The Cartersville courant-American. (Cartersville, Ga.) 1888-1889, September 20, 1888, Image 1

The Cartersville courant-American., September 20, 1888, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextThe Cartersville Courant-American. VOL. VIII. mi HARRISON’S LETTER Accepting the Nomination for the Presidency. He A snail** the Mill* Kill, the St. Loulh Plat form and the Democratic Party in Gen eral—Chlnene Immigration. Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 11,1888. To M E. Eh tee and Others: When your committee visited me on Hie 4th of .July lost and presented the official announcement of my nomination for President of the United States by the Republican convention, I promised as soon as practicable to communicate more formal acceptance; but since that time the work of receiving and address ing almost daily large delegations of my fellow citizens has occupied all my time. [ appreciate very highly the confidence ami respect manifested by the conven tion, and accept the nomination with a filing of gratitude and a sense of the responsibilities accompanying it. The declarations of the convention that now attract the attention of the people are so clear that there is no further cause for congratulations, from the fact that the convention utterances of the Doinocratic party, if in any way uncertain, can now be judged and interpreted by acts and definite prosecution. This is especially an issue that cannot now be obscured. It is not a contest between schedules, but between wide-open principles. Foreign com pot ei tors of our market have seen with quick instinct how an issue of this contest may bring them advantage, and our own people are not so dull as to miss or neglect the grave interests that are involved for them. The assault upon our protective system is open and defi ant. Protection is assailed, as uncon stitutional as lavy or as an issue in prin ciple, and those who hold such views sin cerely cannot stop short of an absolute elimination from our tariff laws of the principle of protection. The Mills bill is only a step, but it is toward another object that the leaders of Democratic thought and legislation have clearly in mind. Tin* important question is not so much the length of the step as the direc tion of it, judged by the executive mes age of December last, by the Mills bill, by the debates in Congress and by the St. Louis platform, the Democratic, pai ty will, if supported by the country, place the tariff laws upon pursly a reve nue basis. This is practical free trade— free trade in the English sense. The legend upon the banner may not be: ‘Free trade;” it may be the more ob scure “Tariff reform;” but. neither the banner nor inscription is conclusive, o•, iudeed very important. The assault it self is the important fact. Those who teach that the import duty upon foie'gn goods sold in our market is paid by the consumer and that the price of the domes tic competing article is enhanced to the amount of the duty on the imported ar ticle—that every million dollars col lected lor custom duties represents many millions more which do not reach the treasury, but are paid by every citizen as the cost of domestic prices, may not intend to discredit in the minds of others. Our system of levying duties on competing foreign products is clearly already discredited. In their own way, ,w cin’t doubt, wit hout impug ning their integrity, that if free to act upon their convictions, they would so revise our laws as to lay the burden of customs revenue upon articles that, are not produced in this country, and to place upon the tree list all competing foreign products. Ido not stop to re fut * this as to tiie effect of our tariff i, duties. Those who advance it me stu pid. They may be selfishly allowed to call their project “tariff reform," but people understand that in the end the argument compels free trade in all com peting products, This end may not be reached abrubtly, and the approach may b'* accompanied with some expressions of sympathy for our protected industries and our working people, but it will cer tainly come it they do not advance the people to effective resistance. The Republican party bolds that a Protective tariff is constitutional and p' essary. We do not offer a fixed schedule but principle. We will revise the schedule, modify the rates, but al " ays with an intelligent provision as to the effect on domestic goods and wages ° ! working people. We believe it to be one worthy object to legislation to an American market for the American scale wages, by adequate discrimination and duties upon foreign products. The ’-fleets of lower rates and larger imports u Pon the public revenue is contingent an d doubtful, but so effective upon American production and American "ages. Less work and lower wages must be accepted as the inevitable re- Hl h of an increased offering of foreign Roods in our market. By way of reeom- P’mse for this reduction in his wages and *he loss of the American market, it is Hll ßgested that diminished wages of "orkingmen will have an undimiuisbed purchasing power and he will be able to make up for the loss of the home mar ket by an enlarged foreign market. Our workingmen have the settlement of this question in their own hands. They* now obtain higher wages and live more com fortably than in any* other country. They can make choice between substan tial exchanges. They will decide for themselves and for the country whether the protective system shall be continued or destroyed. The treasury surplus, the amount of which is variously stated, attracts con sideration of a method by which the national income may best be reduced to the level of wise and necessary expen ditures. This conditition has been seized upon by those who are hostile to protective custom duties as an advan tage on