Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-09-12
CLEVELAND'S ACCEPTANCE.
A VERY ABLE PAPER.
TAXATION THE GREAT ISSUE.
DOES NOT MEAN FREE
TRADE,
NEEDS OF LABOR RECOGNIZED.

REDUCTION DOES NOT MEAN FREE
i TRADE.
NEEDS OF LABOR RECOGNIZED.
| WASHINGTON, Sept. s, l8SS.-Hon. Patrick A
Collins and others. committee, &c.-Gentie
men: In addressing to you my formal accep
lance OF the nomination to the presidency o
the United States, my thoughts persistentiy
dwell upon the impressive relation of such ac
is thus invited. and to the political party tt
Il which belong, just entering upon confess
Il for continued supremacy.
| The world does not afford spectacle more
sublime than Is furnished when millions o.
free and intelligent American ,tizens select
their Chief Magistrate, and bid one of theil
number to find the highest earthly honor and
the full measure Of public duty In ready SUD-
mission to their will.
can never forget that when the turmoil and
the strife which attend the selection of Its in
cumbent shall be heard no more, there must
| be in the quiet calm which follows complete
and solemn self consecration by the peoples
| chosen President of every faculty and endeavor
| to the service of connding and generous ma
| ton of freemen.
These thoughts are intensified by the light OF
my experience in the presidential office, which
sponsibilities which it imposes, while it has
| qutckened my love for American institutions,
| and taught me the priceless value Of the trust
| 1t is of the highest Importance that those
who administer our government should jeal-
| ously protect and maintain the rights of Amer
lean citizens at home and abroad, and should
l.strive to achieve for our country her proper
place among the nations of the earth; but there
and whose numerous objects of domestic con-
Germ deserve SO much watcnfuness and care.
HOME INTERESTS THAT DEMAND CARE.
Among these are the regulation of a sound
| financial system suited to our needs. thus Sc
curing an efficient agency of national wealth
and general prosperity; the construction and
equipment OF means of defense to insure our
| national safety and maintain the honor be-
meath which such national safety reposes; the
protection of our national domain. still
stretching beyond the needs of century's ex-
pansion, and its preservation for the settler
and the pioneer of our marvellous growth; a
sensible and sincere recognition of the value
of American labor, leading to the scrupulous
care and just appreciation or the interests OF
our workingmen; the limitation and checking
of such monopOlistic tendencies and schemes
| as interfere with the advantages and benefits
which the people may rightly claim; gener-
Gus regard and care for our surviving soldiers
and sailors and for the widows and orphans of
such as have died, to the END that while the
appreciation of their services and sacrifices Is
quick ened, the application of their pension
| fund to improper cases may be prevented; pro-
| injuriousiy completes with our laboring men in
the field of toll, and adds to our population an
element ignorant of our institutions and laws.
| impossible of assimilation with our people and
dangerous to our peace and welfare; a strict
and steadfast adherence to the principles OF
| civil service reform and thorough execution
| of the laws passed for their enforcement, thus
permitting to our people the advantages of
business methods in the operation of their gov.
| eminent: the guaranty to our colored citizens
of all their rights of citizenship, and their just
recognition and encouragement i'll all things
pertaining to that relation; firm, patient and
humane Indian policy, so that in Ee iceful reia-
lions with the government the civilization of
the Indian may be promoted, with resulting
quiet and safety to the settlers on our frontiers,
and the curtaIlment of public expense by the
N trQduCtiOQ economical
department of the government
THE ST. LOUIS PLATFORM INDoRsEp
The pledges contained in the platform adopt
ed by the late convention OF the national de-
mocracy lead to the advancement OF these OBJ
jects and insure good government-the aspira-
ton of every true America citizen. and the
motive for every patriotic action and effort,
In the consciousness that much has been done
in the direction of good government by the
present administration, and submitting its re-
cord to the fair inspection of my countrymen,
I indorse the platform thus presented with
the determination that, II am again called to
the chief magstracy, there shall be a continu-
ance of devoted endeavor to advance the inter-
ests of the entire country.
THE QUESTION OF TAXATION.
Our scale of federal taxation and It's conse-
quences largely engross at this time the atten.
lion of our citizens, and the people are soberly
considering the necessity of measures OF relief.
