The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-10-07
Mr.. DAVIS ON THE ISSUES
Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate
Accepts Nomination.
Expenditures of the Government and Increase
- of the Army-The Panama Canal and Inn
perlal!sm-Eiis Opinions on the Tariff and
the Trusts-Plea for Local Selfgovernment
Fraud In the Public Service.

the Trusts-Plea for Local Selfgovernment
Fraud In the Public Service.
Elkins, w. Va. (SpeciaD Hon.
Henry Gassaway Davis has written
the following letter accepting tine
Democratic nomination for vice presi-
dent of the United States
Hon. John Sharp Williams, Chairman,
and Other Members of the Com
| mittee:
Dear Sirs-In accordance with Gus
tom, and my promise when notified
by your committee at White Sulphur
Springs, on August II, of my nomina-
ton for the office of vice president,
l submit the following observations
| upon some of the questions now be-
fore the country:
The times are propitious for the re-
instatement of the Democratic party
in control of the government The
public mind is being disillusioned OF
| the pretension of the Republican party,
SO long and SO arrogantly made, that
! the material prosperity of the coun-
! try depends upon its own ascenency.
| Thoughtful and patriotic people are
becoming more and more distrustful
of the heady and personal element OF
| the present administration, and are
more than willing to see it replaced by
one that better recognizes consttu-
| tional and other lawful restraints.
| They demand that the present waste
| full extravaganza in the expenditure
of the money drawn by taxation from
| the industry of the people shall cease,
and that economy and honesty in the
public service shall be again regarded
as virtues in the high places of the
government.
Expenses of Government.
The expenditures per capita of the
| government are increasing at an
alarming rate. When the present adj
ministration. went into power there
was large surplus, but, notwithstand-
ing the enormous taxation, the rev.
enues therefrom are not now ade-
quate to meet the demands made by
reckless appropriations. The revenues
fell short during the last fiscal year
of over $4,000, ooo In the first 90
days of this fiscal year the expendi-
lures CNCCCuCQ Lie iSNSiPto ny YSf,
ooo, 700, and if this rate of excess
should continue, the deficit for the
present fiscal year would be in the
neighborhood of $I4o,ooo,ooo. This
needless deficit is due to the extrava-
gance of the administration, and can
only be met by imposing additional
taxes or selling bonds, thereby in
creasing the Understanding debt of
the government. Which course will
the Republicans adopt? The cost of
government during the fiscal year was
STA per capita, which means that the
average tax paid in some form or an
other by every family Of five persons
toward the support of the national ad-
minstration OF public affairs was over
SIS. which, in the case of wage-earn-
ers, is a considerable percentage of
their entire earnings for the year. No
more money should be taken from the
people by taxation, direct or indirect,
than is necessary for the needs of a
government economically admins
tered
Power of the Trusts.
1t is estimated that there are in
the United States between two and
three hundred combinations of CAPT
tai and corporate interests. known as
trusts, which have grown up in the
last few years under Republican rule
Some of them are so conducted as
to be pernicious and harmful to the
general interest With the power they
are able to. exert they can lessen COM
petition, control prices and regulate to
their own advantage the law of sup
ply and demand Individual effort is
helpless against such strong rivals,
and the natural right of all persons
to barter and trade is unnaturally re-
stricted. The effort of these trusts
is to control or monopolize, and these
monopolies, when unrestrained, seem
to produce conditions which bring
about strikes and disorders and dis
turb the business affairs OF the coun-
try.
Fraud in the Public Service.
Population and fraud in the public
service under the present administra-
ton, especially in the Postoffice and
Land Departments, reached such pro-
portions that knowledge OF the evils
practiced became public property.
Prosecutions naturally followed, but
thorough and impartial investiga-
ton by Congress, proposed and urged
by the Democratic minority, was re-
fused by the Republicans at the man
date, it is believed. of the admins
tration. Congress adjourned earlier
than at any long session for many
years, for the purpose, il is believed,
of preventing further agitation of the
question, and in an effort to curtail
expenses.
With undated trust in the efficien
cy of the cardinal principles of our
great party, when applied to the prac-
teal administration of government, to
realize the blessings of peace and
prosperity for all, and believing that
the people will correct the present
abuses of administration by change
of party in power, await with con-
fdence the result of their judgment at
tba oolls Very truly YOURS