St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-27
He HAS SPOKEN.
Grover Cleveland Gives His
Letter of Acceptance to
the Country.
Issues Made Clear by Lam
guage With Only One
Meaning.
No Doubt Left as to His
Views Upon Any Of the
Questions.
An Unequivocal Acceptance
Of the Platform OF His
Party.
Tariff Taxation a Violation
Of the Spirit of the Con-
stitution.
Patepnalism Has No Place in
the Creed Of DEM
ocracy.

To Hon. William L. Wilson and
Others, Committee, Etc.-Gentlemen
In responding to your formal notification
of my nomination to the presidency by
the national Democracy, | hope l may
be permitted to say at the outset that
continued reflection and observation
hove confirmed me in my adherence to
the opinions which ] have heretofore
plainly and publicly declared touching
the questions involved in the canvass.
This is time, above all others. when
these questions should be considered in
the light afforded by a sober apprehen-
sion of the principles upon which our
government is based, and clear under
standing of the relation it bears to the
people for whose benefit it was created.
We shall thus be supplied with test
by which the value of any proposition
relating to the maintenance and admin
istration of our government can be as
certained, and by which the justice and
honesty of every political question can
be Judged. If doctrines or theories are
presented which do not satisfy this
Test, loyal AmericaniSm must pronounce
them false and mischieyous.
The protection of the people in the
exclusive use and enjoyment Of their
PROPERTY and earnings concededly con-
5tituteS the especial purpose and mis-
Sion of our free government. This de-
sign is so interviewer with the structure
of our plan Of rule that failure to pro-
tect the citizen in such use and ENJOY
ment, OF their unjustifiabie diminution
by the government itself, is a betrayal
OF the peoples trust.
~.W We have, however, undertaken to
build great nation upon plan espe-
cially our own. To maintain it and 10
furnish through its agency the means
for the accomplishment of national OBJ
jects, the American people are willing
through federal taxation to surrender
part of their earnings and income.
Tariff legislation presents familiar
form of federal taxa ton. Such legis-
lation results as surely in tax upon
the daily life of our people as the trib
ute paid directly into the hand of the
tax gatherer. We feel the burden of
these tariff taxes too palpably to be
persuaded by any sophistry that they
do not exist, or are paid by foreigners.
Such taxes, representing dimInution
of the property rights of the people. are
only iustitiable when laid and collected
for the purpose of maintaining our gov
ment and furnishing the means for the
accomplishment of its legitimate pur
poses and functions. This is taxation
under the operation of tariff for reve
hue. 1t accords with the professions of
American free institutions. and its jus
tice and honesty answer the test sup
piled by a correct appreciation of the
principles upon which these institu-
tions rest.
The theory of tariff legislation mani
festly enjoinS strict economy in public
expenditures and their limitation to
legitimate uses, inasmuch as it exhibits
as absolute eXtortion any eXaction, by
way of taxation, from the substance of
the people, beyond the necessities of
careful and proper administration of
pOvprDmpnt