The Russellville Democrat., 1892-10-06
GROWERS LETTER
Accepting the Democratic Nomination for
President Of the United States.
1T WILL PLEASE ALL.
Cleveland Reafirms His Former DecIara-
tions and Stands for the
People.

/
president of the United States, sent to-day
the following, his letter Of acceptance to
the notification committee;
GROVER cLEvELANp's LETTER.
To Hon. William L. Wilson and Others, Com
mittee, ETC.;
| GENTLEMEN-In responding to your for
NAL notification Of my nomination to the
presidency by the national Democracy,
hope may be permitted to say at the out
set that continued reflection and observa-
tion have confirmed me in my adherence to
the opinions which have heretofore plainly
and publicly declared touching the ques-
tions involved in the canvass.
| This is time, above all others, when
these questions should be considered in the
| light afforded by sober apprehension of the
principles upon which our government is
based, and clear understanding of the
relation il 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 mainte-
nance and administration of our govern
ment can be ascertained, and by which
| the justice and honesty of of every politi-
cal question can be Judged. If doctrines
or theories are presented, which do not
| satisfy this test, loyal Americanism must
pronounce them false and mischievous.
The protection of the people in the ex
| elusive use and enjoyment of their property
and earnings concededly constitutes the
especial purpose and mission Of our free
| government. This design is so inter
woven with the structure of our plan Of
rule that failure to protect the citizen in
| such use and enjoyment, or their unjusti-
| fable diminution by the government IT.
self, is a betrayal of the peoples trust.
We have, however, undertaken to build
great nation upon plan especially our
own. To maintain it and to furnish
| through its agency the means for the ac
complishment of national objects, the
American people are willing through
Federal taxation to surrender part of
their earnings and income.
Tariff legislation presents familiar
form of Federal taxation. Such legislation
results as surely in tax upon the daily
life of our people as the tribute paid direct.
ly into the hands 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 for
eigners.
the property rights of the people, are only
justifable when laid and collected for the
purpose of maintaining our government
and furnishing the means for the accom-
plishment of its leg timate purposes and
functions. This is taxation under the OPP
Grafton Of tariff for revenue. 1t aeeords
with the professions of American free in
suitutions, and its justice and honesty an
swer the test supplied by correct appre-
hension of the princii les upon which these
institutions rest
This theory of tariff legislation manifest
ly enjoins strict economy in public expen-
ditures and their limitations to legitimate
public purposes, inasmuch as it exhibit as
absolute extortion any exaetion, by way of
taxation, from the substance of the people
beyond necessities of careful and proper
administration of government Opposed to
this theory the dogma is now boldly pre-
sented that tariff taxation is iustifable for
| the express purpose and intent of thereby
promoting especial interests and enter
| prises. Such proposition is so clearly
| contrary to the spirit of our constitution,
and 30 directly encourages the disturbance
| by selfshness and greed of patriotic senti-
| ment, that its statement would rudelv
shock our people if they had not already been
| insidiously allured from the safe land
marks of principle. Never have honest
| desire for national growth, patriotic devo-
| tion to country and sincere regard for those
who toll, been so betrayed to the support
of prenicious doctrine. In its behalf, the
plea that our infant industries should be
| fostered, did service until diseredited by
| our stalwart growth; then followed the
| exigeneies of a terrible war which made
our people needless of the opportunities for
| ulterior schemes afforded by their willing
| and patriotic payment of unpreceden ted
| tribute; and now, after a long period Of
peace when our over -burdened country
men ask for relief and restoration to a
/ fuller enjoyment of their incomes and
earnings, they are met by the claim that
tariff taxation for the sake of protection is
an American system, the continuance of
which is necessary in order that high wages
may be paid to our working men and a
home market be provided for our farm
products.
These pretenses should no longer deceive.
The truth is that such a system is directly
antsgonized by every sentiment of justice
and fairness, of which Americans are pre-
eminently proud. 1t is also true that while
| our workingmen and farmers can, the least
| of all our people, defend themselves against
| the harder home life which such tariff tax
alton deerees-the working man suffering
| from the importation and employ
ment of pauper labor, in
stigated by his professed friends, and seek
| ing security for his interests in organized
| cooperation still waits for a division Of
the advantages secured to his employer un-
| der cover of a generous soleitude for his
wages, while the farmer is learning that
! the prices of his products are fixed in for
eign markets, where he suffers from com
petition invited and built up by the system
he is asked to support.
| The struggle for unearned advantage at
| the doors of the government tramples on
| the rights Of those who patiently rely upon
| assurances of American equality. Every
| governmental concession TO clamorous fa-
vorites invites corruption in political af-
| fairs by encouraging the expenditure Of
1 money to get suffrage in support Of y
| policy directly favorable to private and
| selfish greed. This in the end must
strangle patriotism and weaken popular
| confidence in the rectitude of republican
! institutions. Though the subject Of tariff
! legislation involves a question of markets
| II also involves question of morals. We
cannot with impunity permit injustice to
taint the spirit of right and equity which
| is the life of our republic, and we shall fail
to reach our national destiny if greed and
selfshness lead the way.
Recognizing these truths, the national
Democracy win seek, by the application Of
just aud sound principles TO equalize to our
people the blessings due them from the
government they support, to promote
among our countrymen a closer commu-
nifty Of interests, cemented by patriotism
and national pride, and to point out fair
field where prosperous and diversified Amer
lean prodaets may grow and thrive in a
wholesome atmosphere of American indus
I s.xafts-...a