West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-07-20
PRESD'NT CLEvELAND'S OPEN
LETTER TO TAMMANY SOCI-
ETY., ON JULY THE 4TH.
EXECUTIVE MANsIoN,l
W.surrcrov Tnna 90 1898


WASHINGTON, June 29, 1888.
HoN. JAS. A. FLACK, GRAND SACH-
EM:-Dear Sir.-I regret that am
obliged to decline the courteous in
vitation which l have received to
attend the celebration by the Tam
many society of the birthday Of our
republic, on the Fourth of July next.
"The zeal and enthusiasm with
which your society celebrates this
day afford proof of its steadfast pat.
riotism, as well as its care for all
that pertains to the advantage and
prosperity of the people.
IL cannot doubt that the renewal
of love and devotion to pure
Jeffersonian Democratic form of
government which you contemplate
will suggest the inquiry whether the
people are receiving all the benefits
which are due them under such a
form of government. These benefits
are not fully enjoyed when our citi-
zens are unnecessarily burdened and
their earnings and incomes are USE
lessly diminished under the pretext
of governmental support.
"Our government belongs to the
people. They have decreed its pur-
poses, and it is their clear right to
demand that its cost shall be limited
by frugality and that its burden of
expense shall be carefully limited
by its actual needs.
"And yet useless and dangerous
surplus in the national treasury tells
no other tale hut eXtortion on the
part of the government and per-
version of the peoples intention.
"In the midst of our impetuous
enterprise and blind confidence in
our destiny it is time to pause and
study orr condition. 1t is no sooner
appreciated than the conviction
must follow that the tribute exacted
from the people should be dimin-
ished.
"The theories which cloud the
subject, misleading honest men, and
the appeals to selfish interests which
deceive the understanding, make the
reform, which should be easy, diff
ficult task.
"Al!hough those who propose a
remedy for present evils have always
been the friends of American labor,
and though they declare their pur-
poses to farther its interests in all
their efforts, yet those who oppose
reform attempt to disturb our work
ingmen by the cry that their wages
and their employment are threat
ened.
"Tbey advocate system which
benefits certain classes Of our citi-
zens at the expense of every house
holder in the land-a system which
breeds discomfort, because it permits
the duplication of wealth without
corresponding additional recon-
pcnsc to labor, which prevents the
opportunity to work by sitting pro
duction and limiting the area Of our
markets, and which enhances the
cost of living beyond the laborer's
hard earned wages.
The attempt is made to divert
the attention of the people from the
evils OF such scheme of taxation
by branding those who seek to cor
rect these evils as free traders and
enemies Of our workingmen and
other industrial enterprises.
''rhis is SO far from the truth
that there should be no chance for
such deception to succeed.
1T behooves the American peo-
pie, while they rejoice in the ami
versarv of the day when their free
government was declared, tn also
reason together and determine that
they will not be deprived of the
blessings and the benefits which
their government should afford.
Yours, very truly,
"GRovER CLEVELAND"