The Charlotte Democrat., 1888-10-19
Allen G. Thurman's Letter Of Acceptance


! COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct IL, 1sss.-Hon.
Patrick A. Collins and others, committee
-Gentlemen In obedience to custom,
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 to the convention,
and stated that, although / had not
sought the nomination, 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 these high
qualities seem to call for bis reelection.
am also strongly impressed with the
belief that his reelection would power.
fully tend to strengthen that feeling of
fraternity among the American people
tha: is 80 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.
ings OF the monopolists that the welfare
OF the people can be promoted by sJs.
tenn OF exorbitant taxation far in excess
of the wants of the government.
The idea that people can be enriched
by heavy and unnecessary taxation, that
man's condition can be improved by tax
ing him on all be wears, on all his wife
aud children wear, on all his tools and
implements of industry, is an obvious alb
surdity.
10 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 dangerous stimulus
to extravaganza and corruption in the ex-
penditures OF the government, seems to
me to be policy at variance with every
sound principle of government and OF
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
tagonism between our party and the
monopolistic leaders Of our political oppo'
nents. We seek to reduce taxes upon the
necessaries Of life; our opponents seek to
increase them.
We say, give to the masses of the peo'
pie cheap and good clothing, cheap blan'
kets, cheap tools and cheaper lum ber.
The Republicans. by their platform, and
their leaders in the Senate by their pro-
posed bill, say increase taxes on clothing
and blankets and thereby increase their
cost, maintain high duty on the tools ol
the farmer and mechanic and upon the
lumber which they need for the construc
tion of the modest dwellings, shops and
barns, and thereby prevent their obtain
ing these necessaries at reasonable prices.
Can any sensible man doubt as to
where he should stand in this oontro
versy? Can any well informed man be
deceived by the false pretense that sys
tenn so unreasonable and unjust is for the
benefit of the laboring men?
Much is said about competition oi
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 laborers in Americs
are not engaged in what are called the
protected industries? And as to those
who are employed in such industries, is il
not undeniable that the duties proposed
by the Democratic measure, called the
Mills bill, far exceed the difference be
tween American and European wages
and that, therefore. if it were admitted
| that our working men can be protected
by tariffs against cheaper labor, they
would be protected, more than protected
by that bill Does not every we'll in
formed man know that the increase in th,
price of home manufactures produced By
the high tariff does not go into the pock
cts of the la5oring men, but only tends t
swell the profits of others
II seems to me that if the policy of tn
Democratic party is plainly presented, al
must understand that we seek to make tn
cost of living less, and at the same tim
increase the share of the lsboring man ii
the benefits of national prosperity ant
growth.
am very respectfully, your obedien
servant, ALLEN q. THURMAN.
| Hho Q4r,o1r Dill