The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-18
Thurman's Letter of Accept.
anCe.

The following is Judge Thurman's
sitter of Acceptance
COLUMBUS, O., Oct. II, 1855
Ion. Patrick A. Collins and others,
Committee -
GENTLEMEN: In obedience to GUS
ON, 1 send you this formal acceptance
# my nomination for the Office OF Vice
President of the United States. made
" 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 conven-
ton and stated that although I had
not sought the nomination.. did not
feel at liberty under the circumstances
to decline it. thought then IA still
think, that whatever I could properly
do to promote the reelection of Presi-
dent Cleveland / ought to do. His
has been marked by
such integrity, good sense. manly
courage and exalted patriotism that
lust appreciation of these high quail
ties seems to call for his re election. I
am also strongly impressed with the
belief that his reelection would pow
erfully tend to strengthen that feeling
of fraternity among the American,
people that is so essential to their well
fare, peace and happiness, and 70 the
perpetuity of the Union and of our
free institutions.
| I approve the platform Of the St.
Louis convention. and l cannot too
strongly express my dissent from the
heretical teachings of the monopo'tsts
that the welfare of a people can be pro
NOTED by a system of exOrbitant taxa
ton far in excess of the wants OF the
government. The idea that q people
can be enriched by heavy and unnec
essary taxation, that q mans condition
can be improved by taxing him on all
he wears, on all his wife and children
wear, on ali his tools and implement {
of indusl, y, is an obvious absurdity.
To fill the vaull of the tire: sury with
an idle SUI plus for which the govern
ment has no legi innate use, and te
thereby deprive the people ofcuriency
needed for their business and theil
daily wants, and to create q powerful
and dangerous stim, us to extrava
gance and corruption III the expendi
lures of the government, seems to M
to be a policy at variance with every
sound principle of government ant
political economy.
The necessity of reducing taxation
to prevent such an accumulation o
lsurplus revenue and the copsequen
depletion of the circulating medium i
so apparent that no party dares to den!
lit; but when we come to consider tn
modes by which the reduction may b
made we find q wide altagOnism be
tween our party and The monopolisti
leaders of our political opponents.
We seek to reduce taxes on the ne
cessities of life; our opponents seek t
increase them. We say give to tn
masses of the people cheap aud goo,
clothing, cheap blank cts, cheap tool
and cheap lumber. The Republican
by their platform, and their leaders ii
the Senate by their proposed bill, say
} increase the tax on clothing and blan
} kets and thereby increa> e their cost
maintain high duty on the tools q
the farmer and mechanic and upon tn
lumber which they need for the con
, structiOn of their modest DIV ,ltI"gs
shops and barns, and thereby preven
f their obtaining the necesssries at
q reasonable prices.
a Can any sensible man doubt as I
where he should stand in this cOntrt
versy? Can any we'll informed ma
be deceived by the false pretense thi
system SO unree sOnable and unJui
is for the benefit of laboring men
Much is said about competition I
r American laborers with the paups
: labor OF Europe !; but does not ever
man who looks around him see an
know that an immense majority Of tE
Iiaborers in America are not engage
in what are called the protected IL
dustries /? And as to those who 81
employed in such industries, is it M
undenjable that the duties proposed b
the Democratic measure called tt
Mills bill far exceed the difference b
tween American and Enropean wage
/. and that, therefore, if it were admitte
that our working men can be protectt
= by tariffs against cheaper labor, the
: would be fully protected, and moi
Q than protected, by that bill :? DO'
0 not every well.informed man kDo
Q the increase in price of home man,
9 factures produced by q high tariff do'
Q not 60 into the pockets OF the laborin
e men, but only tends to swell the prot
8 of others? 1t seems to me that if th
y policy of the Democratic party
= plainly presented all must understan
D that we seek to make the cost oflivin
Q less, and at the ga me time increase tt
Q share of the Iaboring man In the bel
% sfits of national prosperity and growtl
70 lam. very respectfully, your obed
ent servant.
d ALLEN G. THURMAN.
q
II AN exchange says there is less bi
terness and acri mony in the presel