The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-09-21
BENJAMIN HARRISON.


The following is in substance President
Harrison's letter accepting the Republican
nomination for the office of President of the
United States:
WASHINGTON. D. c., Sept. 8, 1892.
s'Hon. William Mckinley, Jr., and Others
Committee Etc.
"Ientlenen-I now avail myself Of the
first period Of relief from public duties to
respond to the notification which you
brought to rue on June 30. Of my nomination
for the Office Of President OF the United
Sta:,s by the Republican National Conven.
ton, recently held at Minneapolis: laccept
the nomination, and am grateful for the az
proval expressed by the convention OF 1ne
acts of the administration.
"rhe great work Of the Nfty-irst Con-
press has been subjected to the revision of
Democratic House Of Representatives, and
the acts of the Executive Department to It's
scrutiny AMI investigation. Thera has sell
,:om bsen time, I think, when d change
from the declared policies OF the Republican
to the declared policies OF the Democratic
Party involved such serious results to the
business interests o. the country.
Here Mr. Harrison writes at length on the
cnrrency question. He continues:
pew subjects have elected more dis.
cusuou or excited more general interest
than that Of a recovery by the United
Sr.-os ~. it's appropriate share Of the
oces...c4rrying trade. This subject touches
not only our pockets, out our National
pride. The great ships--the fastest upon
the sea-which are now in peace proiting by
our trace. are, in a secondary sense, war
ships of their respective Governments.
lit was plain to every intelligent Ameri'
can that if the United States would have
such lines, similar policy must be entered
upon. The Fifty-6rst Congress enacted such
a law: and. under its benefcent influence
sixteen American steamships, of an aggre-'
gate tonnage Of 57,400 tons, and costing
S7.40O. 900 have been built, or contracted to
be built, in American shipyards.
I'm addition to this it is now practlcaily
certain that We shall soon have under the
American flag one Of the finest steamship
lines sailing ont of New York for any
European port. This contract will result in
the construction in American yards OF four
new passenger steamships Of 10000 tons
each. costing about S. 000, 900, and will add
to our Naval Reserve six steamships, the
fastest upon the sea.
'sThe Democratic Party has found no
place in its platform for any reference to
this subject, and has shown its hostility TO
appropriation made during the last admin
istration for ocean mail contracts with
American lines. .
On the snbject of reciprocity President
Harrison writes:
"Another related measure, as furnishing
an increased ocean traffic for our ships and
of great and permanent benefit TO the 1ar-
mers and manufacturers as well, Is the re-
ciprocity policv declared by Section OF the
Tariff act of 1890 and now in practical opera
tiou with five Of the Nations Of Central and
South America, San Domingo the Spanish
and British West India Islands, aud with
Germany and Austria, under special trade
arrangements with each.
"Tbe removal Of the duty on sugar and
the continuance OF coffee and tea upon the
free list while giving great relief to our
own people by cneapening articles used In
creasingly in every household, was also OF
such enormous advantage to the countries
exporting these articles as to suggest that
In consideration thereof reciprocal favors
should be shown in their tariffs to articles
syported by us to their markets.
"Great credit is due to Mr.. Blaine for the
vipor with which he pressed this view upon
the country. We have only begun to realize
the benefit Of these trade arrangements. The
work Of creating new agencies and OF adapt
ing our goods to new markets has necessarily
taken time, but the results already attained
are such, / am sure, as to establish IN
popular favor the policy Of reciprocal trade,
basel upon the fres importation OF such
articles as do not injuriously compete with
the products of our own farms, mines or
factories, in exchange for the free or favored
introduction of our products into other
countries
"The obvious efficacy Of this policy in In.
creasing the foreign trade OF the United
States at once attracted tbs alarmed atten-
ton Of European trade journals and boards
of trade. The British Board Of Trade has
presented to that Government memorial
asking for the appointment Of a commission
to consider the best means Of countsracting
what is called the commercial crusade OF
the United States
.sThe Democratic platform promises re-
peal Of the tariff law containing this pro-
vision, and denouuces as sham reciprocity
that section of the law under which these
trade arrangements have been made. II no
other issue were involved in the campaign
this alone would give it momentous import.
snce.
''The declaration of the platform in
favor of The American Doctrine oil
Protection meets my most hearty ap-
proval. The convention did not adopt
schedule, but principle that is to control
all tariff schedules. There may be differ
the rate upon particular articles necessary
to effect ar equalization between wages
abroad and at home.
"Once or twice in our history the produc-
tion Of tin plate had been attempted, and
the prices obtained by tho Welsh makers
would have enabled our makers to produce
it at a profit. But the Welsh makers at
once cut prices to point that drove the
American beginners out of the business;
and. when this was accomplished, again
made their own prices.
'.But in spite Of the doubts raised by the
elections of 1890 and Of the Vaccinations OF
foreign producers to maintain their mono
poly, the tin plate industry has been sGtab-
lished in the United States, and tue alliance
between the Welsh producers and the Demo-
cratic Party for its destruction Will nots
ceed
"rhis tariff law has given employment
to MANY thousands Of American men
and women, and will each year give en-
ployment to increasing thousands. l1S
repeal would throw thousands out OF
employment and give work to others
only at reduced wages. regret that all
EMPLOYERS of labor are not just and con-
siderate and that capital sometimes takes
too large a share OF the profits. But l do
NOT see that these evils will be amelioratsd
by a tariff policy, the first necessary efeco
Of which is severe wage cut, and the sec3ud
A larre diminution of the aggregate amount
of work to be done in this country.
.sNo intelligent advncata Of a prctec
tive tariff claims that it is able, o.
itself, 10 maintain a uniform rate o
wages, without regard to fluctuations in
the supply Of and demand for thu
products Of labor. But it is confidently
claimed that protective duties strongly teno
to hold up wages, and are the only barrlel
against reduction to the European scale.
In regard TO the Feieral Election bill Mr.