Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-10-16
THURNAN,S LETTER.
Formal Acceptance of the Demo-
cratic Vice Presidential Candidate.
He DISCUSSES THE TARIFF.
An Unqualified Endorsement of President
Cleveland, His Administration and
Democratic Principles He
Consents to lie "a Candidate.

COLUMBUS, O., Oct l6-Following Is
Judge Thurmans letter of acceptance:
COLUMBUS, o., Oct IL, 1888
Hon. Patrick A. Collins and others, committees:
GENTLEsfEN-In obedience TO custom send
you this formal acceptance of my nomination
for the office of vice president of the United
States, made by the national convention of
the Democratic party at st. Louis.
When you did me the honor TO call upon me
at Columbus and officially notify me of my
nomination, l expressed to yA my sense of
obligation to the convention, and stated that,
although had not sought the nomination,
did not feel at liberty, under the circum-
stances, to decline it, | thought then, as /
still think, that whatever | could properly do
to promote the reelection of President Cleve-
land 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 reelection. / am also
strongly impressed with the belief that his
reelection would powerfully tend to
strengthen that feeling of fraternity among
the American people that is so essential to
their welfare, peace and happiness, and to the
Parpetuity of the Union and of our free in
stitutions.
/ approve the. platform of the st. Louis
press my dissent from the heretical teachings
of the monopolists, that the welfare of peo-
pie can be promoted by system of exorbi-
tant taxation far in excess of the wants of
the government.
| The idea that people can be enriched by
heavy and unnecessary taxation, that mans
condition can be improved by taxing him on
all he wears, ON all his wife and children
wear, ON all his too.s and implements of in
dustry, is an obvious absurdity.
| To fill the vaults of the treasury with an
idle surplus for which the government has
no legitimate use, ard 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 govern
ment, seems to mo to be policy at variance
with every sound principle of government
and Of political economy.
The necessity of reducing taxation to pre-
vent such an accumulation of surplus rev.
enue and the consequent depletion of the cir
| culating medium, is so apparent that no
| party dares to deny it, but when we come to
consider the modes by which the reduction
may be made we find wide antagonism be-
tween our party and the monopolstic leaders
OF our political opponents.
| We seek to reduce taxes upon the neces-
saries 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 and
blankets, and thereby increase their cost,
maintain a high duty ON the tools OF the
farmer and mechanic and upon the lumber
4 which they need for the construction of their
modest dwellings, shops and barns, and
| thereby prevent their obtaining these neces-
saries at reasonable prices
/ Can any sensible man doubt as to where he
should stand in this CONTROVERSY Can any
well informed man be deceived by the false
| pretense that system so unreasonable and
unjust is for the benefit of laboring menl
Much is said about competition of Ameri-
can laborers with the pauper labor of Europe,
| but does not every man who looks around
him see and know that an immense majority
of the laborers in America are not en-
/ gagged in what are called the protected in
dustriesl And as to those who are not en-
| ployed in such industries, is it not undenia-
ble that the duties proposed by the Demo-
cratic measure called the Mills bill far ex-
| ceed the difference between American and
European wages, and that therefore il it
were admitted that our workingmen can be
protected by tariffs against cheaper labor,
they would be fully protected and more than
protected by that BILL
Does not. every well informed man know
that the increase in price Of home manufact-
ures produced by high tariff does not go
into the pockets of laboring men but only
tends to swell the profits of others!
1t seems to me that if the policy OF the
Democratic party is plainly presented all
must understand that we seek to make the
| cost of living less and at the same time in
crease the share of the laboring man in the
benefits of national prosperity and growth
am, very respectfully, your obedient ser
want, ALLEN @. THURMAN.