Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11
MIR. BLAINE on POLITICAL ISSUES.

Hon. James q. Blaine In reply to promn-
ent citizens of Bangor inviting him to address
a mass meeting to be held in that city, has
written n letter which is an exceedingly clear
and trcncllant presentation of the issues in
volved in the pending State campaign rs well
principles. lie reviews the circumstances of
the last State election in 1880, expressing
the opinion that it was peculiarly unfortunate
that the State and local issues at that time were
overshadowcd by those involved in great
national contest, so that many honest Demo-
Gratis and honest Grecnbackers were deferred
from expressing their opinion of the infam-
Gus Ga,celon fraud of the previous year,
through fear of abandoning their party on
issues in no way connected with the local
politics OF Maine. The time has now come
when no such embarrassment surrounds the
plain question of duty for honest men, and it
also 50 happens by the pcrverse designs Of those
who sought to impose "a fraudulent govern
ment on the people Of Maine, that the issue
of that evil conspiracy is thrust on the people
in the pending election whether they Ike will
ing or unwilling.
In addition to this important State issue,
Mr.. Blaine treats at some length of the more
prominent questions OF National importance
which are necessarily involved in this con-
test from the fact that four Representatives
in Congress and Legislature having the
appointment OF Senator of the United States
are 10 be elected. He reviews the course
and policy of the Republican party on the
questions of tariff, which involve so in
timately the great sbpbuilding industry of
the State, showing conclusively that the
National success of the frec.trade Democ-
racy would prove utterly destructive of this
interest. On this point he says
1t would be curious TO call over list OF
the occupations of the people of Maine and
after careful inspection of its details to
have the free trader point out one that would
be helped by the destruction of the protective
tariff-or indeed one that would not be harmed
by it. The first one indicated by the free trader
would probably be the navigation interest
which he would boastfuly maintain is ser
iously injured by protective tariff. But
the shi p owner would not desire the destruc-
ton of the protection to manufactures If at
the same time il carried with it the destruc-
ton to the protection of the navigation in
tercst, which comes from securing the coast
ing trade to American built and American
owned vessels. Not to speak of the count
less sailing vesselcs engaged in the coasting
trade on the Atlantic, the Gulf and the Paci-
fic. 1t must be remembered that the steam
tonnage engaged in the same trade, all built
and ownedin the United States, is larger than
the entire steam tonnage of Great Britain
twenty-five years ago. The coasting trade
keeps alive the navigation interest of Amer
lea and ont of it will sometime grow u foreign
trade that will restore us to our former and
worthy rivalry with the chief commercial
Nation of the globe. Therefore the Republi-
cans unite in holding on to the coasting trade
for our own vessels, and will yield to no
compromise on this point.
Mr.. Blaine then goes on to show how safe
and well-cstablished banking system, SO ne
cessay to financial and business prosperity,
depends on the continued exclusion from
power Of the Democrats, with their Green
back assistants He says:
The tariff, the internal revenue, the currency,
have been regulated by Republican admins
trations, and it is idle for empirical econo-
mists to oppose it with eytravagant theories,
or to attempt to supplant it by visionary
plans OF finance. Laws, however wise, can
do nothing against the idleness and impro-
violence OF the people. But the people of
Maine are industrious and provident, and
wise laws have aided them. They are sober,
earnest and thrifty Intemperancc has stead
lily decreased in the State since the first en-
actment of the Prohlbtory law, until now it
can be said with truth that there is no equal
number of people in the Anglo-Saxon world
among whom so small an amount of intoxi-
eating liquor is consumed as among the six
hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants of
Maine.
With such issues involved in the contest,
and with the position Of the Republican par
ty so clearly defined, Mr. Blaine expresses
hearty confidence in a Republican victory at
the polls in September, saying sour pros
poets arc SO promising, the surroundings OF
the party in Maine are 60 auspicous, that we
all have heart and courage for the work of
the campaign. Divisions that distract Re-
publicans elsewhere are unknown among ns,
and it may be our happy fortune by unity
and victory, to set an example to the Rcpub-
lican party of the whole country, and thus to
induce the harmony and cooperation which
are Indispensable to success"