Our government is the creation OF the people,
established to carry out their designs and ac-
| complish their good, 1t was founded on justice,
and was made Tor a free, intelligent and virtu-
ogs people. 1t is only useful when within their
control, and only serves them well when regu-
lated and guided by their constant touch. 1t
is a free govern IN ent because il guarantees to
every American citizen the unrestricted per-
sonal use and enjoyment of all the reward of
his toll and of all his income, except what may
be his fair contribution to necessary public ex-
pense. Therefore 1t is not only the right. but
the duty of free people In the enforcement Of
this guaranty, to insist that such expense
should be strictly limited to the actual public
needs. 1t seems perfectly clear that when the
maintained by the people to do their bidding.
turns upon them, and through an utter perver-
sion of its powers EFFORTS from their labor and
capital tribute largely in excess of public ne.
creator and the masters are robbed by their
servants.
ABURDEN ON EVERYBODY.
The cost of the government must continue to
be met by tariff duties collected at our custom
houses upon imported goods. and by internal
revenue taxes assessed upon spirituUuS and
malt liquors, tobacco and oleomargarine. I
suppose 1t is needless to explain that all these
duties and assessments are added to the price
of the articles upon which they are levied, and
thus become tax upon all those who buy
these articles for use and consumption. sup.
pose. TOO, it is well understood that the effect
of this tariff taxation is not limited to the con-
sumers OF imported articles. but that the duties
imposed upon such articles permit CORES.
ponding increase in price to be laid upon do
nestle productions of the same hind, which
increase paid by all our people as consumers
of home productions and entering every
American home, constitutes q form of taxation
as certain and as inevitable though tie
amount was annually paid into the hand OF
the tax gatherer.
THE RESULTS OF THE PLAN.
These results are inseparable from the plan
we have adopted for the collection of our rev.
en9e by tariff duties. They are not mentioned
| to discredit the system but by way OF preface
| to the statement that every million of dollars
collected at our custom houses for duties upon
imported articles and paid into the public
| represents millions
which, though never reaching the national
| treasury, are paid by our citizens as the in.
creased cost of domestic productions resulting
| from our tariff laws.
UNNECEsSARY AND UNJUST.
In these circumstances, and in view of this
necessary effect of the operation of orr plan for
raising revenue. the absolute duty of limiting
the rate Of tariff charges to his necessities of
| frugal and economical administration of the
| government seems to be perfectly plain. The
continuance, upon pretext of meeting public
ex penditures, of such scale of tariff taxation
| as draws from the substance of the people q
sum largely In excess of public needs is surely
something which, under government based
| upon justice, and which finds its strength and
| usefulness In the faith and trust OF the people,
ought not TO be tolerated.
While the heaviest burdens incident to the
necessities oil the government are uncom plain
| ingly borne, light burdens become grievous
| and intoerable when not Justified by such
necessities
Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
| THAT ENORMOUS SURPLUS.
| And yet this is our condition. We are an
nually collecting at our custom houses and by
means Of our internal revenue taxation many
| millions in excess of all legitimate public
needs. As consequence there now renal ms
| in the natioDsl treasury a surplus of more than
one hundred and thirty millions of dollars.
No better evidence could be furnished that
! the people are exOrbitantly taxed. The extent
of the surperfuOus burden indicated by this
surplus will be- better appreciated When it Is
suggested that such surplus alone represents
| taxation aegregating more than one hundred
| and eight million dollars in a county contain
ing fifty million Inhabitants.
TAXATION DIRECT AND INDIRECT.
| ganzed government the hardest to reconcile
with the peoples idea of freedom and bappi
| ness. When presented in a direct form nothing
will arouse popular discomfort more quickly
| and profoundly than unjust and unneces sary
| taxation. Our farmers, mechanics, lab0rers
| and all our citizens closely scan ths slightest
| increase In the taxes assessed upon their lands
| and other property, and demand good reasons
| for such increase. And yet they seem to be
| expected, in some quar- tiers, to regard the I'M
| necessary volume of 1nsidOus and indirect
| taxation visited upon them by our present rate
| OF tariff duties with Indifference, II not with
| favor.
| DRAWN FROM THE CHANNELS OF TRADE.
| The surplus revenue now remaining in the
| treasury not only furnishes conclusive proof OF
separate and independent menace to the pros
perity OF the people, This vast accumulation
| OF idle funds represents that much money
drawn from the circulating medium of the
| country which is needed in the Channels o.
| trade and business.