Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-19

COLUMBUS. Ohio, Oct. 1.-THE follow
ing is Judge Thurman's letter of accept
ance:
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct 10 lSSS.
Hon. Patrick Il. Collins and Others Com
mtttCC.
Gentlemen In obedience to custom |
send you this formal acceptance of my
nomination for the office of vice-presdent
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, | expressed
to you my sense of obligation to the con
vention, and stated that although l bad
not sought the nomination | did not feel
at liberty under the circumstances to de
cline it. thought then, as | still think,
that whatever could properly do to pro
mote the reelection of President Cleve-
land ought to do. His administration
has been marked by such integrity, good
sense, manly courage and exalted pa
triotism that just appreciation
of these high qualities seems to call for
his reelection | anu also strongly i'm
pressed with the belief his re election
would powerfully strengthen the feeling
of fraternity among the American people,
that is so essential TO their welfare, peace
and happiness, and to the prosperity of the
Union and of our free institutions
| approve the platform of the st. Louis
convention and cannot too strongly eX
press my dissent from the heretical teach
ings of monopolists that the welfare of
people can be promoted by system of eX
orbitant taxation far in excess of the wants
people can be enriched by heavy and I'M
necessary taxation, that a mans condition
can be improved by taxing him on all he
wears, on all his wife and children wear,
on all his tools and implements of indus
try, is an obvious absurdity To fill the
G M 10
plus for which the government has no
legitimate use, and to thereby deprive the
people of currency needed for their bust
ness and daily wants, and to create a
powerful and dangerous stimulus to ex
tr8vagance and corruption ia the eXpendi-
lures of the government seems to me to be
policy at variance with every sound
principle of government and of political
economy.
The necessity of reducing taxation to
prevent such an accumulation of surplus
revenue and the consequent depletion of
the circulating medium is so apparent
that no party dares to deny it, but when
we consider modes by which the reduction
may be made, we find wide antagonism
between our party and the monopolistc
leaders of our political opponents We
seek to reduce taxes upon the necessaries
OF LIE, our opponents seek to increase
them. We say give TO the masses of the
people cheap and good clothing,
cheap blankets, cheap tools, cheap
lumber. The republicans nv their plat
form and their leaders in the Senate
by their proposed bill, say increase the
taxes on clothing aud blankets and there
by increase their cost, maintain high
duty on the tools of farmer and mechanics
and NDon the lumber which they need for
the construction of their modest dwell
lings, shops andfbarns, and thereby pre-
vent their obtaining these necessaries at
reasonable prices. Can any sensible man
doubt as to where he should stand in this
controversy, Can Sny we'll Informed man
be deceived by false pretense that system
SO unreasonable and unjust is for the ben
EFT of the laboring men?
Much Is said about the competi-
ton of American 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 i'll America are not engaged
in what are called the protected indus
tries And as to those who are employed
IN such Industries, is it not undenia ole
that the duties proposed by the demo-
cratic measure called the Mills bill far eX-
coed the difference between American and
European wages, and that therefore, Il it
were admitted that our workingmen can
be protected by the tariff against cheaper
labor they would be fully protected and
not every well informed man know
that the increase in the price of
home manufactures produced by the high
tariff does not go into the pockets of the
laboring man, but only tends to swell the
profits of others2
1t seems to me if the policy of the demo-
cratic party is plainly presented ali must
understand that we seek to make the cost
OF lying less, and at the same time in
crease the share of the labOring man in
tbs benefits of national prosperity and
growth. | am very respectfully your obe-
dent servant, ALLEN G.. THURMAN.