Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-11
LEVI ?. M0RT0N'S LETTER
He Formally Accepts the Yice-presi
Dental Nomination.

RHNEolIFF, n. Y, Oct. 2.-The follow
ing is Levi P. Morton's letter accepting
the nomination for vise- pr esident:
RHINEoLIFF, n. Y, Oct. 2.
Hon. Il. NJ. Estee and others, COMMITTEES:
Gentlemen-In making formal accept
ance OF my nomination as republican
candidate for vice presidency, I desire to
express my grateful appreciation of the
confidence placed In NE by the convention.
The duties devolving upon the vice presi
dent as the presiding officer OF the sen
| ate, and in certain contingencies a par
| ticipant 10 the legislation of congress,
make IL proper that the people should
known distinctly and unreservedly the
| political views of the candidate who may
DE presented for their SURFACES. It FOR
| tunately happens that this duty for
myself is easily discharged
| by referring to the principle
embodied in the resolutions unanimously
adopted by the national convention
These resolutions, unequivocal and COM
| prehensive in character, reflect my per
sonal convictions and have my hearty ap-
| proval. It is diff cult, however, in a polit
ical campaign to fix popular attention on
| more than one issue, ana Ia the pending
election every voter in the United States
| clearly sees that the controlling question
| is whether
PROTECTIVE TARIFF DUTIES
now in force shall be so reduced as ia
destroy their efficiency, or whether these
! duties shall be retained with such modi-
fcations and adjustments as shall better
adapt them to the great end of protect
ing the vast and important industries OF
the whole country. The republican plat
form, while recognizing the necessity OF
reducing the revenue, declares that this
reduction must not be made at the ex.
pense of these industries and OF
American labor. The American peopie
have now enjoyed a protective system fo1
a longer continuous period than ever be
fore in the history of the national gov
eminent. The result is that for more
than quarter of century they have
realized a degree Of industrial and Fl
nancial prosperity unprecedented IL this
| country, and never eqUalled in any other
The pressing reason given for once
again trying the old experiment. of a
revenue tariff without protection as the
motive or end is that the present tariff
has produced and is producing surplus
III the treasury. But it is not easily
within the wisdom of congress to adjust
the national income to the national ex-
| penditare without sacrificing, or even i'm
| perilling the Industrial system which has
brought untold advantages to the entire
country. Admitting that the present
| tariff by the lapse of time and the large
expansion of trade, which it has sting
lated needs revision, is il not wiser and
mora patriotic to revise it with careful
regards to the
| INTERESTS OF PROTECTION
rather than with the purpose of lessen
ing its protective features. These are
some of the questions which must be
answered at the national polls in Novem-
Der. For myself as citizen and as a
candidate, 1 do not hesitate to declare
that from long observation, I am an IN
wavering friend of the protective
system, in my business life now ex-
tended over forty years / have wit
messed and compared the effect upon
the country of the tariff tending to free
trade, with protective tariff encourag-
ing home industries. Under the former
the development Of the country has al
ways been arrested, while under the latter
it has uniformly been promoted. To the
men who earn their living by the sweat
Of their brows, the difference between the
two systems is that of narrowing the
chances on one hand and expanding OPP
portunities on the other. Free trade
would open America to competition with
the whole world. ..Protectionr reserves Amer
lea for Americans, native and adopted
The industrial system of the country is as
sensitive as its public credit. A hostile
movement creates dIstrust on the public
mind and confidence, the only basis of
successful trade, becomes impaired. New
enterprises wither in the bud, capital
grows tinid, the field of labor is COZ
tracted and the pressure for employment
| inevitably reduces the wages OF all work
ingmen. With the views of the conven-
| ton frankly expressed in it's resolutions
upon
OTHER QUEsT1 oNs OF PUBLIC INTEREST
! I find myself in hearty accord. In rela-
ton TO silver and its important bearing
upon the national currency, as we'll as ite
connection with and influence on the
prosperity of a large section of our com
mon country, in its advocacy OF the
| judicious settlement of the public lands
policy, in urging the necessity for better
| coast defences and the duty We owe to
The shipping interests of the country,
the platform but repeats the approved
principles of the republican party. Tn
| republican platform proposes distinctly
an American policy, not one Of narrow
ness and bigotry but one of the broad
and philanth1opic policy that best helps
the whole world by the example of q
great. growing powerful nation, founded
upon the equality of every man before
the law. It is for the American people
to develop and cultivate the continent
to which in the providence of
God they have fallen heir. They should
adopt policy which looks steadily to
this great end, with no spirit of mar
rowness toward other people, but rather,
In the highest interest of all, they should
find under their own flag field of linn
itless advance in the direction Of the
improvement, prosperity and happiness
of man. Very especially yours,
LEVI P. MOTION.
DECLARES FOR ANNEXATION.