our tariff. They* have magnified the surplus, which they expected to de preciato, seemingly for the purpose of exaggerating the evil, in order to recon cile the people to the extreme remedy they propose. A proper reduction of the revenue does not necessitate and should not suggest the abandonment of the protective system. The suggestion by our convention will not need to be exhausted to effect the necessary reduc tion. We are not likely to be called upon to piesent a choice between the surrender of the protective system and the repeal of internal taxes. Such con tingencies, in view of the present rela tion of expenditure to revenue, is remote. The inspection and regulation of the manufacture and sale of oleomargarine is important, and the revenue derived from it is not so great that a repeal of the law need enter into any plan of reve nue reduction. The surplus now in the treasury should be used in the purchase of bonds. The law authorizes this use of it, and if it is not needed for current or deficiency* ap propriations, the people and not the banks in which it has been deposited should have the advantage of its use by stopping interest upon the public debt. At least those who needlessly hoard it should not be allowed to use the fear of a monetary stringency thus produced to coerce public sentiment on other ques tions. Closely connected with the subject of the tariff is that of the importation of foreign laborers under contracts of ser vice to be performed here. The law now in force prohibiting such contracts re ceived my cordial support in the Senate, and such amendments as ma.v be found neccsssary effectively to deliver our working men and women from this most inequitable form of competition will have my sincere advocacy. Legislation prohibiting the importation of laborers under contracts to serve here will, how ever, afford very inadequate relief to our working people if the system of protec tive duties is broken down. If the pro ducts of American shops must compete in the American market, without favor ing duties, with the products of cheap foreign labor, the effect will not be differ ent, or if at all only to a degree. Whether cheap labor is across the street or over the street, such competition will soon reduce wages here to the level of those abroad, and when that condition is reached we will not need any laws forbidding the importation of laborers under contract. They will have no in ducement to come, and the employer no inducement to send for them. In the earlier years of our history pub lic agencies to promote immigration were common. The pioneer wanted a neigh bor with more .rieudlv instincts than the Indian. Labor was scarce and fully em ployed. But the day of the immigration bureau has gone by. While our doors will continue open to proper immigra tion, we do not need to issue special in vitations to the inhabitants of other countries to come to our shores or to share our citizenship. Indeed, the neces sity of some inspection and limitation is obvious. We should resolutely refuse to permit foreign governments to send their paupers and criminals to our ports. We are also clearly under duty to defend our civilization by excluding alien races whose ultimate assimilation with our people is neither possible nor desirable. The family has been the nucleus of our best immigration and the home of the most potent assimilating force in our civilization. Objections to Chinese im migration are distinctive and conclu sive and are now so generally accepted as such that the question has passed en tirely beyond the stage of argument. The laws relating to this subject would, if I should be charged with their enforce ment, be faithfully executed. Such amendments or farther legislation as may be necessary and proper to prevent evasions of the laws and to stop further Chinese immigration would meet my approval. The expression of the con vention on this subject is in entire har mony with my views. Our civil compact is government by majorities, and the law loses its sanctity and the magistrate our respect when this compact is broken. The evil result* CARTERSVILLE. GA., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1888. of elections frauds do not expend them selves upon voters who are reassured of their rightful influence in public affairs. The individual or community or party which practices or connives at election frauds has suffered irreparable injury and will sooner or later realize that to exchange the .American system of majori ty rule for minority contract, is not only unlawful, but very unsafe for those who promote it. The disfranchisement of a single legal elector by fraud or in timidation is a crime too grave to be re garded lightly. The l ight of every* qualified elector to cast one free ballot and have it honestly' counted must not be questioned. Every* constitutional power should be used to make this right secure and punish frauds upon the ballot. Our colored people do not ask special legislation in their inter est, but only to be made secure in the common rights of American citizenship. They will, however, naturally mistrust the sincerity of those party leaders who appeal to their race for support only* in those localities where the suffrage is free and election results doubtful,-and com pass their disfranchisement where their votes would be controlling and their choice cannot be coerced. The nation not less than the States is dependent for prosperity and security upon the intelligence and morality of the people. This common interest very early suggested national aid in the es tablishment and endowment of schools and colleges in new States. There is, I believe, a present exigency that calls for a still more liberal and direct appro priation in aid of common school educa tion in some of the States. A territorial