Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-19
THURMAN'S LETTER
Accepting the Vice Presidential Nomi.
nation.
A Brief but Pointed EpIstic.

COLUMBUS, o., Oct. Ia.
| Hon. Patrick A. Collins and others, COM
mittee: Gentlemen In obedience TO Gus
tom send you this formal acceptance OF
my nomination for the office OF vice presi-
dent Of the United 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. / expressed to you my
sense Of obligation 10 the convention, ODD
stated although had not sought the nomi-
nation did not feel at liberty, under the
circumstances, to decline it. i thought
then, as i still think, that whatever could
properly do TO promote the re election OF
President Cleveland | ought 10 do. His
administration has been marked by such
integrity, good sense manly courage and
exalted patriotism that just appreciation
Of these high qualities seems TO call for his
reelection.
/ am also strongly impressed with the be-
lief that his reelection would powerfully
tend TO strengthen that feeling Of fraternity
among the American people that IL so es-
sential TO their welfare, peace and happi-
ness, and to the perpetuity of the union and
of our free institutions.
i approve the platform Of the st. Louis
convention and / cannot too strongly eX
press 10Y dissent from the heretical teach
ings of the monopolists that the welfare OF
a people can be promoted by a system OF
exorbitant taxation far in advance of the
wants of the government.
The idea that a people can be enriched by
heavy and unnecessary taxation, that
mans condition can be improved by taxing
him on all he wears, on all his wife and
children wear. is obvious absurdity.
To fill the vaults of the treasury with an
idle surplus for which the government has
no legitimate use, and to thereby deprive
the people of currency needed for their
business and daily wants, and TO create
powerful stimulus to extravaganza and cor
ruption in the expenditures of the govern
ment seems 10 me TO be a policy at variance
with every sound principle of government
and Of political economy.
The necessity of reducing taxation TO
prevent an accumulation Of surplus revenue
and the consequent depletion Of the circulat-
ing medium is so apparent that no party
dares 10 deny il: but when we come TO con-
slider the mo.es by which the reduction
may be made we find a wide antagonism be-
tween our party and the monopolistic lead
ers OF our political opponents.
We seek to reduce taxes upon the neces
aries OF life; our opponents u y TO increase
them. We say, give to the masses of the
| people good and cheap clothing, cheap tools
and cheap lumber. The republicans by
| their platform and by their leaders in the
senate, by their proposed bill, say increase
| the taxes on clothing and blankets and
| thereby increase their cost, maintain high
| uu1y on the lOOIS Oh the ana HeCfldn-
| ic 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 reasonable
prices.
| Can any sensible man doubt as TO where
| he should stand in this controversy! Can
any well informed man be deceived by the
| false pretense that a system so unreasona-
! BILE and un. ust is for the benefit of labor
! ing nleni
Much is said about competition of Ameri-
can laborers with the pauper labor of Eu-
| rope: but does not every man who looks
around him see and know that an immense
majority of the laborers in America are not
engaged in what are ca led the pro. ected
! industries. And as TO those who are en-
ployed in such indus .ries, is it not undenia-
bic that the du los proposed by the demo-
cratic measure called TIE Mills bill far ex-
coed the difference between American and
| European wages, and that therefore, If it
| were admitted that our workingmen can
be protected by tariffs against cheap labor
| they would be fully protected, and more
than protected, by that bills
! Does not every well informed man know
! that the increase in price OF home manufac-
| lures produced by high tariff does not go
into the pockets OF laboring men, but only
| tends to swell the profits OF others.
II seems TO me that if the policy of the
| democrat party Is plainly presented all
must understand that we seek TO make the
| cost of living less, and at the same time in
/ crease the share of the laboring man in the
| benefits of national prosperity and growth.
! / am very respectfully your obedient
| servant, ALLEN G.. THURMAN.