The state chronicle., 1888-10-19
THE OLD ROMAN
Writes the Shortest Letter of Acceptance
Record.


Hon PATRICK A. COLLINS AND OTHERS,
| COMMITTEES:
| GENTLEMEN: in obedience to custom,
send .'u this formal acceptance of my
nomina' IN for the office of Vice President
of the .ited 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, l expressed to you my
sense of obligation to the convention, and
stated that, although l had not sought
the nomination, did not feel at liberty,
under the circumstances, to decline it.
thought then AS | still think, that what
| ever could properly do to promote the
| re election Of President Cleveland ought
10 do. His administration has been mark
ed by such integrity, good sense, manly
courage and exalted patriotism that lust
| appreciation of these high qualities seem
to call for his re election
| am also strongly impressed with the
belief that his re election would powerful
iy tend to strengthen that feeling of fra
ter llty among the American people that
| is so essential to their welfare, peace and
| happiness, and to the perpetuity 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
Of the people can be promoted by system
of e1orbitant taxation far in excess of the
| wants of the government
The idea that people can be enriched by
heavy and unnecessary taxation, that
mans condition can be improved by tax
ing him on all he wears, on all his wife
and children wear, on all his tools and
implements Of industry, is an obvious alb
surdity To fill the vaults of the treasury
with an idle surplus, for which the gov
ernmeut has no legitimate use, and to
thereby deprive the people of our currency
| needed for their business and daily wants
and to create a powerful and dangerous
stimulus to extravaganza and corruption
in the expenditures of the government.
seems TO me to be policy at variance with
every sound principle Of government and
Oh 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 come to consider the modes by which
reduction may be made, we find wide an
tagonlsm between our party and the mo-
| nOpOlistic leaders of our political oppo-
neceSsaries of life; our opponents seek to
increase them.
We say, give to the masses of the people
cheap and good clothing, cheap blankets,
cheap tools and cheaper lumber. The Re-
! pubicans, by the platform, and their lead
ers in the Senate by their proposed bill,
say increase taxes on clothing and blankets
and thereby increase their cost, maintain
| a high duty on tue tools of the farmer and
mechanic and upon the lumber which they
need for the construction of the modest
| dwellings, shops and barns. and thereby
| prevent their obtaining these necessaries
| at reasonable prices
Ca" any sensible man doubt as to where
b. should stand in this controversy? Can
any we'll Informed man be deceived by the
! false pretenSe that system so unreason-
! able and un ust is for the benefit of the
| liz abOring men?
Much is said about competition of
! American labOrers with the pauper labor
! of Europe; but does not every man who
! looks around him see and know that the
/ immense majority of iaoorers in America
are not engaged in what are called the
| pIote ;ted induStrie>2 And as to those who
are employed in such industries, is it not
undeniable that the duties proposed by
| the Democratic measure, called the Mills
| American and European wages, and that
therefore, if it were admitted that our
workingmen can be protected by tariffs
against cheaper labor, they would be pro-
tected, more than protected. by thai bill?
Does 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 labor
ing men, but only tends to swell the
profits of others2
1t S. ems to me that if the policy of the
Democratic party is plainly presented, all
must understand that we seek to make
the cost of living less, and at the same
time increase the share of the laboring
man in the benefits of national prosperity
and growth.
l am very respectfully your obedient
servant, ALLEN &. THURMAN.