form of government is a temporary expedient, not a permanent condition. It is adapted to the exigency that suggested it, but it becomes inade quate and even oppressive when applied to fixed and populous communities. Several territories are well able to bear the burdens and discharge the duties of free commonwealth in the American union. To exclude them is to deny the just rights of their people and may well excite their indignant protest. No ques tion of political preference of the people of the territories should close against them the hospitable doors which has opened to two-thirds of the existing States, but admission should be reso lutely' refused to any territory a majori ty of whose people cherish institutions that are repugnant to our civilization or not consistent with our republican form of government. The declaration of the convention against “all combinations or capital or ganized in trusts or otherwise to control arbitrarily the condition of trade among our citizens,” are in harmony* with the views entertained and publicly expressed by* me long before the assembling of the convention. Ordinarily capital shares the losses of idleness with labor, but un der the operation of trusts in some of their forms the wage worker alone suffers the loss. While idle capital receives its dividends from the trust fund, producers who refuse to join the combination are destroyed and competition as an ele ment of prices is eliminated. It cannot be doubted that legislative authority should and will find a method of dealing fairly and effectively with these and other abuses connected with this subject. It can hardly* be necessary for me to say I am heartily in sympathy with the declaration of the convention on the subject of pensions to our soldiers and sailors. What they gave and what they suffered I had some opportunity to ob serve and in a, small measure to experi ence. They gave ungrudging. They say it was not a trade but an offering. The measure was heaped up, running over. What they achieved only a distant gen eration can adequately* tell. Without attempting to discuss particular pro portions, I may add that measures in behalf ol the surviving veterans of the war and the famines of their dead com rades should be conceived and executed in a spirit of justice and of most grate ful liberality, and that in competition for civil appointment in honorable mili tary service should have appropriate rec ognition. The law regulating appointments to the classified civil service received my support in the Senate in the belief that it opened the way to much needed reform. I still think so, and therefore, cordially approve the clear and forcible expression of The convention on this subject. The law should have the aid of friendly in terpretation and be faithfully and vigor ously enforced. All appointments unrde it should be absolutely free from partisan consideration. Some instances of the classified list are practicable and desira ble, and further legislation extending the reform to the branches of the service to which it is applicable would receive my approval. In appointments to every grade and department fitness and not party principles should be the essential and discriminating test, and fidelity aud efficiency the only sure tenure of office. Only the interest of the public service should suggest removals from office. I know the practical difficulties attending an attempt to apply the spirit of the civil service rules to all appointments and removals. It will, however, be my* sincere purpose, if elected, to advance reform. I notice with pleasure that the conven tion did not omit to express its solici tude for the promotion of virtue and temperance among oi/r people. The Re publican party has always been friendly* to everything that tends to make the home life of our people fi*ee, pure and prosperous, and will in the future be true to its party in this respect. Our relations with foreign powers should be characterized by* friendship and respect. The right of our people and of our ships to hospitable treat ment should be insisted upon with dig nity and fairness. Our nation is too great, both in material strength and in moral power, to indulge in'bluster or to be suspected of timorousness. Vacilla tion and inconsistency are as incompati ble with successful diplomacy as they are with national dignity. We should es pecially* cultivate and extend our diplo matic and commercial relations with the Central and South American States. Our fisheries should be fostered and pro tected. The hardshiDS and risk that are necessary incidents of business should not be increased by an impossible exclu sion from near lying ports. The resour ces of firm, dignified and consistent di plomacy are undoubtedly equal to the prompt and peaceful solution of the dif ficulties that now* exist. Our neighbors will surely not expect in our ports the commercial hospitality they deny to us in theirs. I cannot extend this letter by* special reference to other subjects upon which the convention gave expression. In re spect to them as well as those I have noticed I am in entire agreement with the declarations of the convention. The resolutions relating to the rebuilding of the navy, to coast defences and to pub lic lands express conclusions to all of which I gave my support in the Senate. Inviting calm and thoughtful consid eration of these public questions, we submit them to the people. Their intelli gent patriotism and a good Providence that made and has kept us a nation will lead them to a wise and safe conclusion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Benjamin J. Harrison. A ISartow Man Abroad. Milwaukee, Wis., Sept. 12tli, 'BB. Editors Courant-A merican : Think ing you might like a few “dots” from this point I thought I would give them to you. We