The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-09-14
TIE LETTERS OF AooErrANcE.

On Monday last the letter Of acceptance
of Grover Cleveland ~ candidate Of tn
Democratic party for President OF the Unite,
States was given to the press, and OF
Wednesday 1t was followed BY the letter o
Benjamin Harrison, accepting the position
of standard bearer Of the Republican party
In both cases considerable time had elapsed
since they were formally notified, but tn,
delay of Mr.. Cleveland in writing his lettel
is unprecedented In the history Of the coun
try. For this delay Of Mr.. Cleveland no pos
sible reason can be or has been assigned
and for all that is In the letter it might have
been written the next week after he va.
notified, hut Is the delay has hurt his OWL
cause We ought not to complain. The letter
in style is stiff and formal, and crude and
ill-digested in matter. 1t is . studied out
awkward assault upon the principle Of pro.
lection rs . principle, while underneath and
In and throughout there runs the idea and
argument of free trade that cannot be con
cealed. His idea Is That tariff is only for the
purpose OF raising . revenue, and that pro-
lection is only an incident of such tariff.
II that is the principle which is to hold, the
tariff can be laid and collected upon only
such imported articles as this country has no
competition with, and while there would be
a vavar,,o ~aiA tn t1o orI altnrathav ho ARa
people Of this country, there would be abso-
lutely no protection. And this is about all
that Mr.. Cleveland has 10 give us in his
letter. He conveniently forgets to say any
thing, except a passing remark, about civil
reform, which four years ago he
promised to carry out and encourage,
and by means of which promises he was
enabled to gain power. We wonder what
the two letters.
The letter of Mr.. Harrison is lucid, frank,
and vigorous, and is written IN . style and
language that attracts attention and can be
understood by all. Behind it you can see
The pure, educated, courageous patriot and
the fearless statesman of principle
and conviction. Through ,ut he makes him
self perfectly understood on all the questions
the day, and fully and completely IN.
himself in accord with the princi-
pies and views of the chicago platform. For
The unavoidable delay in issuing the letter
be says:
Almost daily large delegations of my fell
low citizens have not only occupied al of
ny time, but have, in some measure, rem
Tered it unnecessary for me to use this letter
ny views upon the questions involved In the
campaign.
Upon the great issue he declares himself
n no uncertain tone:
Judged by the executive message of De-
last, by the Mills bill, by debates in
Congress and by the St. Louis platform, the
party will, if supported by the
place the tariff laws on . purely
evenue basis. Is not this practical free
rade in the English sense? The legend
1pon the banner may o be Stree trade" it
nay be the more obscure motto of "tarif
but neither the banner nor the in
is conclusive or indeed very i'm
Those who teach that the import
luty upon all foreign goods sold in
market is paid by the consumer, and that
he price of domestic competing articles is
to the amount of the duty on i'm
'orted articles; that every million Of dollars
collected for custom duties represents many
more which do not reach the treasury, but
re paid by our citizens as the increased cost
domestic productions resulting from tariff
aws-may not intend to discredit, in the
minds of others, our system of levying duties
n competing foreign products, but it is
learly already discredited in their own. We
annot doubt, without impugning their in
egrity, that if free to act upon their convic- /
ions they would so revise our laws as to lay
he burden Of custom revenues upon articles
lace upon the free list competing foreign
As to the surplus, that great bugbear of
be Democratic party, he shows that the
owering of the tariff might bring in more
and thereby still make a sur
lns of revenue, and be proposes a way,
'hich the Democratic party has never done, |
n which the surplus can be utilized. One
'ay is in paying off tie bonds and in the
Of schools and universities in
ew States and in States not sufficiently
rovided.
Upon the subject of civil service he speaks
follows:
The law regulating appointments to clas-
fled civil service received my support in
be belief that it opened a way to q much
leeded reform. l still think so, and there. j
Ore cordially approve the cigar and forciblo
Expression of the Convention upon this sub !
ect. The law should Rave the aid of a |
Interpretation, and be faithfully /
nd vigorously enforced. All appointments !
it should be absolutely free from par |
isan consideration and influences. Some
xtensions Of the classified list are practi. |
able ard desirable, and further legislation
the reform to other branches of |
service to which it is applicable would
eceive approval. In appointments to every
rade and department fitness and not party |
ervice should be essential, and q discrimi-
sting test and fidelity and efficiency should
insure a tenure of Office. Only interests of
ublic service should suggest removals from
flee. I know of the practical difficulties |
ttendiDg the attempt to apply the spirit of
ivil service rules to all appointments and
emovals. It will, however, be my sincere
urpose, If elected, to advance the reform.
All citizens would do we'll to read both |
,tters, and any fair minded man can easily |
each q conclusion as to who should be our
ext President. Mr.. Harrison's letter will
ppear in full next week.
FRlGHTFUL COLLISION.