The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-19
HARRISON'S ADROIT LETTER
DIssscTeD BY MAURICE THOMPSON.
The Republican Candidate Trying to Throw
Dust in the Eyes of the People-He Blows
Hot and Cold on Great Moral Is
sue-A Pettifogging Document.

To THE EDIToR-Sir: On Feb. Z, 1874,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in an address at
Boston, said that wherf men are "legis-
lating for the area betwixt two oceans, be-
twixt the SHOWS and the tropics, some
what of the grandeur of nature will infuse
itself into the code" That was very
courageous prophesy, and one that was
well-founded, apparently, forty-four
years ago. How much OF it has been full
filed is for the people to consider. We
have just been bordering over letter
meant to influence the thought and to
satisfy the conscience of the 100000 of
people on this 'area betwixt two oceans,
betwixt the SHOWS and the tropics, and
it is we'll for us to inquire whether ''some-
what of the grandeur of nature" has in
spired the hand that wrote it. A man
who asks the people to make him presi-
dent over this mighty country should not
be merely clever or adroit; he should
have somewhat of the grandeur of nature
in him. Mr. Harrison has written and
published letter OF acceptance by which,
presumably, he is willing TO be measured
publicly, justly, unsparingly. VIII he
and his friends consider the CRITICS m OF
citizen? II so. | will inquire:
/. What manner OF utterance and what
substance should benefit a well consid-
cred presidential letter of acceptance?
Should the utterance be equivocal or
involved? Should the substance be dis
guised? We hear of adroitness in the
phrasing of this letter and we are asked to
admire the art with which its sentences
are so turned as to make direct interpreta-
ton impossible; but it is to be hoped that
the people will apply a better test than
that for the discovery OF cleverness and
cunning.
Is Mr.. Harrison's letter an open, manly,
direct, unequivocal statement of any
political or governmental policy? Was
that letter meant to light up the subjects
about which the people are inquiring, or
was it deity fashioned to beclOud the
public mind and TO obscure questions OF
highest importance?
THE TARIFF.
What policy of taxation does Mr.. Har-
rison propose? One sentence is clear,
strong. unmistakable: ''The republican
/ party holds that a protective tariff is con-
| stitutional, wholesome and necessary"
/ What about the growing surplus in the
/ treasury? Not a word for relief. He sug-
gests that he would be in favor OF
a revision OF taxation but he adroitly re-
/ fuses to say upon what articles he would
/ make a reduction. We have no manly,
/ purposeful assertion of his right to speak
/ for himself as 4 free American citizen i'm
] PEELED bv the courage OF honest convic-
/ ton. We know how clearly be could
have spoken ifhe had wished to be clearly
/ understood. The Mills bill and President
/ Cleveland's message declare for the free
/ importation of wool. and the democratic
/ national platform adopts the same. Was
/ 1t outright and courageous for Mr.. Harr-
| son TO evade this point and content him
/ self with adroit generalities? The people
/ of Indiana know honesty OF statement
/ and they are not likely to be satisfied with
/ a lawyers plea when they ask for can
4 did expression of political policy. Who
/ can find out from Mr.. Harrison's letter
! whether or not he is in favor of free wool,
i free salt or free lumber? Ii he favors a
/ reduction of the treasury surplus, how
/ Will he reduce it? The people expected
| that he would tell them; but he cleverly
I SHE'D away from the responsibility. He
makes use OF the elegant phrase ''intelli-
! gent provision" but he fails to note for us
what this provision discovers. Does il
/ discover the propriety of reducing the tax
on necessary things and keeping it up on
/ unnecessary things? Is he opposed to
/ stopping at once the unnecessary accumu-
/ lation OF the peoples money in the treas
i ury of the government? He winks at his
/ party leaders and saws: Il am" but he
/ beclouds with doubt every sentence of his
/ letter pertaining to this subject.
CHINESE IMMIGRATION.
MIR Harrison is less adrOit when he
comes to speak OF Chinese immigration.
| Evidently he felt goaded and was over
/ anxious here. He fOrgets literary expert
ness momentarily and refers to his con
1 gressional record. The law now in force
! prohibiting such imported foreign labor
/ contracts received my cordial support in
the senate, he hastens to remark, but it
will be noted that he does not refer to
some fourteen other votes which were
cast by him in favor of Chinese immigra-
ton. Mr.. Harrison may hope that the
people OF Indiana will fail to observe
this evasion, but if he will
I recall their exceeding intelligence when
choosing between him and good old Farm
er Williams, he will cast the hope aside.
1t is to be presumed that Mr.. Harrison
has forgotten "Uncle Jimmy Williams
and the greenbackers," but the people re-
| member.
THE PROTECTION OF LABOR.
/ MI. II arfl5On nad an excellent ODpOr-
tunity to frame his letter so as to make
himself understood by laboring people
He lives within a few squares of the spot
where little while ago large body Of
earnest and intelligent railroad working
men were struggling for better wages. He
has clear recollections of certain matters
connected with that struggle. He is not
a stranger TO the labor question, for he
has long been a railroad LAWYER
and has advised corporations in
their difficulties with employees. Now
why did he nimbly evade the
subject? Was he simply exhibiting his
cleverness, or was he avoiding 4 heavy
responsibility and an urgent duty to his
conscience and the people? We may
tolerate petty smartness in ward poll
ticians and street-cOrner takers, but the
people look for a liberaity a breadth and
a sincerity unquestionable in the public
utterances OF a candidate for their highest
gift. Mr.. Harrison may have made litera.
ture, IN one sense. when he cunningy
wrote: "The effect OF lower rates iof taxa
tom and larger importations upon the
public revenue is contingent and doubt
full" but he made no record of sincerity
and outright dealing with the people
What does he mean? Does he mean tina
1t is doubtful whether q lower rate o
taxation would decrease the revenue
What contingency does he refer to? II,
SAYS: 'The fact of a treasury surplus, th,
amount of which is variously stated
hes directed public attention t,
consideration of the method
by which the national income
may be reduced TO the level OF wise anC