The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-27
CALlMITY'S PROPHET.
Cleveland Says Protection May Stran-
gle Our Patriotism.
THE LONG DELAYED LETTER HAS
APPEARED AT LAST.

ready Well Known-Platitudes on the
| Currency-Re to the Old Sol
! diers Not So Definite as Those Pension
vetoes-Half Hidden Stab at the Public
! School System-TruIy Vigorous Utter
| ances on the Nicaragua Canal and
Worlds Fair.
BOSTON, Mass, September 26.-Hon.
Grover Cleveland's letter accepting the
Democratic nomination has at last made
its appearance and been handed to the
press. Mr.. Cleveland says:
To Hon. William L. Wilson and Others,
| Cona1nittee, ETC.:
Gentlemen-In responding to your for
NAL notification of my nomination to the
| Presidency by the National Democracy,
| 1 hope may be permitted to say at the
| outset that continued reflection and OBJ
| servation have confirmed me lin my ad-
herence to the opinions have hereto
fore plainly and publicly declared touch
| ing the questions involved in the can
vass. The protection of the people in
the exclusive use and enjoyment of their
| property and earnings concededly con-
| stitutes the especial purpose and mission
| tect the citizens in such use and enjoy
ment, or their unjustifable diminution
| by the government ITSELF is betrayal Of
the peoples trust. Tariff legislation
presents familiar form of federal taxa
| tion. Such legislation results as surely
in a tax upon the daily life of our people
| as a tribute paid directly into the hands
of the tax gatherers. Such taxes, repre-
senting diminution of the property
rights of the people, are only justifiable
when laid and collected for the purpose
of maintaining our government, and fur
nishing means for the accomplishment
of its legitimate purposes and functions.
This is taxation under the operation of
A Tariff for Revenue.
This theory of tariff legislation manifest
ly enjoins strict economy in public ex-
penditures and their limitation to
legitimate public uses.
Opposed to this theory, the dogma is
now boldly presented, that tariff taxation
is justif1able for the express purpose and
intent of thereby promoting especial in
terests and enterprises. Such PROPOSE
ton is clearly contrary to the spirit of
our constitution and so directly encotr-
ages the disturbance by seltishness and
greed of patriotic sentiment thatits state
ment would rudely shock our people, if
they had not already been insidiously al
lured from the safe landmarks of princi-
pie. Never have honest desire for ma
tional growth, patriotic devotion to coun-
try, and sincere regard for those who
toll, been SO betrayed to the support of
q perniciouS doctrine. In its behalf, the
plea that our infant industries should
be foStered. did service until dis
| credited by our stalwart growth; then
followed the exigencies of terrible war
which made our people needless of the
| opportunities for ulterior schemes afford
ed by their willing and patriotic payment
of unprecedented tribute; and now, after
a long period of peace, when our over
burdened countrymen ask for relief and
a 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 sys-
tenn, the continuance of which is neces-
sary in order that high wages may be
paid to our workingmen and a home
market be provided for our farm pro-
ducts. These pretences should no longer
deceive. The truth is that such
a system is directly antagonized
by every sentiment of justice and fair
| ness of which Americans are pre-eminent-
ly proud. The workingman, suffering
from the importation and employment of
pauper labor, instigated by his professed
friends, seeking security for his interests
in organized cooperation, still waits
for a division of the advantages
secured to his employer under the cover
of a generous solicitude for his wages.
The farmer is learning that the prices of
his products are fixed in foreign markets,
xUh hQ enr in
vited and built up by a system he is
asked to support. Every governmental
concession to clamorous favorites in
vites corruption in political affairs by en-
couraging the expenditure of money to
debauch the suffrage in support of a
policy directly favorable to private and
selfish gain. This in the end must
strangle patriotism, and weaken popular
confidence in the rectitude of Republican
institutions.
The National Democracy will seek, by
the application of just and sound princi-
pies, to equalize to our people the bless
ings due them from the government
they support, to promote among our
countrymen closer community of inter-
ests, cemented by patriotism and nation
al pride, to point out the fair field, were
prosperous and diversified American en-
prise may grow and thrive in the whole
some atmosphere of American industry,
ingenuity and intelligence.
Tariff Reform is Still Our Purpose.
We wage no exterminating war against
any American interests. We believe
readjustment can be accomplished, in
accordance with the principles we pro-
fess, without disaster or demolition. We
believe the advantages of freer raw ma
terial should be accorded our manufac-
turers and we contemplate a fair and
careful distribution of necessary tariff
burdens, rather than precipitation of
free trade.
We anticipate with calmness the mis-
representation of our motives and pur-
poses, instigated by a selfishness which
seeks to held in relenting grasp its un-
fair advantage under present tariff laws.
We will rely upon the intelligence Of our
fellow countrymen to reject the charge
that a party comprising majority of
our people is planning the destruction or
injury of American interests; and we
LnoU tbau oaoaot ba f1iUlltnOad hy thn