The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-11

men poor, and poor men poorer. which
almost ruined our banks. and which
relegated below par q silver dollar, that
had always been REGARDED AZ standard-
these events are fresh in the minds Of the
people and are solely the work Of the
Republican party. Mr.. Blaine neglected
10 mention these facts when talking to his
constituents at Bath. Perhaps had he
referred to these events which is part of
the Republican record, the auditors would
have asked some ugly questions. requiring
answers. which, if tFuthfuily given, would
net make votes FOR the Republican party.
The resumption of specie payments
would never have been accom- plished had
not Democratic congress remonetlzedI
silver and but for the bountiful crops in
oar own country and the misfortunes of
our European neighbors. This is the
plain truth OF it. and TO claim for the
Republican party the sole credit of
Resumption. is fragrant untruth; 1t is
not warraated By the facts.
Senator Blaine has so fallen into the
trusting TO the blinded partisauship Of his
followers to believe them. that he pre-"
sumed on the credulity of his hearers at
Bath, as elsewhere.
One part of Senator Blaine's speech was
devoted to the tariff question. In that
portion Mr.. Blaine says that the Republi-,
can party is for high tariff. and that any
other policy will beruinous to the country.
| 1t is well that Mr.. Blaine has placed his
party on record as 10 favor of this imam
GUS measure, and few facts will do no
harm as showing: how utterly at variance
the high tariff is to Ethesinterest of the
people.
He says thatiIowstariff or free trade will
destroy our eoasting service, destroy our
carrying trade and silence the hammer in
cur shipyards. This is untrue, and no
one knows better than he that it is. In
the first place let us examine the record.
During Democratic administration our
shipping interests were prosperous, our
carrying trade six times as large as now,
our ship yards busy in all ports of the
union, This ! state of affairs prevailed
when o Iowitariff or free trade law existed.
What is the result now? Our shipping
interest is merely nominal, our ship yards
are idle, and our merchant marine almost
q nonentity. This state of affairs exists
underrthe rule Of. a Republican administra-
ton which gave Us the present legaIized,
robbery called protective tariff. aud
which. has been the means of kcrlppllng
our Industries. placing tax On our tea,
coffeelan sugar, eentreing the profits on
iron manufactures in the hands of a few
corporations, made a monopoly of the
steel rail tnanufactu rein fact is not q
tariff for protection to The whole people,
but a few wealthy manufacturers only,
This is what Mr., Blaine refers ito as the
grand protective policy of the Republic
can party
MIR. Blaine's speech otherwise is but a
rehash of the bloody shirt. and is unr
worthy of notice In regard to the other
points referred to in this article. however,
everybody is interested. and it is well for
! the democracy OF the country mat SO pro-
minent Republican leader as Blaine has
stated openly what the Republican party
really means. His speech is wilful
misstatement Of the facts and no sensible
person, unless biased by the sIntensity of
partisan bigotry will credit all he says,
while much that he did say, were better
left unsaid, in so far as lit will benefit the
cause he represents.
He will make no votes by misstate-
| meuts, and inasmuch as the statements
| relative to resumption and the tariff
are so at variance with the truth. and so
repeatedly proven to be, it is strange that
a politician Of Mr. Blaipe's natural ability
and shrewdness should indulge are petition
of known ifalsehoods.
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