Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-07-24
n1Arsr,s norq IrrrrR.
The rari6 Question straddled-The
Only positive Declarations Dee
nounce Posygamy and Favor SUBJ
sides.


convention his letter accepting the Republi-
can nomination for the Presidency. The
letter is very long occupying space equal to
nearly five columns of the GAZETTE and
a synopsis is herewith given;
The letter opens with a direct reference TO
the tariff question, which is declared to be
the leading issue Of the campaign. Figures
are cited to show the great increase Of the
business Of the country SINCE 1860, whioh, it is
claimed, is due to the tariff policy Of the
Republican party. In reference TO the excess
sive taxes imposed by the present system, tine
letter says:
''Our opponents find fault that our revenue
system produces surplus. But they should
not forget that the law has given specific
purpose TO which all the surplus is probably
and honorably applied-the reduction OF the
public debt and the consequent relief Of the
burden of taxation. No dollar has been
wasted, and the only extravaganza with which
the party stands charged is the generous pens
sioning Of soldiers, sailors and their families
AN extravaganza which embodies the
highest form Of Justice in the recognition
aud payment OF q sacred debt. Whom re-
duotion OF taxation is TO be made, the Repub-
lican party can be trusted to accomplish IL In
such form as will most effectively aid the in
duBtries of the nation.
MIR. Blaine next details the enormous ex-
tent Of this country's foreign commerce, In
order to prove that this important adjunct Of
national prosperity has not decayed under
the influence of Republican tariff, despite
the fact that the great bulk Of the exports
are carried in foreign built vessels.
As an argument TO show that the Republic
can tariff does not injuriously affect the
agricultural interests OF the country, Mr..
Blaine cites figures which show that since
1860 Illinois and Iowa have outstripped
Massachusetts and New Jersey in population
and xrAa E1Nh OF thA tnNA tAtatt a
they We're about equal in these respects. In
relation to the internal commerce Of the
country, the letter says Il
1.-THE internal commerce Of our 3S states
and nine territories is carried on without let
or hindrance without tax, detention or
governmental interference Of any kind
whatever. 1t spreads freely over an area Of
three and a half million square miles-almost
equal in extent to the whole continent Of
Europe. Its profits are enjoyed to day by
$4,000, 600 OF American freemen, and from
this enjoyment no monopoly is created.
According to Alexander Hamilton, when he
discussed the same subject in 1890, ''the
internal competition which takes place does
away with everything like monopoly, and by
degrees reduces the prices Of articles to the
minimum of reasonable profit on the
capital employed" 1t is impossible to point
to single monopoly in the United States
| that has been created or fostered by the
Industrial system which ia upheld by the
| Republican party.
compared with our foreign commerce
| these domestic exchanges are inconceivably
great in notwithstanding merely as one
| fundamentally as large a mileage Of railway
as exists to-day in all the other nations OF
| the world combined. These internal ex-
| changes are estimated by the statistical bu-
reau of the Treasury Department to be an
nually twenty times as great in amount as
/ our foreign commerce. 1t is into this vast
| field OF home trade-at once the creation and
the heritage of the American people-that
foreign nations are striving by every device
to enter. 1t is into this field that the oppo.
nenis OF our present revenue system would
| freely admit the countries of Europe-coun-
tries into whose internal trade we could not re.
| ciprocally enter; countries to which we should
be surrendering every advantage OF trade
from which we should be gaining nothing in
/ return"
/ A policy of this kind, Mr.. Blaine says,
would be disastrous to the mechanics and
| working men Of the United States. An argu-
follows to show that ''the Republican party
has protected the free labor of America
30 that its compensation is larger than il
realized in any other country"
Mr.. Blaine recommends peaceful foreign
policy, and system OF closer relations and
more extensive intercommerce between the
United States and the countries of NORTH
and South America. He further deprecatet
the Democratic solidity of the Southern
States, declares himself in favor of rigid Civil
Service reform, denounces the polyga
nous feature of the Mormon religion, urges
the establishment of the relative values Of
gold and silver, advocates the disposal Of
public lands only to actual settlers and citi
zens of the republic, recommends nationa
subsidies to aid the declining shipping inter
ests of the country, and closes with an ap
peal for free and unrestricted ballo
throughout the country.