left Carters'ville Sept. 3d, following our mineral exhibit, which had been ship ped from Emerson to this point about ten days prior to our departure. When we arrived here we found every one in high glee over the grand opening of the exposition and visitors coming in from all quarters, until the city is now full. We at once went to work to place our exhibit in proper shape, and it is really astonishing to see the interest manifested in our display, and we al ready have the assurance of quite a nuni b *r of capitalists that at an early day they would be South to examine our re sources, There is a constant demand for our prospectus. With proper diligence I see no reason why we should not get. all the capital aud labor that we want. So far, the railroads seem exceedingly friendly to excursions and agree to do all in their power to get them up. Though I must say that in my humble opinion Bartow county missed it sadly when she failed to give our mineral ex hibit more encouragement, if the differ ent minerals and resources of our county had been gotten up in proper shape and placed here, there is no computing the interest it would have been to her peo ple. I will also say that ours is the only exhibit of its kind on the ground. Wisconsin, as well as Illinois, as you know, are fine countries, as well as-other Western and Northern States I could mention, and in an agricultural point of view, are far a head of ours; but then, they have their long seven months of winter in which they are almost entirely frozen up, and taking all things together, it puts our Sunny South to the front. Now, Messrs. Editors, lest I weary you I will close, and if you see proper to give this a place in the columns of your val uable paper, I hope you will do so, but if not, cousign it to the waste basket, and I will be satisfied. Very Resp., J. P. Stegall. The County Alliance. The Bartow County Farmers’ Alliance was attended by delegates from all the sub-alliances last Saturday, aud a most important meeting was held. The most important action ot the body was the passage of resolutions against using jute or “trust” bagging to bale their cotton with. We give the resolutions as furnished by the secre tary. The body was composed of a splendid set of rnen—the very bone and sinew of the country. THE TABERNACLE MEETING. Powerful Preaching By Rev. Sam Jones and Other Ministers. lin incuse Throngs Gather to Hear the Gospel—The People Moving in Reli gious Matters—A Great Work. The Union Tabernacle has become an institution of Cartersville —yes, of the State of Georgia. The meeting at pres ent iu progress is in keeping with the precious seasons that God’s people have enjoyed on this consecrated ground. The meeting* for 1888 began last Fri day morning, with a characteristic ser mon by Rev. Sam .Tones, from the words. “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” The preacher started out with the re mark that the very best meetings he had ever seen were those preceded by* the most thorough preparation—not only the arrangement for comfort and con venience, but the preparation of heart for the work in hand. With many an apt illustration and urgent pleading, he set forth the necessity for the work and the manner of preparation. He remarked that the Lord had a crooked road to travel if he did much for most people. He would have to go around broken down and neglected fam ily altars, forgotten vows, neglect of al most every Christian duty, and many other impediments. He closed with a touching appeal to all to “do something,” and a large num ber pledged themselves to give themselves up to the work of the Lord during the meeting. In the afternoon, notwithstanding the 1 rain, a goodly number turned out, and heard a timely and deeply spiritual ser mon from Dr. Strickland, of Atlanta. At night “Father” Witherspoon, in charge of the Seaman’s Bethel at New Orleans, represented the grand work he is doing under God, forthe3,ooo,ooo men who live and move upon the great waters. A good collection was raised for this work at the close. Saturday morning, the rain and threat ening weather continued, but another good congregation found their way to the Tabernacle, ami the sermons were all marked with the deep earnestness of the people. At the close of each service there were many who indicated a purpose to live better lives. At the night service Dr. Lockwood preached a wonderful ser mon from the text: “Your garments are moth eaten.” In words of burning earnestness, and glistening with the beauty of polished oratory, lie explained the silent, but terribly destructive work of the moth. The idea of a man's char acter falling to pieces when shaken by the hand of God, like a garment, all its threads disconnected by this destructive insect, will long be a living picture in the minds of those who heard him. Sunday morning the rifts in the clouds gave promise of a cessation of the rain, and thousands came to the services. At the morning hour Dr. Lockwood delivered another strong sermon on the duty of parents to children. All hearts were touched, as he painted the picture of a boy in bed, feigning sleep, while a mother knelt and prayed by his bed side, and a burning tear fell upon his cheek, and said, with words choked with emo tion; “that’s why I am here to-day. Sam .Jones preached at the afternoon service, from “Let y ©Ur light so shine’’ &c. In his own quaint but impressive style, he impressed again the importance of work on the part of God’s people. His sort of faith was not so much of the kind that wanted something, as the kind that was ready to do something—and do right at whatever cost. He likes a faith that brings men over to the right side and unmixes them from the devil’s crowd. One of the most nonsensical things that he ever knew was the “compromise” be tween God’s crowd