Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-10-11
MORTON'S LETTER.
FORMAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE REPUBLI
CAN CE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
TIE PROSPERITY OF TIE Ma
TION AT STAKE

FORMAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE REPUBLI
CAN CE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
TIE PROSPERITY OF TIE Ma
TION AT STAKE.
NEW YORK, Oct. 2.-The following il
Levi p. MortOn's letter accepting tht
nomination for Vice President:
RHINECLIFF, n. Y, Oct. 2, 1888.
The Hon. NJ. NJ. Estee and Others, Committee:
! GENTLEMEN-In making formal ac
ceptance of my nomination as the Re
publican candidate for the Vice-Presi
dency, desire to express my grateful
appreciation of the confidence reposed in
me by the convention. The duties de.
volving upon the Vice-President as pre-.
siding officer of the Senate, and in GER
tain contingencies participant in the
legislation of Congress, make it proper
that the people should know distinctly
and unreservedly the political views OF
the candidate who may be presented fol
their suffrage. 1t fortunately happens
that this duty for myself is easily dis
charged by referring to the principles
embodied in the resolutions unanimous
ly adopted by the National Convention.
These resolutions, unequivocal and COM
prehenSive in character, reflect my per-
Sonal convictions and have my hearty
approval.
1t is difficult, however, in a political
campaign to fix popular attention on
more than one issue, and in the pending
election every voter in the United States
clearly sees that the controlling question
is whether the protective tariff duties
now in force shall be so reduced as to
destroy their efficiency, or whether these
duties shall be retained with such mod
ifcatiOns and adjustments as shall bet
ter adopt them to the great end of pro-
tecting the vast and important indus
tries of the whole country. The Repub-
lican platform, while recognizing the ne
cessity of reducing the revenue, declares
this reduction must not he made at the
expense of those Industries and of Amer
lean labor.
PROSPERITY UNDER PROTECTION.
The American people have now enjoy
ed the protective system for a longer
continuous period than ever before in
the history of the National Government.
The result is that for more than quar-
ter of century they have realized de-
gree of industrial and financial prosper
ity unprecedented in this country and
never equaled in any other.
The pressing reason given for once
again trying the old experiment of a
revenue tariff without protection as a
iC hot for ~
has produced and is producing a surplus
in the treasury. But is it not easily with
in the wisdom of Congress to adjust the
National income to the National expend-
iture without sacrificing or even imperil-
ing an industrial system which has
brought untold advantages to the entire
country? Admitting that the present
tariff by lapse of time and the large eX-
panSion of trade which it has stimulated
needs revision, is it not wiser and more
patriotic to revise it with a careful re-
gard to the interest of protection than
with the purpose of leSSening its prOtec-
tive features?
These are some of the questions which
must be answered at the National polls
in November. For myself, as citizen
and as candidate, L do not hesitate to
declare that from long observation 1 am
an unwavering friend of the protective
system. In business life now extend
ing over forty years l have witnessed
and compared the effect upon the cOun-
try of revenue tariff tending to free
trade with protective tariff encOurag
ing home industries. Under the former
the development of the country has al
ways been arrested, while under the lat |
ter it has uniformly been promoted.
INTEREST OF wAGE-wORKERs.
To the men who earn their bread by |
the sweat of their brows the difference
between the two systems is that of mar
rowing chances on the one hand and ex-
panding opportunities on the other.
Free trade would open America to COM
petition with the whole world. Protec-
ton reserves America for Americans,
native and adopted. The industrial sys-
tenn of country is as sensitive as its
publit credit. A hostile movement Gre
ates distrust in the public mind, and con-
fidence, the only basis of successful
trade, becomes impaired, new enterprises
wither in the bud, capital grows timid,
the field of labor is contracted, and pres
sure for employment inevitably reduces
the wages of all workingmen.
With the views of the convention,
frankly expressed in its resolutions, upon
all other questions of public interest, L
find myself in hearty accord. In relation
to silver and its important bearing upon
the National currency, as well as its con-
nection with and influence on the pros
perity of large sections of our common
country, in its advocacy of judicious
settlement of the public-lands policy, in
urging the necessity for better coast
defenses, and the duty we owe to the
interests of the country, the
platform but repeats the approved prin-
ciples of the Republican party.
The Republican platform proposes a
American policy; not one of
and bigotry, but one broad
and philanthropic- policy that best
helps the whole world by the example of
a great, growing, powerful Nation,
founded on the equality of every man
before the law. 1t is for the American
people to develop and cultivate the
continent to which in the provi-
dence of God they have fallen heirs.
They should adopt policy which looks
to this great end. With no spir-
it of narrowness towards other people,
but rather in the highest interest of al,
they should find under their own flag a
field of limitless advance in the direc
ton of the improvement, the prosperity
and the happiness of man.
Very Respectfully yours,
LEVI i. MORTON.