Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-30

|
Tariff Reform the Party'S Duty.
The FORCE BILL A DISREGARD
OF POPULAR WILL.
EVERY DOLLAR SHOULD BE OF INTRINSIC
vALUE-PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD BE
= CHOSEN FOR THEIR FITNEsS-PENSIONS
SHOULD BE LIBERAL, BUT THE PEN
SION ROLL SHOULD DE A ROLL OF HON
OR, UNvITIATED by DEMAGOGIc USE
NO SUMPTUAEY LAWS SHOULD INTER
FERE WITH PERSONAL LIBERTY-1MMI-
GRAFTON SHOULD Re REG uLATED.
SC. &C. sc.
GRAYGABLEs, Mass, Sept. 26--The fol-
lowing is the letter Of Grover Cleveland ac-
| cepting the nomination rs the democratic can
ddate for President of tho United States
| To Hon. Wns. h. Wilson and Offers, Commit
tee Ect.-Gentlemcn: In responding to your
| formal notification OF my nomination to the
presidency by the national democracy. l
nope may be PERMITTED to say ut the outset
[ confirmed me in my adherence TO the opinions
| which have heretofore plainly and publicly
declared touching the questions involved IN
| the canvass.
| This Is the time above MI others when these
questions should be considered in the light
afforded by n sober apprehension of the prin
| ciplcs upon which our government is based
| and II clear understanding of the relation II
bears to the people for whose benefit It was
created. We shall thus be supplied with u
| test by which the value of any proposition
| relating to the maintenance and admnistra-
| ton OF our government can be aScertained,
and by which the justice and honesty of every
| political question can be judged. Ii doctrines
| or theories are presented which do not satisfy
| this test loyal Amercanism must pronounce
| them ia lSe and mischievous.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE
| The protection of the people in the exclu-
| sive use and enjoyment OF their property and
earnings concededly constitutes the especial
purpose and mission of our free government.
| This design is so interviewer with the struc-
ture of our plan OF rule that failure to protect
the citizen i'll such use and enjoyment, or their
unjuStlfiable diminutiOn by the government
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 accomplishment of
national objects, the American people are
willing through federal taxation to surrender
| a part OF their earnings and income.
Tariff legislation presents a familiar form
of federal ia xation. Such legislation results
assurely in a tax upon the daily life of our
people as the tribute paid directly into the
hand of the tax gatherer. We feel the burden
of these tariff taxes too palpably to be per-
Suaded by any sophistry that they do not exist,
OF are PAID by foreigners.
Such taxes, representing diminution OF the
property rights of the people. are only justifi-
able wien laid and collected for the pursose
of maintaining our government, and furnish
inpf Ia INC np fbn ~ ich m
| legitimate purposes and fanctiOns. This is
| taxation under the operation OF a tariff for
| revenue. 1t accords with the professions OF
| American free institutions, and its justice and
| honesty answer the test supplied by correct
| appreciation of the principles upon which
i these institutions rest.
This theory of tariff legislation manifestly
enjoins strict economy in public expenditures
and their limitation to legitimate public
uses, inasmuch as it exhibits as absolute eX
tOrtiOn any eXactiOn, by way of taxation,
from the substance of the people beyond the
| necessities of careful and proper adminiStra-
| ton of government. 81
DOGMA OF PROTECTION.
| Opposed to this theory the dogma is now
| boldly presented that tariff taxation is JUS
tifable for the express purpose and intent of
| thereby promoting especial interest and enter
| priSeS. Such proposition is so clearly con-
| trary to the spirit of our constitution and SO
| directly encourages the disturbance by self
| ishness and greed of patriotic sentiment that
| its statement would rudely shock our people
| if they had not already been insidiousIy al
| lured from the safe landmarks of principle.
| Never have honest desire for national growth,
patriotic devotion to country and sincere
| regard for those who toll been so betrayed to
| support of a perniciOuS doctrine In its be-
| half the plea that our infant industries should
| be fostered did service until dScredited by our
stalwart growth; then followed the exigencies
OF terrible war, which made our people
| needless of the opportunities for Interior
schemes afforded by their willing and patriO-
tic payment of unprecedented tribute, and
| now, after long period OF peace, when our
overburdened cOuntrymen ask for relief and
a restoration to fuller enjoyment of their
| incomes and earnings, they are met by claim
that tariff taxation for the sake of protection
is an Americnan system, the continuance of
which is necessary in order that high wages
may be paid to our wOrkingmen and home
market he provided for our farm products.
DECEPTIVE PRETENsEs
These pretenses should no longer deceive
The truth is that such system is directly
antagonized by every sentiment of justice and
fairness, of which Americans are prominently
proud. 1t it is also true that while our work
! ingmen and famers can, the least OF all our
people, defend themselves against the harder
home life which such tariff taxation DEGREES,
the workingman. suffering from the import
alton and employment OF pauper labor in
| stigated by his prOfessed friends and seeking
| security for his interests In organized CO.
| advantages secured to his employer under
| cover of q generous solicitude for his wages,
| while the farmer is learning that the prices OF
his products are fixed i'll foreign markets.
| whore he suffers from a competition invited
and built up by the system he is asked to sup
| port.
QUESTION OF MORALS.
The struggle for unearned advantage at
| the doors of the government tramples on the
rights of those who patiently rely upon as
| surance of American equality Every gov
ernmental concession to clamorous favorites
invites corruption in political affairs by
encouraging the expenditure of money to
debauch suffrage in support of a policy dir
ectly favorable to private and selfish gain.
This in the end must strangle patriotism and
| weaken popular confidence in the ricttude OF
republican institutions.
Though the subject Of tariff legislation in
wolves question of markets, it also involves
question of morals. We cannot with inn
punity permit injustice to faint the spirit of
right and equity, which is the life of our re-
public, and we shall fail to reach our national
destiny if greed and selfshneSs lead the
way.
TAXATION MUST BE EQUAILIzED.
Recognizing these truths, the national
4 +no of