essential to their well
fare peace and happiness and to the
perpetuity of the union and of our
free institutions.
l approve the platform of the St.
Louis convention, and I cannot too
strongly express my dissent from tho
heretical teachings of the monopoliats
that the welfare of a people can be
promoted by q system of exhorbitaut
taxation far in excess of the wants of
the government.
The idea that q people can be en-
riched by a heavy and unnecessary
taxation, that a mans condition can be
improved by taxing him on all he
wears, OF all his wife and children
wear, or all his tools and implements
of industry, is an obvious absurdity.
To fill the vaults of the treasury with
an idle surplus for which the govern
ment has no legitimate use, and to
thereby deprive the people of currency
needed for their business and daily
wants, and to create a powerful and
dangerous stimulus to extravaganza
and corruption in the expenditures of
the government, seems to me to be a
policy at variance with every sound
principle of government and of politi-
cal economy.
The necessity of reducing taxation to
prevent such an accumulation of sur
plus revenue, and the consequent
depletion of the circulating medium. 10
so apparent that no party dares TO deny
it, but when we come TO consider tho
modes by which the reduction may be
made we find q wide antagonism
between our party and the monopolis-
tic leaders OF our political opponents.
We seek to reduce taxes upon the
necessaries of life; our opponents seek
TO increase them. We say, give to the
masses of the people cheap and good
clothing. cheap blankets, cheap tools
and cheap lumber. The republicans,
by their platform and their leaders in
the senate, by their proposed bill, say,
increase the taxes on clothing aud
blankets aud thereby increase their
cost; maintain a high duty ON the tools
of the farmer and mechanic and upo
the lumber which they need for the
construction of their modest dwellings.
shops and barns, and thereby prevent
their obtaining these necessaries at
reasonable prices.
Can any sensible man doubt as TO-
where he should stand in this eontro-
versy2 Can any well informed man
be deceived by the false pretense that u
system so unreasonable and unjust Ia
Tor the benefit OF laboring menu
Much is said about competition of
American laborers with the psuper
labor of Europe, but does not every
man who looks around him sec and
! know that an, immense majority OF the
laborers in America are not engaged IN
what are called The protected indus
tries? And as to those who are
employed i'll such industries, IS it not
undeniable that the duties proposed by
the democratic measure, the Mills bill,
far exceed the difference between
| American and European wages, and
that, therefore, II it were admitted that
tariffs against cheaper labor, they
than protected, by that bill7
Does not every well informed man
know that the increase in price of
home manufactures produced by q high
tariff does not 60 into the pockets of
laboring alen, but only tends to swell
the profits of others?
1t seems to me that if the policy of
the democratic party is plainly pre-.
seDted all must understand that we
seek to make the cost of living less and
at the same time increase the share oil
/ the laboring man in the benefits OF
national prosperity sud growth.
l am, very respectfully your obedient
servant, ALLEN q. THURMAN.