Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-12
HARRIS0N'S LETTER,
Accepting the Republican Nom-
ination TO the Presidency.
With JnmiStakable Principles He Meets
the Great Tariff Issue.
Markets, Not MaIimS, the Basis Of His
Reasoning.
Facts Relating to the National Surplus
Practically Treated.
Why Contract Labor Laws Would be
SupeIfluous Were Protection
Destroyed.
INpIANApoIIs. Ind. Sent. IL

| INpIANAPoLIs, Ind, Sept. IL.
The following is Gen Harrison's letter ac
cepting the republican Presidential nomina
| ton:
lNDiANAroLIs, Ind, Sept. IL.
Hon. N. N. ESfee and others, Commitfee;
GENTLEMEN w hen Your committee Wis
ited me on TIE 4th of july last and present
ed the official announcement of my nomina.
tion for the Presidency of the United State,
by the republican convention, | promised AS
soon as pracucable 10 communicate TO YOU d
more formal acceptance of my nomination.
Since that time the work of receiving and
addressing almost daily large delegations OF
my fellow citizens not only occupied all my
time but has in measure rendered it un,
necessary tor me 10 use this letter AS me-
dium of communicating TO the public nv
views upon the questions involved in th,
campaign. l appreciate very highly the
confidence and respect manifested by the
convention and accept the nomination with a
feeling of gratitude and full sense of the
responsibility which accompany IL. Ii is
| IA matter of congratulation that the drclara-
tions of the Chicago convention on questions
| that now attract the interest of our people
are sc clear and emphatic. There is furth-
er cause of congratulauon in the fact that
the convention utterances of the democratic
party heretofore if in any degree uncertain,
or contradictory, can now be Judged and in
terpreted by the executive acts and mes
sages, aud by definite propositions in legis-
latlon. This is especially true of what is
popularity known as the tariff question. The
Issue now cannot be obscured. Ii is not a
contest between schedules, but between
wide apart principles. The foreign com
petitors tor our market, with quick instinct.
nave seen how one issue of this contest may
bring them advantage, and our own people
are not SO dull AS TO miss or neglect the
grave interests that are involved for them.
The assault upon our protective system is
open and de haut. Protection is assailed rs
unc institutional in law, OF vicious in princi-
pie and those who hold such views sincerely
cannot stop short of an absolute elimination
from our tariff laws, of the principle of pro-
lection.
Inc Mills bill is only step but it is
toward an object that the leaders of demo-
cratic thought and legislation have clearly
IN mind.
The important question is not so much the
length OF the step as the direction of il.
Judged by the executive message of Decem-
| Dor last, by the Mills bill, by debates III
Congress aud by the st. LOUIS platform the
democratic party, WILL if supported by the
| country, place the tariff laws upon Il purely
revenue basis. Tins is practical tree trade,
| free traie III the English sense. The legend
| upon their banner may not be "free trade.
| IL may be the more obscure motto tariff
| REFORM" but neither banner nor inscription
is conclusive or indeed very important. The
| assault itself is the important TACT. Those
who teach that import duty upon for
eigu goods sold iii our market
Is paid by the consumer and that the price
OF domestic competing article is enhanced
| 10 the amount OF uuty On the imported art
| icle that every million of dollars collected
| Tor customs duties represents many millions
more winch do not reach the treasury, bui
are paid by our citzens AS the increased cosi
| of domestic productions resulting from the
tariff laws, may not intend to uiscTedit IN
| the minds of others our system OF levy my
duties Un competing foreign products, bat II
| is clearly already discredited III their own.
We cannot DOUBT without impugning thelI
| Integrity that If free to act Oh their own
CONVICTIONS they would so revise our laws as
To lay the burden OF the customs revenue
| upon artcles that were not produced in this
couutry and place upon the Tree list all com
peung foreign products. / do not stop 10
retu,e this theory as To the effect
of our tariff duties. Those whu
| advance it are students OF maxims aud not vi
markets. They may be sageiy allowed u
call their project tariff reform" If the peo
pie understand that, III the eud the argument
compels free trade III all competing products,
| his end may rot be reached abruptly anI
| its approach may be accomplished with some
| EXPIRE ssions of sympathy tor our protected III
dustrles and our working people, but 1t vii
certainly come If these early steps co moi
arouse the people to effective resistance.
| fhe republican party holds that protective
| tariff is constitutional wholesome and nee
essary. We do not offer fixed schedule,
but principle. We will revise the schedule
modify rates, but always with All intelligeLt
provision as TO the ehect upon domestic
products and the wages of our working peo
| pie. We believe ii to be one of the worthy
OBJECTS of tariff legislation to preserve the
| American market tor American homes, ant
maintain the American scale of wages BY
adequate discriminating duties upon foreiyI
competing products. The effect of lOwel
| rates and larger importatIOns upon the pub
| lie revenues Is contingent aud doubtful, bu
not 50 the effect upon American products and
American wages. Less work aud lowel
wages must be accepted as the inevitable
result of an increased Offering of foreigI
goods in our market. BY way of reeompens'
tor this reduction in his wages and the los
of the American market, 1t IS suggested tina
the diminished wages of the workiDgmai
will have undiminlshed purchasing power
and that he will be able to make up the los
of the home market by an enlarged foreig
market. Our workingmen have the settle
ment of the question IN their own hands
| They now obtain more wages aud live NOR
comfortably than those of any other country
They will make choice between the sub
stantial advantages they have in hand an
the deceptive prJmises and forecasts of thos
! theofizing refJrmers. Tney will decide fo
themselves and for the country whether tn
protective tariff shall lie continued or de
stroyed.
The fact Of the treasury surplus tn
amount of which is variously estimated, ha
directed the public attention TO a considera
tion of the methods by which the ntional in
come may best be reduced to the level O
wise and necessary expenditures. This con
dition has been seized upon by those wh
are hostile to protective custom duties as a
advantageous base of attack upon our tarf
laws. They have magnihed aud nursed tn
surplus which they affect To deprecate seen
ingiy for the purpose of exaggeraling I'll
EVIL in order to reconcile the people To tn
extreme remedy they propose. A proper n
duction of the revenue does not necessitat
and should not suggest the abandonment {
impairment of the protective system. Th
methods suggested BY our convention wi
not need " be exhausted in order to effet
Z the necessary reduction.
, We are not likely to be called upon thin
to make present choice between the su
render Of our protective system and the ei
tire repeal of the internal taxes. Such
contingency, in view of the present relstie
of Expenditures to the revenue 10 remot
The inspection and regulation Of the man
+ facture and sale Of oleomargarine is impor
ant, and the revenue derived from il is n
so great that repeal of the Law need ent
int. IS