Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-10-16
Thurman Acceptance.
HIS LONG DELAYED PAPER GIVEN
TO THE PUBLIC.
A SHORT, BREEZY LETTER.
He Believer 1t His Duty to Aid in Grow
er's Re-election-The Body of the
Acceptance an Argument
for the Mills Bill.
COLUMBUS, Oct. 1.-THE following is

COLUMBUS, Oct. 15.-The following is
Judge Thurman's letter of acceptance:
COLUMBUS, o., Oct. IL, 1888.
Hon. Patrick a. Collins and Others, Committee,
GENTLEMEN: In obedience to custom
I 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 mesof my nominal
ton, | expressed to you my sense of obli-
CATION to the convention, and stated that,
although had not sought the nominal
ton, l did not feel at liberty under the
circumstances to decline it. | thought
then, as still think, that whatever |
could properly do to promote the re-elec-
ton of President Cleveland, l ought to
do. His administration has been marked
by snch Integrity, good sense, manly
courage and exalted patriotism, that a
just appreciation of these high qualities
seems to call for his reelection. I am
also strongly impressed with the belief
that his reelection would powerfully
tend to strengthen that feeling of fra
ternity 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.
Ifapprove the platform of the st. Louis
convention and | cannot too strongly ex-
press my dissent from the heretical
teachings of the m~onopolists, that the
welfare OF a people can be promoted by
a system of exorbitant taxation far in ex-
cess OF the wants of the government.
The idea that a people can be enriched
by heavy and unnecessary taxation, that
a mans condition can be improved by
taxing him OF all he wears, on all his
wife and children wears, on all his tools
and implements OF industry, is an OBJ
noxious a~bsurdity. 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 a powerful
and dangerous stimulus to extravagance
and corruption in the expenditures of the
government, seems to me to be q policy
at variance with every sound principle of
government and of political economy.
The necessity of reducing taxes to prevent
such an accumulation of surplus revenue
and the consequent depletion of the cir
culating medium, is SO apparent that no
party dares to deny it, but when we
come to consider the modes by which the.
reduction may be made we find a wide
antagonism between our party and the
monopolistic leaders of our political op-
ponents. We seek to reduce taxes upon
the necessities 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
checp lumber; this Republicans by their
platform and their leaders in the senate
by their proposed bill, say increase the
taxes on clothing and blankets and
thereby increase their cost; maintain q
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
necessities 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 p%retense that a system SO I'M
reasonable and unjust is for the benefit
of laboring 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
mt KNOW that an immense majority of
the laborers in America are not en-
gagged in what are called the pro-
tected industricss and as to those
who are employed in such industries, ia
it not undeniabla that the duties pro-
proposed by the Democratic measure
called the Mills bill, far exceed the diff
ference between American and European
wages, and that therefore If 1t were adj
mitted that our workingmen cah.b be pro.
tected by tariffs against cheaper labor,
they would be fully protected, and more
than protected, by that billp Does not
every well informed man know that the
increase in price of home manufactures
produced by a high tariff does not &c
into the pockets of 1aboring men, hut
only tends to swell the profits of othersI
1t seems TO me that il 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 its labor.
ing men in the benefits of national pros
perity and growth.
am, very respectfully, your obedient
servant, ALLAN G. THURMAN.
A-