Evening journal., 1896-10-07
SEWALL'S ACCEPTANCE
Vice Presidential Candidates
Formal Letter.
OCTOBER ELECTION IN FLORIDA.


BATH, Me-, Oct 7.-Hon. Arthur Sew
all, Democratic candidate for vice prcsi- |
dent Of the United States has made public |
his letter Of acceptance. 1t is as follows
Hon stephen b White, Chairman and Mem
bers Of the Notification Committee:
GENrLEMEE-I have the honor TO accept IN |
writing as i have already verbally done, the |
nomination rendered by you on behalf Of the |
Democratic party as its candidate for vice
president OF the United States. And IN so do
ing am glad first TO express my satisfaction
that the platform of our party, which has
commanded my lifelong allegiance, is honest
ly and fully declaratory Of all its principles
and especially of the absorbing financial issue
upon which. as you say, / took my stand
''when the hours Of triumph seemed remote
and when narroganumoney changers throughout
the world 5oasted that the conquest Of the
American masses was completed"
These principles have been Of late in abey-
ance, but only because those whom we trusted
70 maintain them have failed TO do so; these
principles can never die We have rescued our
party from those who, under the influence of
the money power, have controlled and debased
it, Our mission now is to rescue from this same
power and its foreign allies our own beloved
country This is the first and highest duty
imposed by our party's platform Upon the
performance Of this diSy all other reforms
must wait The test Of party principles is the
government they assure the proof of good gov
erment is a contentea and happy people, and
the supreme test of both is the ability to guide
the country through crisp wei as 70 adj
minister the government in ordinary times.
Our people now face a crisis-a crisis more
serious than any since the war. To what party
shall they turn in their dire emergency? II Is
true that the present crisis may not involve
all equally, that there are those who do not
suffer now and may not suffer should the
crisis threatened by the gold standard come
on in all its fury. Human selfshness makes
these deaf to all appeals but to these, fortu-
nately, the Democratic party has never needed
to appeal TO win its battles nor does II now,
save as there are some among them who can
rise superior to self in the sacrifice which such
a crisis demands of every patriot. We are told
that the country has prospered under the
present monetary Standard that its wealth
has enormously increased. Granted but in
whose handsi In the hands Of the toilers, the
producers the farmers, the miners, the fabri-
Gators in the factories-the factors Of the ma
tions wealth in peace, its defenders in warf
Have they the prosperity which was theirs so
late as even 25 years agO2 / deny it. They
deny it. None affirm it save those whose in
terests it is to do So Whose profit would di-
fninish as prosperity returns to those on whose
distress they thriyeY
Increase Price of Labor Products.
All is indeed right between capital and cap
ital The "best money IN the world" is none
too good for those who have got it. but how
is it with the 30 per cent Of our people who
have "got it to get. How is it with those
who must buy this 'best money in the world
with the products Of their own laborf These
are the people for whom the Democratic party
would legislate. What Is the best money for
these Is the question for all to ask who really
love this land How else can you increase la
boris purchasing power but by increasing the
price Of labor's productsf Is it fair meas
ure Of values that in our great producing sec
ton ten bushels OF potatoes must be paid for
a dollar, ten bushels Of oats for dollar, six
bushels Of corn for dollar, three bushels of
wheat and all other products Of the soil and
mines and the labor Of all wage oarners at
the same ratiog Does any fair mind say this
is honest money that forces such an exchange,
and, if it is not fair exchange is il honest.
Is it less than robbery This is the condition
to which the single gold standard has brought
us Under It the appreciation Of the 'sbess
money in the world has increased the wealth
of the rich and for the same reason has in
crossed the debt of the debtor. So it has been;
so under the present standard il must con-
tinue TO be. With these object lessons about
me, little need have we for history and sta
tistics and the studies of scholars. Little sat
isfaction it is TO us that they have warned us
long since Of the deadly evil Of the gold stand
ard. Il has brought us at last to the parting
Of the ways. Whittier shall the people go--in
the way that has led TO their enslavement or
into that which offers them their only chance
20 regain individual liberty, lasting prosperi-
ty and happinossf Let not our opponents
charge with creating class distinction.
Alas, for the republic they are already here,
created by the Republican policy Of the last 80
years-created by the very system we would
now overthrow and destroy. Nor do we raise
q sectional issue. The nomination YOU tender
repels the charge. None knew better than
that this nomination is meant as no personal
tribute but as an assurance that our party is
nonsectional party. Not by our policy but
only by the continuance Of the gold standard
can sectionalism be revived. Neither shall
our opononts be permitted to terrify the peo-
pie by predictions that temporary disturb
ance OF panic viii come from the policy pro
posed The American people will be loyal to
the nations money, viii stand behind it and
maintain it at whatever value they themselves
may put upon it,
A Momentous Crisis.
Once before in the present generation have
our people been called upon to face n mornen-
tous crisis. What then said Mr.. Lincoln, the
chosen leader Of the plain people of the land?
Was he awed by threats or weakened by the
willy persuasion Of the false friends. who as
today pleaded for compromise with wrongf
His answer was: If our sense of duty forIids
this then lot stand by our duty fearessly
and effectively. Let us be diverted by none
Of these sophstcal contrivances whercwith
we so industriously Piled and belabored-
contrivances such as cropping for some middle
ground between right and wrong. Reversing
the divine rule and calling not the sinners
but the righteous TO repentance such as invo-
cations TO Washington, imporing men to un-
say what Washington said and undo what
Washington did Neither lot US be slandered
from our duty by false accusations against
us. Let us have faith that right makes might,
and in that faith let us to the end dare TO do
our duty we understand it,"
We know well the nature Of the struggle in
which we are engaged; we are anxious only
that the people Of the land shall understand
It, and then our battle is won. Behind the
strong intrenchment Of the gold standard are
gathered all those favored classes it has fos-
tered. tn" only dangerous classes Of the land.
Avarice and unholy greed are there every
trust and combination is there; every monopo-
Y is there, led by the greatest monopoly of
all the monopoly Of the power Of gold. With
Us In our assault upon these intrenchments
are all those unselfsh men who, not now suf-
fering themselves, cannot rest content with
conditions SO full Of suffering for others, and
that vaster number OF people who have
been sacrificed to the small and selfish class
who now resist their attempts to regain their
ancient rights and liberties These are the
patriots of 1896; the foes Of a dishonest dol