The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-09-11

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-Following is the
presidents letter of acceptance:
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8.
Hon. Patrick A. Collins and otheeS-
Gentlemen: In addressing to you my for
NAL acceptance of the nomination to the
presidency of the United States, my
thoughts persistently dwell on the i'm
pressive relation of such action to the
American people, whose confidence is in
vited and to the political party to which
| belong, jus entering on contest for
continued supremacy. The world does
not afford spectacle more sublime than
is furnished when millions of free and
intelligent American citizens select their
chief magistrate, and bid one of their
number to find the highest earthly honor
and full measure of publicity in ready
submission to their will, 1t follows that
the candidate for president can never
forget, when the turmoil and strife
which attends election shall be heard no
more. that there must be, in the quiet
calm which follows, complete and solemn
self-consecrating, by the peoples chosen
president, of every faculty and endeavor
to the service of a confding and gene
rous nation of freemen. These thoughts
are intensified by the light of my expe
rience in the presidential office, which
has soberly impressed me with the severe
responsibilities which it imposes, while it
has quickened my love for American in
stitutions and taught me the priceless
value of the trust of my country.
1t is of the highest Importance that
those who administer the government
should closely protect and maintain the
0f hn r1aoT1la of hnnoa
and abroad, and should strive to 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 watching and
care. Among these are: The regulation
of sound financial system to our needs,
thus securing an efficient agency of ma
tional wealth and general prosperity; the
construction and equipment of means of
defense to insure our national safety and
maintain the honor beneath which such
national safety reposes; the protection of
our national domain still stretching be-
yond the needs of the century's expan
b sion, and the preservation for the settler
and pioneer of our marvellous growth;
the sensible and sincere recognition of
the value of American labor, leaning to
the scrupulous care and just appreciation
of the interests of our workingmen; the
limitation and checking of such monop-
olistic tendencies and schemes as inter
fere with the advantages and benefits
which the people may rightfully claim; q
generous regard and care for our suryiv-
ing soldiers and sailors and for the wild.
ows and orphans of such as have died, tC
the end that while appreciation of theiI
services and sacrifices is quickened the
application of their pension funds to i'm
proper cases may be prevented; the pre-
yention of servile immigration which in.
jures industries, commerce and laborinG
men and adds to our population an ele
ment ignorant of our institutions anG
laws, and impossible of assimilation witt
our people and dangerous to our peace
and welfare; strict and steadfast adher
ence to the principles of civil service re-
form and thorough execution of lawt
passed for this purpose. The people art
soberly considering the necessary meas
ures of relief.
The government is a creation of the
people, established to carry out their de-
signs and accomplish good. 1t was
founded on justice and made for free and
virtuous people. 1t is only useful when
within their control and only serves well
when regulated and guided by their con-
slant touch. 1t is free government be-
cause it guarantees to every American
citizen the unrestricted use and enjoy
ment of all reward of his toll and of all
his income except what may be his fair
contribution to necessary public expenses
Therefore, it is not only the right but
the duty of free people in the enforce
ment of this guarantee, that they insist
hot t,al, Io 4n1 l.ND DaAy ,n1
public needs. 1t seems clear that when
government thus instrumentally Gre
ated and maintained by the people to do
their bidding, turns upon them and
through an utter perversion of its pow
ers EFFORTS from their labor and capital a
tribute largely in excess of public needs,
the creature has rebelled against the Gre
ator and the masters are robbed by their
servants. The cost of government must
continue to be met by tariff duty col
lected at our custom houses upon i'm
ported goods and by an internal revenue
tax assessed upon spirituous and malt
liquors, tobacco and oleomargarine. |
suppose it is needless to explain that all
these duties and assessments are added
to the price of the article or articles
upon which they are levied, and thus be-
come a tax on all those who buy these
articles for use and consumption. sup
pose, too, it is well understood that the
effect of this tariff taxation is not limit
ed to the consumers of imported articles
but that the duties imposed on such arti,
cles permit a corresponding increase IL
the price to be made upon domestic pro
ductions of the same kind, which in
crease is paid by the people as consumers
of such productions, and entering every
American home constitutes form of tar
as certain and inevitable as though the
amount was annually paid into the hands
of tax gatherers. These results are in
separable from the plan we have adopt
ed for collection of revenue by tariff
duty. They are not mentioned to dis
credit the system but by way of preface
to the statement that every million dol
lars collected at our custom houses fol
duties on imported articles and paid
into the public treasury represent man,
millions more, which though never reach
ing the national treasury, are paid by
our citizens as increased cost of produc
tions resulting from our tariff laws.
These circumstances and, in view o.
this necessary effect of the operation oi
our plan for raising revenue, the abso
Lutte duty of limiting the rate of tarif
charges to the necessities of frugal an(
economical administration of govern
ment seems to be perfectly plain. The
continuance, upon pretext OF meeting
public expenditures, of such scale O
tariff taxation as draws from the sub
stance of the people sum largely in e1
cess of public needs, is surely something
which in a government based on justice
and which finds its strength and useful
ness in the faith and trust of the people
ought not to be tolerated. While thu