Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-06-30
The Resolutions.

The Maine Standard wants to know
how the american likes the platform
adopted by the State Convention. The
should commend the rcsolu-
tons for what is omitted if not for what
is asserted. for they fail to endorse the
or the state administration. or
anything else in particular So far a.
they hint towards reduction of taxa
ton, internal and external. they com
mend themselves to the good sense of
the public.
We append the following from the
Evening Posi-
The Maine Republicans.
That the Republican party ought to
be the party of Free Trade. as it was
the party of Free Labor, because it j.
the party of equal justice and impartial
laws, We have always maintained. That
it will be the party Of Free Trade or
Revenue Reform in many if not in most
Of the states is tolerably certain. In the
Northwest the Republicans will nomi-
nate none but Revenue Re:ormers: in
Connecticut they will nominate the
same kind of men; in other New En-
gland states they will do so, not in
every district perhaps, but in many;
and where they nominate protectionists
they are likely TO be beaten.
The Republicans OF Maine. who met
last week at Augusta. adopted As a part
of their platform. this resolution
Resolved. That while we would
maintain and preserve the sacreducss
of the public debt of the state and ma
ton. and favor the gradual payment of
OF the same according 10 the letter and
| spirit of the contract. ,rc are also iu
fdr0r Of a reduction Of the burdens Of
taxation, internal Dnd external. 81 far
As consistent with public credit and a
wise regard To all the industrial inter
esls OF the country. and IRE are oppO$ed
| 10 fostering one branch Of industry at
| the expense Of another, bat hold that the
burdens and the benefits should bc
equally distributed.
The Republicans of Maine have got
tired OF the grab game in which
Pennsylvania has ALWAYS beaten them
| Why should they not declare for i'm
1 PAL laws lllt Vl Hi
shackles from trade? The northern and
eastern parts OF the state are interested
IN lumber to some extent. and the lum-
Der dealers are close corporation. able
TO organize Hobbies and WELD influence
in Congress. But their own arguments
are their answers. They ask for protec-
ton because the articles of supply ioi
their workmen arc made 80 high il
price by the tariff on produce and
clothing, that they cannot afford to eel
their lumber in competition with tn,
foreign dealer. Instead of urging Con
gress TO reduce duties. they have hiiher
TO asked for protection" for thcil
products, because bouniies have AWAY
more attraction than legitimate profit
The lumbermen are joined bv the cot.
ton manufacturers in the western part
OF the state. whose chronic inability to
believe any industry self sustaining
places them beyond the hope Of com
pretending any argument to the con
trarv.
But the state of Maine has larger in
tere>ts than all those which have suffer.
ed enormously from fhi, hobby OF pro
lection" The shipyari, are idle or
profiiless. and there j. no pIetence OF
any other cause OF this lamentablc con-
dition than that the materials which
enter into the business are protected
until they are too high in price for
profitable use. The great natural iacili-
ties possessed by Maine for the manu-.
iacture OF leather are neutralized by the
rrohibiiive tariff on raw hides The
commerce of Portland and other port-
i materially crippled in consequence OF
the same policy. The farmers suffer
from the protection which make.
their implements and clothing dear
In fact, so many and 80 great Interests
in Maine combine to demand Free
Trade, that the supporters of monopoly
Will, II The state is thoroughly canvas sed
appear comparatively few in number
and feeble in interest
The protective policy has undoubtedly
driven the Young men of the state TO
seek other fields OF occupation. and ha.
paralized the industries by which they
formerly prospered; il has driven the
shipbuilders aud the shipowner, into
poverty or retirement, and has made
farming a precarious business
And all this because the lumbertacn
and cotton-spinners, who weigh but q
feather in the balance against the rest
OF the people. demand that their rep.
resentatives in Congress shall sustain
the whole list of monopolies. in order ID
get in return a morsel of bounty fol
themselves. Ii is fortunate for the
Republicans of Maine that they are
becoming alive to the needs of the peo-
pie, as this resolution shows. The,
begin to see that their relief must not
come by prying up a corner of the tariff
here and there. as every petty interes
for the moment demands. but BY re.
duction of the burdens already existing