Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1892 — STEVENSON ACCEPTS. [ARTICLE]

STEVENSON ACCEPTS.

His Letter to the Chairman Made The Force Bill, tbo Tariff and She CM* rcncy DUcutted, * Adlal E. Stevenson, Democratic candidate for the Vice Presidency, has emit tbe following tetter of acceptance to tbe President of the National Democratic convention: To tbe Hon. Wra. I* Wilson. Chairman: When I, la tbe presence of 20,000 of my conntrymen, I accepted tbo honor conferred upon me by the convention over which yoo presided. I promised to Indlcat® by letter In a more formal manner my acceptance of the nomination tendered me by tbe assembled representatives of ths Democratic party of the United States. Since that time I have been engaged continually in tbs discussion before the people or msuy States of the Union of the issues emphasized by the convention and araEsyiMwsffis bSjr nied me to write with the care I would like the more lormal answer promised to your committee. The fall discussion of public questions commonly expected from a candidate for Vice President has bean rendered lers imperative by the complete presentat oa of tbe Democratic creed by the gentleman with whom I have the honor to b« associated as a candidate oa tue National ticket, tits uesunaut of the Issues now before the country for sion and settlement was so complete that 1 can do little more than indorse his position and give it the emphasis of my unqualified approval. The greatest power conferred upon human government Is that of taxation. All limitation of tLi/ power bj/righvtetox! a right which should always be limited by the necessities of the Government and to benefits which may be shared by all. Whenever this power is used to draw trip-' nte from the many for the benefit of the few, or when part of tbe people are oppressed in order that the remainder may prosper unduly, equality Is lost sight of; injustice hardens Into precedent, which is used to excuse new exactions, and there arise artificial distinctions which the beneficiaries come to look upou in dne time as vested rights, sacred to themselves. ’ It is plain that oar present Inequitable system of tariff taxation has premoled tue growth of such condit ous In our land, favored though It has been by an industrious and enterprising people, a friendly climate, a productive soft and the bignest development of political liberty. If the beneficiaries of this system sbail be able to add a new tenure of power to those they have already enjoyed, the development or these unfavorable conditions most continue until the power to tax will be lodged in those who are willing and able to pay for the perpetuation of privileges originally conferred by a confiding people for tbe preservation Inviolate of their own government. Thore is no longer pretext or excuse for maintaining this war tariff in times of peace and more than a quarter of a cea lu ry at ter armed cohlflcVfcas ceased. The plauom ot the national Democratic convention demands the reform of this system and the adoptiou in its place of one rhlch will Insure equality to all people., am in foil and hearty accord with thee* pi rinses. The convention also declared its position on tbe 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 sliver, without discriminating against either metal. Or charge form image, but the dollar anil of coinage of both metals must be of equal intrinsic or exchangeable value, or be adjusted through international agreement, or by such safeguards of legislation as shall insure the parity of the two metals, and the equal power of every dollar at all times in toe markets and in payment of debts, and we demand that all paper currency shall be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin.” To this plain and nnnqni vocal declaration in favor of sonnd, honest money. I subscribe without reservation or qualification. A safe circulating medium It absolutely essential to the protection of the business interests of our country, while to the wage earner, or the farmer, it Is all Important that every dollar, whatever its form, that finds Its war Inter his pocket, ■hall be of equal, unquestioned and universally exchangeable value aud of eanal purchasing power. Another issue of great moment In the pending contest is the force bill, the magfi nltude of which cannot be overstated, it may mean the control of the election cl Representatives In Congress by the bayonet. T I>erty , by Its acts In the Fifty-first Congress, and by its platform In Its lata national convention,stands pledged to the passage of this bill. That It will pass when it hM the powar.no sane man can doubt. To nil onr people whodeslre the peace and prosperity of our common country this Is aft important Since my nomination I have been In eight of the Southern and Southwestern States of the Union, and have talked with men of all classes and conditions there. I so md a general and growing apprehension of evil, which It Is believed would result from the passage of the Lodge bill, or similar threatened legislation. I found that the Industries established by Northern capital during Mr. Cleveland's adminla ration were In a languishing condition, that tbe Immigration of labor and the Investment of capital, invited to those Stales by their then peaceful condition, had in a InrgomeJMiareecasfiffiThamiact*--ment of the force bill into a law, while It would threaten the liberties of toe entire people, would undoubtedly rotard the material growth of ibeStatosat which ft is especially aimed, would Incite la many communities race troubles and invite retaliatory legislation, wlilch would disturb property values and discontinue end destroy the security of Northern investments. And Its reflex action upon the Northern States would result In a eonaese nent loss of commercial and trade relations with the vast territory now becoming tributary to their wealth and prosperity. *■ I say nothing now of the Inherent vice of the tin-American and revolutionary spirit involved In the Lodge bill, which was pronoifnced br a Republican Senator “the most. Infamous that evar crossed the threahhotd of the Senate.” I appeal to the Instinct of self Interest ana to the sense of common justice In the America* people. The era of good feeling and renewed commercial relations, rommeneiug with the election of Mr. Cleveland la 18*4 Should not he Intelripted by the Inauguration of a policy which tends to destroy ponnlar representation and and the purity of local self-government, which furnishes an lastrnment to discredited federal power to perpetuate Itself, which seeks to beep alive sectional jealousies and strife, which threatens Important and material Interests, and which offers no excuse on palliation for IU existence, except the perpetuation in power or a political Bart* which has lost public con ft denes. ■ . I accent the nomination tendered me. ftnd should the action of the con von lion meet the approval of my countrymen, will to the best of my ability, discharge with fidelity the duty of the Important trust confided In me. Very respectfully.

A. E. STEVENSON.