and the devil’s crowd in Atlanta. They said “we won’t bring; prohibition into this campaign,” and the result is that Atlanta was never moref completely given over to the devil than now. The curse of the church to-day is this disposition to make terms with the devil. He said the people of Chihcothe, Mo., were domineered by the bar room element, and when he went for the town council, because they refused to allow the people to vote on the liquor question, they threatened to run him out of town, but he told them he had come to run them out; and the determined action of the good people will soon rid the town of the bar room curse. O, that Christian people everywhere would awake to the fact that prayers are vain and empty things unless our actions correspond with their sen timents. At 7:30 Rev. Joe Jones, a brother of the evangelist, also well known to all our people, and who has of late been abun dantly blessed in his preaching elsewhere, gave the congregation a sermon of great interest. As he stood up and proclaimed the saving power of the gospel, many a heart went up to God in gratitude for what he had done for the preacher, and for the good lie was doing through him. At the close of this service a large num ber presented themselves for prayer, and there was evidence of deep earnestness in their actions. Prof. E. 0. Excel!, of Chicago, arrived Sunday afternoon, having been delayed by missing connections en route. Al though the singing had been enjoyable from the start, he snon put new life into that part of the exercises. His eloquent ly rendered and thrilling solos, and his splendid handling of the choir, demon strate that there is such a thing as “sing ing the gospel.” Monday was a day with bright promise of fair weather. The exercises were all well attended. Rev. Mr. Allday, of Flor ida, led the G o'clock prayer meeting. At 10:30 Rev. Mr. Johnson, pastor of the tiie Methodist church at Dalton, delivered a fine sermon from Rev. iii:l2, which made a deep impression upon his hearers. In the afternoon Dr. Lockwood preached one of his plain, yet eloquent and impres sive sermons; and at night Dr. Strickland preached one of the most powerful ser mons on repentance that we have listened to in many a day. (Our pleasure was greatly marred during its delivery by the constant jabbering and monkeyish mo tions of two simlin-headed dudes sitting immediately behind us.) Tuesday was a delightful day, as to the weather, and the services were espe cially interesting. The sun-rise meeting was largely attended. It was led by Sain Jones, and turned into a “talking meet ing,” being participated a goodly n umber. The half-past ten o’clock service had been given out as an alms-giving service. Everybody was invited to bring a dona tion for the poor to be turned over for distribution to Messrs. Aaron Collins and Starling Roberts, the committee in charge of the grounds. At this hour there was preached a ser mon by Sam Jones, which must mark a red letter page in the history of the meet ing, It was based upon the 3rd and 4th verses of the Ist chapter of Pete’rs Second Epistle. We had this sermon reported and will give it in our next issue. At its conclusion a hat was placed on the stand, and the people went forward with their contributions until a considerable amount was raised. Many had sent ar ticles ot clothing, provisions, Ac., and several of the ladies had spent the morn ing in looking after needy cues. It was a mePcwing sight to see men and women seemingly glad of the chance to give. Everybody seemed happy, and it was the best service of the season up to that time. In the afternoon another of Dr. Lock wood's grand sermons, and at night. Dr. Strickland wound up the day with a strong sermon on procrastination—alto gether, making up a day of peculiar profit and pleasure. On Wednesday morning a groat crowd assembled to hear a sermon from Rev. Sam Jones on “Christian unity.” It evidently “got there,'’ as nearly everybody shook hands with the preacher in token of approval, and expressive of a determination to cultivate the spirit of brotherly love and unity for the future. There was a general mov ing up all along the line, and the'service will doubtless result in great good. Rev. Dr. Johnson, of Canada, arrived Wednesday morning, and in the afternoon delivered a sermon of great power. Dr. Fallens, the veteran Tennessee min ister, who has delighted our people before, arrived that day also, and preached at night. The ministers here are among the best on the continent, and still other great and good men are expected. The indications are favorable for a gracious meeting—a soul-saving time. Let all Christians pray for the success of the good work. NOTES. The music is a glorious feature of the exercises. Prof. Excel] is a superb leader and has one of the finest voices we ever heard. He enjoys his singing and makes everybody else enjoy it. Prof. Excell lias a splendid choir. Car tersville affords a large number of fine voices, and the singing is a constant feast of good things. The weather has been fine this week, and the attendance is daily increasing. Rev. Sam Jones preaches each day at 11 o’clock. The meeting will close Sunday night. Merited Endorsement. The grand jury of Gordon /Superior court at its recent sitting inserted the following in its general presentments : “As the official term of the solicitor general of this circuit will expire with this year, we endorse the candidacy of Hon. A. W. Fite to fill this office, and respectfully request our senator and representatives to cast their votes for him.” The candidacy of Col. Fite is being strengthened continually and his pros pects of success brightens as time rolls on. He is a capable and worthy man and would fill the position he seeks fear lessly and favorable to theends of justice. NO. 15.