PRESS COMMENTS ON DLAINE's LETTER
rhilade phia Record, Ind.
In regard to the reduction Of the enormous
treasury surplus, Mr.. Blaine makes not TIT
slightest suggestion, He does not even refe
to his favorite plan of distributing tine surplu
among the states. So far from favoring thu
reduction of taxes in any degree, he depre
Gates agitation Of the tariff, because it woult
"hurtfully affect the business OF the entir
country" With hundred millions OF surplui
IN the treasury, he does not favor any re
duction of the taxes upon the necessaries o
living or the raw materials Of industry, bu
he would leave the tariff untouched ''to wor
still greater marvels in the 20 years to come
Upon this platform that the tariff must go Of
grinding hundreds Of millions OF unnecessar
taxes from the toll and sweat of the peopl
!
| stand.
New ork Times, Ind. Rep.
, In this Blaine's letter. Can it be tina
Blaine-bold, brilliant, dashing, magnet
Blaine Of Maine-has put forth these fou
columns Of safe and stale platitudes, of du
aud sleepy maunderings about census figure
and the balance of trade, about the publ
! lands and the Mormon question II 80, h
, is another and vastly different Blaine fror
Il the fiery harO xrhOaa hpa afirrad q
deeply the impulsive hearts Of all "intense
Americans. In sober truth MI
j Blaine's letter must be set down as flat an
feeble. When contrasted with previou
efforts OF its author it makes upon the reade
most painful impression. 1t gives evidenc
Of worn body and weary mind. There
no hint III 1t OF buoYancy, OF freshness, O
of that confident ease which some origina
, insight into the great questions wit
which it attempts to deal might have lent Il
its style 1t seems to be the unhappy out
come of an attempt to turn from that realr
J of controversy in which its writer has wo
| such acknowledged distinction into safe
field Of sober and serious politics for whic
he has neither preparation nor natural iii
ness. And in that field Blaine il no louge
Blaine. Transformed into tame and timi
| statesman he loses all the interest which ha
heretofore invested I'M. Disinterested spec
tators of our political contests will be dir
: appointed at the change, while among til
Plumed Knights of the campaign who hay
buckled their armor on and are spelling 70
! the fight there will be widespread feeling
that their enlistments have been procured b
false pretenses. Altogether til
candidates letter of acceptance is docu
, mant which marks visible drop in hi
chances OF election.
! Nsw York Sun, Ind.
J The one object of the present canvass, a
conducted in behalf Of the Republican candi
date, is to divert attention from the questio
Of Blaine's personal fitness to be President @
the United States This subject is unpleas
I ant to MIR. Blaine and to his lieutenants
I they would like to change it. In the letter @
, | exceptance Mr.. Blaine shows very clearly no,
the subject can be changed, provided tn
other party consents to follow him on TO hi
chosen ground. He Is accused Of dishonest
and he replies that he is sound ii
{ charges based on the Mulligan letter
, by putting in evidence figures from the Ger
slis showing the amazing growth of the Unite
States i'll material wealth since 1860. I
satisfy the general desire to know whether
! is true that he has used his official power 70
the promotion Of his private fortunes, b
, offers renewed pledge of his devotion to th
interests Of the farmer and the sailor. 1t
bis views on abstract questions OF taxation
finance, and foreign policy that Brothe
Blaine would be charmed to discuss and dt
fend during the next three months.
New York Herald, Ind.
We print as historical curiosity-but car
not conscientiously recommend anybody e1
cept MIR, Hewitt and other sufferers from il
somnia to attempt to read the whole OF it q
a single sitting-a monstrously long winde
letter dated at Augusta, Me-, last Tuesday an
signed, with great respect, your obedier
servant, James G. Blaine''
New York star, Tammsny
It is easy to pick flaws in Mr.. Blaine's state
ments He himself must have blushed an