Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-10-24
AN OPEN LETTER.
Mr.. James NJ Munroe Explains His
Position

My DEAR SIR Repeated publications
have appeared in the press concerning
my position in the pending political cam
paign, and notice that in your issue of
this evening, under the caption James
NJ Munroe declares for Cleveland and
Democracy" you quote from the Balti-
more Gun an article recently published
in that paper, 10 which you have added
some comments of your own Inasmuch
as other people have undertaken to speak
for me, think it only fair that | should
be allowed TO speak for myself and | ask
the privilege of speaking to my fellow
citizens through the medium of your in
teresting and valuable paper.
/ had always been a consistent repub
licsn up 10 1890, when ] began a study
Of the tariff question with a view TO
making republican campaign speeches in
the approaching congressional campaign
OF that year, but to my amaZement / was
forced to a conclusion directly opposite
to all my preconceived notions upon that
subject, and became firmly convinced
that tariff levied for the purpose of
protection, If not unconstitutional, WAS
clearly an unnecessary and unjust impo
sition upon millions of our people for
the benefit of the few. Therefore, when
the Mckinley bill was introduced into
Congress, / openlY. publicly and repea
tedly denounced IL. | was equally op-
posed to the Federal Elections Bill, COM
monty called the Force Bill" because |
believed ii to be one of the most danger
Gus measures ever attempted TO be enac-
ted into law; not only in that it made the
Federal judiciary part of the election
machinery, and was subversive of the
rights Of the states TO control their own
elections, right conceded since the
foundation of the government, but chief
ly because the inevitable result of the
measure, If it btcame'a law, would DO
the intliction of cruel blow upon the
material and educational interests of
millions of colored people who must al
ways make the south their home, by ar
| raging or seeking to array the cooTed
race against the white race in ceaseless
political strife and calling down upon
the colOred people all the evils of which
the republicans have so much complain
cd for the past twenty years and from
which they have been utterly powerl' IS
TO deliver them. The bill divided the re
publican party in congress, was rejected
by the republican Senate, was repudiated
by the people at the polls In the fall OF
1890 and 1t was hoped, for the good of
the party as well as of the whole couu-
try, that it would never be heard of
again | saw also millions of dollars
that were not needed for the expenses of
the government, ground out OF the peo
pie by tariff taxes. pied up in the treasury
vaults and labelled Surplus" and when
the surplus became 30 large that the
vaults could hardly hold it, ] saw 1t
squandered with reckless hand in be-
slowing pensions upon the undeserving,
until 1.-THE uniform of the veteran is in
10 If oh nj art
Of mendicant There is nothing new
about these opinions so far as am con-
cerned held and publicly proclaimed
them in 1890, and refused to vote that
year for the republican candidate for con-
gress in this district. The republican par
ty went before the country in 1890 upon
the record 1t had made upon the aforesaid
measures, and the result proved that ]
shared the opinions of tens of thousands
OF republicans throughout the country; a
republican Majority in the House of
Representatives was converted into a
minority 80 small as hardly afforded
members enough 10 MI the places on
committees usually conceded to the mi
nority Thousands OF honest republi-
cans rejoiced in the temporary defeat of
their party, in the hope that it would ar
rest its downward course and prepare II
Dental contest. Sharing this hope and
still claiming to be republican, but
without in the slightest degree varying
my opinions on the above subjects. &C
cepted a nomination for local office on
the republican ticket in this county in
1891. But this hope, with thousands of
other republicans, ! have been disap-
pointed, and 1t is with sincere regret and
reluctance that find myself compelled
to sever my connection with the party
with which have all my life been idenv
titled. / shall vote for Cleveland because
he believes in and represents: /, A tar
i'll for revenue only. 2, Honest Money.
8, Non-interference by the federal gov
eminent with the rights of the States to
regulate their own affairs, 4, Liberal
pensions to those who incurred actual
disability in defence of the Union, and a
veto of all such measures as the Deepen
dent Pension Bill, which, in the language
OF Charles Francis Adams in the July
1892 Forum, put on premium on SELF
abasement and perjury" B, Because he
is a man of the highest order OF moral
courage, as instances OF which | need
only call TO mind his tariff message of
1887 and his recent letter upon the free
coinage Of silver. But In reference to
Joining the democratic party, / desire to
say that l love my country better than l
love any party and there 10 one issue
which seems TO me 10 be paramount to
all other issues of this campaign, upon
which the possibility of ascertaining the
real sentiments of the people upon any
other issue depends. Adopting the SEN
timents of the ReUieO Of Rerieacs, there
are no political issues at stake in this
country which are to be compared in i'm
portsnce with the broad issue between
decent and honest political methods on
one hand and the indecent methods of
rescals and tricksters on the other. 1t
ought to be the special mission of every
good citizen TO stand firmly In his own
sphere OF influence for honesty and fair
play In politics, and to endeavor, with
out timidity or apology, to promote all
that may make tor the elevation OF the
standard of oul public life. Unquestiona-
blv. In democratic circles, Mr. Cleveland
stands for principles and policies of
craftsmanship and for honesty and hon.
or In political methods, and when the
practices OF the democratic party in the
state OF Maryland and In Anne Arundel
county conform to his standard, 1t viii
command the unqualified support of all