Montgomery County sentinel., 1888-06-22
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
HAeERsrowN, June 10th, 1888

| HAGERSToWN, June 10Th, 1883.
Gentlemen Il beg leave to acknowledge
your official communication notifying me o.
my nomination for Congress, and to express
my formal acceptance Of the same. While
as you know the nomination came to me
unsought, yet its unanimity imposes upon
me an obligation which forbids any notion
of declining it, except for the gravest rea-
sons. And now that the Democratic party
of the Republic, after most successful ad
ministration of the affairs of the general gov
ernment by its chosen President has en-
dorsed that ad ministration by the renomi.
nation of Mr. Cleveland, has adopted plat
form of principles consistent and in harmony
with all his acts and utterances during his
first term of office, and has completed the ma
tional ticket by the nomination for Vice.
President of that eminent Democrat of the
old school, Judge Thurman, it will be an easy
matter for every Democrat in the land to
fall into line for the maintenance of our po-
litical supremacy. To this end each one
should consider 1t his bounden duty to as
sumo any position and labor which his party
may assign to him. Believing that the sue
cess of the Democratic party is best for all
parties, it should be our endeavor to place
this district in line with the other Demo-
cratic districts which stand guard about our
National Capital
say that | join in the universal approval
with which our nominations for President
and Vice President have been received and
that l heartily endorse and stand upon
the platform of principles adopted at st.
Louis, especially as anticipated and ex-
pounded by the recent clear and explicit
annual message of President Cleveland
But have no desire TO be indefinite, for
| am impressed with the conviction that the
people Of the land are becoming impatient
OF the double meaning mystery in which
the gravest questions of their public inter
est are kept shrouded. These questions are
getting 10 be more exacting than party
lines aud party discipline cannot prevent
their consideration by intelligent voters.
There is II feeling of unrest among the peo.
pie especially in sections whose interests are
Identical with our own. Lands are depre-
cating in value To an alarming degree. AL
though cultivated with greater care and ex-
pense than ever before, they are less remu
nerative. In the outcry for protection there
has been none for the agriculturst; and for
all his toll there is no system Of taxation
which makes his necessaries of life any
cheaper. The same unrest prevails among
the commercial classes, who have found out
that they are To Il certain extent victims of
a system which shuts them off from many
of the markets of the world, while the min
ing and manufacturing interests are being
convinced that different policy would put
life into their Tagging industries and thus
furnish to the laborer more constant work
at good wages.
Ii is simply trick of the demagogue to
describe the American laborer as mere de-
pendant upon Congressional legislation and
as owing his position and success to the
financial and tariff systems of successive
administrations. The American workman
has made himself and he owes what he has
and is to his own industry, Intelligence and
energy. He is not the creature Uf tribute
nor ought he To be the victim ot taxation.
And while it is one duty OF Congress to re-
leve him wherever taxation presses heavily
upon the necessares ot his life, it should be
its duty also III all legislation affecting his
interests To give him Il fair field and Il fair
chance to get his just share OF the pros
perity his labor may produce. He does not
ask nIore and no party ought 10 succeed
which offers him less.
Every CLASS and industry OF our people
are awakened and on the alert. They are
no longer To be misled by the deceptive
shout Tor protection nor alarmed by the cry
OF Tree trade. There is no question OF pro
hbltOry tariff or no tariff; but there Is II
demand for reasonable reform OF an ex
cessively high and unfair tariff. The peo-
pie know that with the need OF an immense
revenue to run the government there can
be no such thing as tree trade in any party
politics Just as they understand that in
many things the Republican theory OF pro-
lection does not protect. They may be un-
certain and not in harmony Us to the exact
line for tariff reform, but that there is need
of il they are assured and no politician has
the hardihood to deny. The people under
stand for themselves that in whatever shape
it may come or 10y whatever label 1t may be
covered up, excessive taxation and unequal
taxation are obnoxious and lntolerabe.
Whiie some oi the people may be con
fused as to the meaning and purpose oi what
is called revenue. reform or tarllf reform,
they clearly understand that there should
be some reform in taxation, however indi-
rect that taxation may be made AS this is
their government they are willing to sub
scribe all revenue, by taxation, that may be
needed To pay all its expenses under an
honest and economical administration, to
pay the interest on the public debt and Sc
cure the payment OF the principal as IL be-
comes due, tO pay the pensions provided for
by Congress and all the other Obligations
ior which their government is Liable. AT
every outlay beyond this the people may
protest, for when economy wanders into
extravaganza, taxation becomes burden
some and excessive. That it is bufdensome
now all the people feel that it is excessive
is shown by the Treasury record that after
the most liberal expenditure of public mon
ey Tor all manner oi PURPOSES there is sur
Plus of $l25, 100000 in the general lreasu-
nv, with An estimated increase Of $50 ,OOO,0O0
per AMMAN hereafter The question IS not
"what shall we do with this surplus z but
rather "why should we have this surplus =
1t had much better remain in the pockets oi
those from whom it is taken by taxation or
90 into the channels oi legitimate trade
There 1t would be frugally spent for the
needs OF living or Ia promote the business
prosperity Of the people Now, in those
Golfers, it is II standing temptation Tor all
sorts OF schemes Of extravagance and cor
ruption which the ingenuity Of legislators
may suggest to get rid Of it. 1t is but vi
cious rcsiduum of that excessive tariff which
creates and c0niederates excessive wealth
into irresponsible trusts and combinations,
and in other ways fosters and protects mo-
nopolies and the other financial cormorants
who feed upon the toll and life of the cred
ulous wage earntrs.
1t is the policy of the Democratic party
to dea! fairy and justly with all classes
Fair and equal laws fair and equal taxa
tiop, 0 tariff fair and just to all men, alike
protective of all and the least burdensQme
TO all, and IL fair and equal Chance in lile to
procure the necessaries of life and To SECURE
all the prosperity which industry and talent
may achieve this should be the policy OF
all parties nd the aim Of all good govern
ment Comparing its record in this direc-
ton, during the present administration,
with the record of the Republican preceding
administrations, the Democratic party may
confidently appeal to the people and put
itself upon its country.
! HY KYD DOUGLAS.
/ To Messrs j. N Willison, g. S. Hamill, N.
Cramer, Edward Wootton, George NJ.
| Stonebraker, Committee.