Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-11-04
STEVENSON ACCEPTS
Choice of Democratic C0nyeH
ton Declares Himself a
Candidate.
Pays Cleveland's Ability a Rich
Tribune it His
Letter.
Concise, Logical Document
Treats Taxation, Currency,
Force Bill, Etc.

| VIce-preSluent, has sent the fOllOWin :
letter of acceptance to the president of
the national democratic convention:
When, in the presence of 10000 of
my countrymen, | accepted the homer
| conferred upon me by the convention
| over which you presided, | promised 10
! Indicate by letter. in more formal
| manner, my acceptance of the nomina-
ton rendered me by the assembled rep
resentativeS of the democratic party Of
the United States.
Since that time | have been engaged
! continually in the discussion before the
| people Of many states of the union, Of
| the issues emphasized by the convention
and represented by our candidate for
president, Grover Cleveland, Pppor-
! tunity has thus been denied me to write
with the care | would like the more for
NAL answer promised to your commit
| tee. The full discussion Of public cues
, lions commonly expected from Il candi-
date for vice-prcsident has been render
/. ed less imperative by the complete pre-
sentatiOn of the democratic creed by
! the gentleman with whom [ have the
honor to be associated as Il candidate
on the national ticket. His treatment
Of the issues now before the country for
discussion and settlement was so COM
plete that | can do little more than in
dorse his position and give it the en-
phasis of my unqualified approval
The greatest power conferred upon
human government is that of taxation
, All the great struggles of the past for IL
] broader political liberty have looked
toward the limitation of this power by
right to tax a right which should al
ways be limited by the necessities Of
government and to benefits which may
be shared by all. Whenever this power
is used to draw tribute from the many
for the benefit Of the few, or when part
OF the people are oppressed in order
that the remainder may prosper unduly
equality is lost sight Of in
justice hardenS into precedent, which
is used to excuse new eXactions and
there arise artificial distinctions which
the beneticiaries come to look upon in
due time us vested rights, sacred to
themselves.
1T is plain that our present incQuit-
able system of tariff taxation has pro
NOTED the growth of such conditions in
our land. favored though it has been
by an industrious and entcrpriSing peo-
pie, Il friendly climate, 4 productive soil
and the highest development of poIiti-
cal liberty. II the benefiCiarics of this
system Shall be able to add a new ten
ufe II power to those they have already
enjoyed the development of these TN
fdEGrAblc conditions must continue until
til" bower to tax will be lodged in those
who are willing and able to nav for the
ptipptuation Of privileges originally
conferred by contiding people for the
pr stryatiOn inyiolate of their own
government There is no longer preteNt
Or excuse for the maintenance of war
tariff in times of peace, and more than
Il quarter OF century after armed
conflict has ceased. The platform Of
the national democratic convention de-
nandS the reform of this system and
HE adoption in its place of one which
will insure equality to all our people. ]
am III tull and hearty accord with these
purposes.
The convention also declared its po-
sition on the currency question in no
unmeaning words when it said in its
platform: We hold to the use of both
gold and silver as the standard money
Of the country, and to the coinage of
both gold and silver, without discrim-
mating against either metal or charge
for mintagc. but the dollar unit of coin
age OF both metals must be Of equal
intrinsic and eNchangeable value or be
adjusted through International agree
ment or by such safeguards of legiSla-
ton as shall insure the parity of the
two metals and the equal power of
every dollar at all times in the mar
ketS and in the payment of debt. and we
demand that all paper currency shall
be kept at par with and redeemable in
such coin.
ITO this plain and mequivocal dec
laration in favor of sound, honest
money | subscribe without reservation
or qualification. A safe circulating
medium is absolutely essential to the
protection of the business interests of
our country, while to the wage-eaIner
or the farmer it is all-important that
every dollar, whatever its form. that
finds its way into his pocket, shall be
of equal. unqueStioned and universally
eNchangeable value and Of equal pur-
chasing power.
Another issue of great moment in
the pending contest is the force bill.
the magnitude of which cannot be over
stated. 1t may mean the controi of
the election of representatives in con-
gress by the bayonet. The republican
party. by its acts in the 51st congress
and by its platform in its national CON
vention. stands pledged TO the passage
of this bill. That it will pass when 1t
has the power no sane man can doubt.
To al our people who desire the peace
and prosperity of our common country
this question is all important.
''Since my nomination | have been in
eight of the southern and southwestern
with men of all classes and conditions
there. l found general and growing
apprehension of evils, which, it is be-
heved, would result from the passage
of the Lodge bill or similar threatened
legislation. / found that the industries
established by northern capital during
Mr.. Cleveland's administration are in a
languishing condition. that the immi-
grafton of labor and the investment of
capital invited to those states by their
| then peaceful condition had in a large