The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-10-15
IT IS VERY ORDINARY.
Mr.. Thurman's Letter Of Ac-
ceptance at Last, but it
WON'T STARTLE THE COUNTRY
1t Reads Like an Extract from n
Common Everyday Stump Speech
for Free Tradc-stercotypcd
Free Trade Phrases.

CoLUMDus, o., Oct. l4.-Judge Thur
mans letter of acceptance is given tt
the press this evtning. The first draf
OF the letter was in the Judges hand
writing aud the type writer copies
showedonlya few changesin the punctu
alton from the original letter, and is rs
follows:
COLUMBUS, o., Oct. IL, 1883.
Hon. Patrick a. Coiias and others, Commitiers
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 nomina-
ton, expressed TO you my sense OF OBJ
legation to the convention aud stated
that although l had not sought the nonl-
inmiOn, did not feel at liberty, under
the circumstances, to decline it. /
thought Then, as / still think, that what
ever ] could properly do to promote the
selection OF President Cleveland
Il ought to do. His admins
tration has been marked by such in
tegrity, good sense, manly courage and
exalted patriotism that just apprecia-
ton Of these high qualities seems to call
for his reelection. l i'm also strongly
impressed with the belief that his re-
election would powerfully tend to
strengthen that feeling OF fraternity
among the American people that is so
essential to their welfare, peace and hap
piness, and TO the perpetuity Of the
Union and OF our free Institutions. |
approve the plan OF our free institutions.
| approve the platform OF the st. Louis
Convention, and ! cannot too strong
ly express my dissent from the
herelical teachings OF the monop-
olists, that the welfare OF II peO-
pie can be promoted by n system OF
exorbitant taxation far in excess OF the
wants Of the Government. The idea
that people can be Cnriched by heavy
and unnecessary taxation, that mans
condition can be improved by taxing
him on all he wears, or all his wife, and
children wear, on all his tools and i'm
plcments ofindustry, is an obvious alb.
surdity. 10 Hll the vaults OF the treas-
ury with an idle surplus for which the
government has no Legitimate use, and
to thereby deprive the people OF cur
rency needed for their business and daily
wants aud to create powerful and dan
gerous stimulus 10 extravaganza andcor-
ruption in the expenditures oi the Gov
crnment seems to me TO be u 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 IL; bnt when
we come TO consider the modes by which
the reduction may be made we find n
wide antagonism between our party and
the monopolistic leaders OF our political
opponents.
We seek TO reduce taxes upon the ne
cessarics 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 cheap lumber. The Republicans by
their platform and their leaders in the
Senate by their proposed bill, say, in
crease thetaxGs on clothingand blankets
and thereby increase their cost, main
tain 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 necessaries at reasonable prices.
Can any sensible man doubt rs 10
where he should stand in this contest ?
Can any well informed man be deceived
by the false pretence, that u system, SO
unreasonable and unjust is for the benc.
iii OF the 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 sec and know that an immense
majority OF the laborers in America are
not engaged in what are called the pro-
tectcd industries? And rs to these
who are employed in such industries, is
it not udneniable that the duties pro-
posed by the Democratic measure called
the Mills bill far exceed the difference
between American and European wages,
aud that therefore, il it were admitted
that our ,,workingmen can be protected
by tariffs against cheaper labor, they
would be fully protected. and more than
protected by that bill. Does not every
well informed man know that the in-
crease OF prices OF home manufactures,
produced by u high tariff, does not go
into the pockets OF laboring men, but
only tends to swell the profits Of Others?
Ii seems to me that II the policy Of
the Democratic party is plainly under
stood that We seek to make the cost OF
living less, and at the same time increase
the share Of the laboring man in the
benefits of national prosperity and
growth. am, very respectfully,
Your 0bedient servant,
AIIpD q TurpNlN