The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-09-15
Formally Accepted.
The Letter That Was Looked
for Has Arrived.
MR.. OLEVELAND'S LETTER IN FULL


Tariff Question and an Argument In Fa'
var Of Lower Duties-An lndorse"e" "'
the ~. Louis Platform-The surplus ana
Labor Questions Considerable Policy
Standardization Criticised.
WASHINGTON CITY, Sept iO.-The follow
i,p il the full text of President Cleveland's
Letter of acceptance. II is dated at Wash
ington. Sept 3, 1888, and addressed to Hon,
Patrick A. Collins and others, COMMITTEES:
GENTLEMEN: In addressing to you my formal
acceptance of the nomination 10 the presidency
of the United States. my thoughts persistently
dwell upon the impressive relation OF such actloh
20 the American people. whose confidence u thus
invited and To the political party TO when be,
long, Just entering upon contest Tor cohtihu u
supremacy The world does not afford spec
tacle more sublime than Is furnished when null
ions of free and intelligent American citizens 80
lect their chief magistrate and bid one OF their
number TO find the highest earthly honor and ths
full measure OF public duty In ready submission
TO their will.
IL follows that a candidate for this high Office
can never forget that when the turmoil ana the
strife which attend the selection or It's incumbent
shall be heard no more, there must be III the
quiet calm which follows complete aud solemn
sef-consecration by the peoples chosen president
conffding and generous nation Of freemen These
thoughts are int nsified by the light Of my exTe'
rience In the presidential Office which has sober
ly impressed me with the severe Responsibilities
which IL imposes while IL has quickened my love
for American institutions and taught me the
priceless value of the trust OF my coutrymen
IL IL of the highest Importance that those who
administer our government should jealousy pro-
tect and maintain the rights Of American citi
nd nhroa and shp,IlN strive To
achieve for our country her proper place among
the nations OF the earth; but there IL no people
whose home interests so great, ana whose
numerous objects Of domestic concern deserve 30
much watchfuness and care. Among these are
the regulation OF n sound financial system suited
10 our needs. thus securing an efficient agency OF
national wealth and general prosperity the con
struction 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
beyond the needs Z, a Cot turys expansion and
its preservat IN for the settler and the pioneer OF
our marvellous growth: sensible aud sincere
recognition OF the value of American labor lead
ing to the scrupulous care and just appreciation
Of the interests Of our workingmen; the liInita-
ton and checking OF such monopOiistic tendencies
and schemes as interfere with the advantages and
benefits which the people may rightly claim;
generous regard and care for our surviving sol
diers and sailors and for the widows and orphans
OF such as have died. to the end that while the ap-
probation OF their services and sacrifices IL quick
ened the application Of their pension fund 10 i'm
proper cases may be prevented; protection
against serve immigration which injurio'isly
completes with our laborng men In the field Of toll.
and adds TO our population an element ignorant
Of our institutions and laws, impossible OF assim'
iation with our people. and dangerous to our
peace and welfare; strict and steadfasT adher-
ance TO the principles Of civil service reform. and
a thorough execution Of the laws passed for their
enforcement thus permitting to our people the
advantages of business methods In the operation
Of their government the guaranty to our coored
citizens Of all their rights Of citizenship, and their
Just recognition and encouragement In all things
pertaining to that relation; a firm, patient, and
humane Indian policy. NO that In peaceful rela- |
tions with the government the civilization Of the
Indian may be promoted, with resulting quiet and
safety to the settlers on our frontiers; and the !
curtailment Of public expense by the introduction
Of economical methods In every department OF
he government.
The pledges contained in the platform adopted
~ the late convention of tho national Democ-
acy lead TO the advancement OF these objects,
md insure good government-the aspiration Of
very true American citizen and the motive for |
every patriotic action and effort. In the con- |
seriousness that much has been done In the direc- |
ton OF good government by the present admins |
tration and submitting its record to the fair in
spection Of my countrymen, ndorse the plat !
form thus presented with the determination that, |
II am again called to the chief magistracy,
there shall be u continuance OF devoted endeavor
TO advance the interests Of the entire country.
Our scale Of federal taxes and its consequences
largely engross at this time the attention Of our
citizens, and the people are soberly considering
the necessity Of measures Of relief Our gov.
eminent IL the creation OF the people established
TO carry out their designs and accomplish their
good. It was I bundled on justice, and was made
for a free, intelligent end vrtuous people 1t IL
only useful when within their control, and only
serves them well when regulated and guided by
their constant touch IL IL a free government
because 1t guarantees to every American citizen
the unrestricted personal use and enjoyment Of
all the reward o. his toll. and Of all his income,
except what may be his fair contribution to nee
essary public expense. Therefore It IL not only
the right hut the duty Of free people, in the
enforcement OF this guaranty, TO insist that such
expense should be strictly limited to the actual
public needs II seems perfectly clear that when
the governmental this fundamentally created
and maintained by the people to do their bid.
ding-turDs upon them and, through an utter
perverson Of its powers, EFFORTS from their labor
and capital tribute largely In excess Of public
necessities the creature has rebelled against the
creator and the masters are rODDed by their Sery
ants.
The cost Of the government must continue TO
be met by tariff duties collected at our custom
houses upon imported goods and by int rnal rev.
enue taxes assessed upon spurious and malt
liquors, tobacco and oeomargarine. suppose IL
is needless to explain that all these duties and az
sessments added to the price of the articles
upon which they are levied, and thus become u
tax upon all those who buy these articles for use
and consumption. suppose, too, II is well un.
dersto0d that the effect OF this tariff taxation Is
not limited 10 the consumers OF imported articles
but that the duties imposed upon such articles
permit a corresponding increase In price TO be
laid upon domestic productions Of the same kind;
which increase, paid by all our people as con.
sumer Of home productions and entering every
American home, constitutes a form of taxation ~
certain, rs inevitable az though the amount was
annually paid into the hand Of the taxgatherer
These results are inseperable from the plan we
have adopted for the collection of our revenue by
tariff duties They are not mentioned to discredit
the system, but by way Of preface to tho state
ment that every million Of dollars collected at
our custom houses for duties upon imported arti.
cles ard paid into the public treasury represent
many millions more which, though never reach.
ing the national treasury, are paid by citizens
a. the increased cost Of domestic productions re
stlting from our tariff laws.
In these circumstances and In view of this
necessary effect Of the operation of our plan for
raising revenue, the absolute duty Of limiting the
rate Of tariff charges to the necessities Of a fru-
gal and economical ADMINISTRATION Of the govern
IN. ha I.l,