The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-10-23

II The CaoinS Of tie Ptvtectonits Brdfy
Pihted Om-.ipproceS tie St Loui~ PaT1r0t.
CoIUMBrs, O., Oct. II, lsss.
lion. Ptrich Il. collins and others, COM
miHee:
GENTLEMEN: In obedience to custom,
| send YOU this formal acceptance of my
nomination fer the office of Vice PreSi-
dent Of the United States, made by the
National Convention Of the Democratic
party at It. Louis.
ACCEPTANCE APAETY DUTY.
When YOU did me the honor to cali
upon me at Columbus and officially mott
ty me OF my nomination, | expressed to
YOU my sense of obligation to the con-
vention, and stated that, although | had
not sought the nomination, I 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 patriot
ism, that Just appreciation of those high
qualities seems to call for his reelection
sEcTIoNNIsM's DEATH-KNELI.
am also strongly impressed with the
belief that his reelection would power
fully tend to strengthen that feeling Of
fraternity 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 stongl y cN-
press my dissent from the heretical teach
ings of monopolists that the welfare of
the people can be promoted by a system
of exorbitant taxation far in excess of the
wants of the government.
AN OBVIOUS AB>URDITY.
The idea that the people can be en-
riched by heavy and unnecessary taxa
ton, that a mans condition can be I'M
proved by taxing him on all he wears, on
ali his wife aud children wear, on all Bis
tools and implements OF industry, is an
obvious ab>urditv.
70 fill the vaults Of the treasury with
an idle surplus for which the government
has no legitimate use. and to thereby de-
prive the people of our currency needed
for their business and daily wants. and to
create powerful and dangcrou, >timu-
lus to extravaganza and corruption in the
expenditures of the government, SceIn, to
me to be policy at variance with every
sound principle of government and OF
political economy.
REDUCTION OF TAXATION.
The necessity OF reducing taxation to
prevent such an accumulation of the sur
plus revenue and the consequent deple-
&c 1
parent that no party dareS to deny it ;
but when We come to consider the modes
by which the reduction may be made, We
find wide antagonlsm between our party
and the monopoIistic leaders Of our poiti-
cal opponents.
We seek to reduce taxes upon the ne
cessaries OF lite, our opponents seek to
increase them. We say, give to the mass
es Of the people cheap and good cloth
ing, cheap blankets, cheap tools and cheap
lumber. The Republicans, by their plat
form and their leaders in the Senate, by
their proposed bill, say increase the taxes
on clothing and blankets and thereby in
crease their cost, maintain a high duty on
the tools Of the farmer and mechanic, and
upon the lumber which they need for the
construction of their modest dwellings,
shops and barns, and thereby prevent
their obtaining these necessaries at rca-
sonable prices.
80 ROOM FOR DOUBT
Can any sensible man doubt as to
where he should stand in this contro-
versy?
Can any well informed man be deceived
by the false pretense that a system 50 I'M
reasonable and unjust Is for the benefit of
the laboring men:
Much Is said about the competition 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
of America are not engaged in what
are called the protected industries and
as to those who are employed in such
industries, is it not undeniable that
the duties proposed by the Demo
cratic measure called the Mills bill far
exceed the difference between American
and European wages, and that, there
tore, II 1t We're admitted that our work
lngmen can be protected by tariffs against
cheaper labor, they would be fully pro-
tected, and more than protected, by that
bill:
WHERE THE PROFIT GOES.
Does not every well-informed man
know that the increase in the price of
home manufactures produced by the high
tariff does not 90 into the pockets of the
laboring men, but only tends to swell the
profits of others.
1t seems to me that if the policy of the
Democratic party is plainly presented, all