The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-12
The Leader Of the Enemy Shows
no Statesmanship
A Document that Possesses no
American Vigor Whatever.
A High Tariff Is Constitutional,
Wholesome and Necessary,
States the Learned Man of The Repub-
hcan Party-The Hand OF Trusty
Jim Blaine Seen All
Through Il.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept. 1.-THE follow
Ing is Gen. Harrison's letter of acceptance
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept H. 1855
To the Hon NJ NJ. Estee and Others, Committee
etc.
Gentlemen-When your committee visited
me on the 18th OF July last and presented the
official announcement of my nomination for
the presidency of the United States by the
Republican convention promised as soon
as practicable to communicate 10 you more
formal acceptance Of the nomination. Since
that time the work of receiving and address
ing, almost daily, large delegations Of my
fellow citizens has not only occupied all my
time, but has in some measure rendered il
unnecessary for me TO use this letter as q
medium of communicating 10 the public my
views upon the questions involved in the
campaign. | appreciate very highly the
confidence and respect manifested by the
convention, and accept the nomination with
feeling Of gratitude and a full sense Of the
responsibilities which accompanyit.
II is a matter Of congratulation that the
declarations Of the Chicago convention upon
the questions that now attract the interest
Of our people are so clear and emphatic.
There is further cause Of congratulation in
the fact that the convention uttemnCes OF
the Democratic party, II in any degree un-
certain or contradictory can now be judged
and interpreted by executive acts and mes
sagcs and by definite propositions In lcgisla-
ton. This is especially true OF what is
known as the tariff question. The issue can
not now be Obscurcd. IL Is not q contest be-
tween schedules, but between wide-apart
principles. The foreign competitors for our
market have with quick instinct seen how
one issue Of this contest may bring them adj
vantage, and our own people are not 80 dull
rs To miss or neglect the grave interests that
are involved for them. The assault upon
our protective system Is open and defiant.
Protection is assailed ~ unconstitutional in
law or rs vicious IN principle, aud those who
hold such views sincerely cannot stop short
OF an absolute elimination from our tariff
laws Of the principle Of protection. The
Mills bill Is only step, but IL Is toward an
object that the leaders Of Democratic thought
aud legislation have clearly in mind.
The important question Is not 10 much
the length Of the step as, the direction. II Il
can be judged by the executive message OF
December last by the Mills bill, by the de-
bates IN Congress, and by the 81. Louis plat
form, the Democratic party will, II Unsupported
by the country, place the tariff laws upon
purely revenue basis This IL practically
free trudc-frcc trade In the English sense.
The legend upon the banner may not be
free tudc'-it may be the more obscure
motto, tariff REFORM but neither the ban
ncr nor the inscription u conclusive or
indeed, very important The assault itself
j. the important fact
Those who teach that the import duty
upon foreign goods sold Ia our market u
paid by the consumer, and that the price Of
The domestic competing article Is enhanced
to the amount Of the duty on the imported
artiClc-that every 100000 collected for
customs duties represents many millions
moro which do not reach the treasury, but are
paid by our citizens ~ the increased cost Of
domestic productions resulting from the
tariff Laws. may not intend % discrcdit In
the minds ~ Others our system Of lcyying
duties on competing foreign products, but Il
Is clearly already discrcditcd in their own
We cannot doubt without impugning their
integrity. that, II free 10 act upon their own
convictions, they would 10 revise our laws
n 10 lay the burden Of the customs revenue
upon articles that are not produced Ia this
country AID 20 place upon the free list all
competing foreign products.
do not stop 10 rciuic this theory ~ 10
the effect Of our tariff duties. Those who
advance Il are students u mnNims and not II
the markets. They may be safely allowed
20 call their project tariff reform II the
people understand that In the end the argu.
mOnt compcls free trade In all competing
products. This end may not be- reached
abruptly, aud ~ approach may ne accom-
panied with some expressions 81 sympathy
=. Tor our protected industries and our working
people, but IL will certainly come, II these
early steps do not arouse thc people 10 eiicc.
tive resistance.
Tho Republican party holds that a protcc.
tive tariff h constitutional, wholesome aud
necessary We do not offer fixed schedule,
but npHnciplc. We will revise the schedule,
modify rates, but always with an iutclli.
gent provision o. to the effect upon domcs.
lie production and the wages oi our working
people We believe IL 10 be one of the
worthy objects Of tariff legislation 81 preserve
tho American market for American pro.
duccu and Ia maintain the American scale
81 wages by adequate discrimination duties
upon foreign competing products The effect
Of lower rates aud larger impuriaiions up1u
the public revenue Il contingent aud doubt.
ful but not 20 the effect upon American
wages Les work and lower wages must be
accepted o. the inevitable result of the in.
creased Offering Of foreign goods va our
market by way Of rccUmpcnsc for
this reduction In his wages, aud
the loss 81 the American mar.
kct, IL j. suggested that the dimin.
ishcd wages of the worlinpman will
have an uudiminishcl purchasing power.
and that hc will be- able 10 make up Tor toe
loss Of the home market by an enlarged Tor.
Crn market our workingmcn have the
settlement 81 the question in their own
hands They now obtain higher wages and
live more comfortably than those of any
other country. They will make choice be-.
tween the substantial advantages they have
IN hand aud the deceptive promises and
forecasts Of those thconzing reforms. They
will decide for themselves, and for me
country, whether the protective system
shall be- continued or cstroycd.
The fact Oi a treasury surplus, the amount
Of which il ynriOusly stated, has directed
public attention 10 q consideration Of th,
methods by which the national Income mas
best hc reduced ~ the level of a wise end
necessary expenditure. This condition hni
been seized upon by those who are hostile 3,
protective custom duties as an adyantagroui
base Of attack upon our tariff laws. They
have mngnihcd and nurcd the surplus
which they affect 10 doprccaic. sccminrl,
Tor the purpose Of oxaggernting the evil II
order 10 reconcile the people 90 the EXTERN,
remedy they propose. A proper reduction
OF the revenues does not noccssitate, ant
should not suggest, the abandonment or i'm
pairncnt Oi the protective system, Tn
methods suggested by our convention viii
not need 10 be exhausted in order 10 clicc
the necessary reduction We are not iikol,