Morning journal and courier., 1892-10-31
READY AT LAST.
The Democratic Candidate for Vice
President Makes Public His Letter
OF Acceptance.

READY AT LAST.
T The Democratic Candidate for Vice
l President Makes Public His Letter
OF Acceptance.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, Oct. 30-Adlai E.
; Stevenson, democratic candidate for the
: vice presidency, has sent the following let
ter of the acceptance to the president of
the national committee:
CHARLESTON, w. Va, October 90, 1892.
To Hon. William L. Wilson, Chairman, etc.
When, In the presence of twenty thou
sand of my countrymsn I accepted the
honor conferred upon me by the conven-
ton over which you presided, promised
to indicate by letter In more formal man
ner my acceptance of the nomination ten
dered me by the assembled representatives
of the democratic party of the United
States. Since that time have been en-
gagged continually in the discussion before
the people of many states of the Union of
the issues emphasized by the convention
and then represented by our candidate for
president, Grover Cleveland. Opportu-
to write with the care 1 would
like the formal answer promised
to your committee. The full discussion
of public questions commonly expected
from candidate for vice president has been
rendered less imperative by the complete
| presentation of the democratic creed by
the gentleman with whom have the honor
to be associated as a candidate for the ma
| tionsl ticket His treatment of the issues
now before the country for discussion and
| settlement was 30 complete that 1 can do
little more than endorse his position and
| give 1t the emphasis of my unqualified ap-
proval. The greatest power conferred
upon human government is that of taxa
| ton. All the great struggles of the
past for broader political liberty have
looked toward the limitation of this power
by right to tax, right which should
always be limited by the necessities of
government and to benefits which may be
shared by all. Whenever this power Ia
used to draw tribute from the many for
the benefits of the few, or when part of the
people are oppressed in order that the re-
lost sight of, injustice hardens into pre-
cedent, which is used to excuse new ex-
actions and there arise artificial dis |
tinotions which the benefciaries come to |
look upon in time vested rights, sacred |
to themselves. |
1t is plain that our present negotiable |
system of tariff taxation has promoted the |
growth of such conditions In our land, |
favored though 1t has been by an industri- |
GUS and enterprising people, a friendly |
climate, q productive soil and the highest !
development of political liberty. If the |
beneiciaries of this system shall be able to |
add new tenure of power to those they |
have already enjoyed the development of |
these unfavorable conditions must con-
tinue until the power to tax will be lodged |
in those who are willing and able to pay
for the perpetuation of privileges originally
conferred by confiding people, for the
-. II.
ment. There is no longer pretext
or excuse for the maintenance of a
WAT tariff in times of peace, and
more than a quarter of century
after armed conflict has ceased. The plat
form of the national democratic conven-
ton demands the reform of this system
and the adoption in Its place of one which
will insure equality to all our people.
am in full and hearty accord with these
purposes. The convention also declared
its position on the currency question in no
unmeaning words when it said in its plat
form 1--WE hold to the use of both gold and
silver as the standard money of the coun-
try, and to the coinage of both gold and
silver without discrimination against Ell
Their metal or charge for mintsge, but the
dollar unit of coinage of both metals must
be of equal intrinsic and exchangesble val
ne, or be adjusted through International
|
lstion as shall insure the parity of the
metals and the equal power of every dol
lar at all times in the markets and in pay
ment of debt, and we demand that all pa
per currency shall be kept at par with and
redeemable in such COIN"
To this plain and unequivocal declara-
ton in favor of sound, honest money
subscribe without reservation or quslif-
cation. A safe circulating medium Ii
4 - IL Il
ests of our cot ltry, while to the wage
Garner or the farmer tits allimportant that
every dollar, whatever its form, that finds
its way into his pocket shall be of equal,
unquestioned and universally exchange
able value and of equal purchasing power.
Another issue of great moment In the
pending contest is 'the force bill, the mag
nitude of which cannot be overstated. 1t
may mean the control of the election of
bsyonet. The republican party by its acts
in the Fifty first congress and by its plat
form in its late national convention
stands pledged to the passage of this bill.
That it will pass when 1t has the power no
sane man can doubt. To all our people | ,
who desire the peace and prosperity of our
common country this question Is all i'm
portant. Since my nomination / have
been in eight of the southern and south
i
of all classes and conditions there. found
a general and growing apprehension of
evils which 1t Is believed would result
from the passage of the Lodge bill or SINH
lar threatened legislation. l found that
the industries established by northern
capital during Mr.. Clevelsnd's sdministra-
ton in lsnguishing condition; that the
of labor and the investment
of capital invited to those states by their
I, fr1 hsI In la
ure ceased. The enactment of the force
bill into law, while 1t would threaten the
liberties of the entire people would un-
retard the material growth of
the states at which it is specially aimed,
would incite In many communities race
troubles and invite retaliatory legislation,
which would disturb property values and
discontinue and destroy the security of :
northern investments. And Its reflex
action upon the northern states would re-
suit in o consequent loss of commercial
now becoming tributary to their wealth
and prosperity. 1 say nothing now of the
inherent vice of the un-Americau and re-
evolutionary spirit involved in the Lodge
bill, which was pronounced by
republican senator: 1.-THE most infamous
that ever crossed the threshold of the SEN
ate." appeal to the instinct of self-inter-
est ana TO the sense OF common justice IN
the American people. The era of good
feeling and renewed commercial relations
commencing with the election of Mr.. Cleve-
land in 1884 should not be interrupted by
the inauguration of policy which tendsto
destroy popular representation and the
purity of local self-government, which
furnishes an instrument to discredited fed
eral power to perpetuate itself, which
seeks to keep alive sectional jealousies and
strife, which threatens important and
material interests, and which offers no ex-
cuse or palliation for its existence except
the perpstuation in power of a political
party which has lost public confidence.
/ accept the nomination rendered me
and, should the action of the convention
meet the approval of my countrymen, will
to the best of my ability discharge with
fidelity the duties of the important trust
oon65ad 20 ,,oa