McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-07-24
MIR. BLAINE's LETTER.
His Acceptance of the Republican Nomi-
nation fer President.

the Committee, ETC., etc.
GENTLEMEN: In accepting the nomination
for the presidency rendered me by the repub-
hcan national convention, Tbeg to express a
deep sense of the honor which is conferred
and of the duty which is imposed. I venture
TO accompany the acceptance with some OBJ
servations upon the questions involved in the
contest,-questions whose settlement may af-
feet the future of the nation favorably or UNI
fayorably for long series of years.
In enumerating the issues upon which the
republican party appeals tor popular support,
the convention has been singularly explicit
and felicitous. 1t has properly given the lead
ing position to the industrial interests OF the
country as affected by the tariff on imports
On that question the two political parties are
radically in conflict Almost the first act of
the republicans, when they came into power
in le6l, was the establishment of the principle
of protection to American labor and TO Amer
lean capital This principle the republican
party has ever since steadily maintained
while on the other hand the democratic party
in Congress has for fifty years persistently
warred upon 1t. Twice within that period our
opponents have destroyed tariffs arranged for
protection and since the close of the civil
war, whenever they have controlled the house
of representatives, hostile legislationha has been
attempted-never more conspicuousy than in
their principal measure at the last session of
congress.
. THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue laws are in their very nature SUBJ
ject to frequent reyisiOns in order that they
may be adapted to changes and notifications
OF trade. The republican party is not con-
tending for the permanency of any particular
statute. The issue between the two parties
does not have reference to specific law. 1t
is far broader and far deeper. 1t involves u
principle of wide application and beneficent
influence, against a theory which we believe
to be unsound in conception and inevitably
hurtful in practice. In the many tariff revis-
ions which have been necessary for the past
twenty-three years, or which may hereafter
become necessary, the republican party has
maintained and will maintain the policy of
protection to American industry, while our
opponents insist upon a revision, which prac-
tically destroys that policy. The issue is thus
distinct well defined and unavoidable. The
pending election may determine the fate of
protection for generation. The overthrow
of the policy means large and permanent
reduction in the wages of the American Ia
borer, besides involving the loss OF large
amounts of American capital invested in
manufacturing enterprises. The value OF the
present revenue system to the people OF the
United States is not a matter of theory, and
shall submit no argument TO sustain IL; only
invite attention to certain facts OF official
record which seem to constitute demonStra-
ton.
IN the census of 1850 an effort was made, for
the first time in our history, to obtain yalua-
ton of all the property in the United States.
The attempt was in large degree unsuccess-
full. Partly from lack of time, partly from
prejudice among many who thought the IN
quiries foIeshadowed a new scheme of taxa
ton, the return were incomplete and unsat1s-
factory. Little more was done than to con-
sOidate the local valuation used in the states
for purposes of assessment, and that, as every
one knows, differs widely from complete eX-
hibit of all the property. i------A /,
In the census of 1860, however, the work was
done with great thoroughness-the distinction
between assessed and true value being
carefully observed. The grand result was
that the true value" of all the property in
the states and territories excluding slaves
amounted to fourteen thousand millions OF
dollars Isl, 1000 000.) This aggregate was the
net result of the labor and savings OF all the
people within the area of the United States
from the time the first British colOnlst landed
in 1907 down to the year 1851. 1t represents
the fruit OF the toll OF two hundred ana NIFTY
years.
After 1860 the business of the country was
encouraged and developed by a protective
tariff. AT the end of twenty years the total
property of the United States, as returned by
the census of 1880, amounted to the enormous
aggregate OF fOrty-four thousand millions OF
dollars (S4I ,OOO, O0O,00O.) This great result was
obtained, Notwithstanding the fact that count
less millions had in the interval been wasted
in the progress of bloody war. 1t thus APP
pears that while our population between 1861
and 1880 increased sixty per cent, the aggre-
gate property of the country increased Two
hundred and fourteen per cent.-ShowIng a
vastly enhanced wealth per capita among the
people. Thirty thousand millions of dollars
{S3O,OO0 0O0,OO0 had been added during these
twenty years to the permanent wealth OF the
nation.
These results are regarded by the Oldest ma
lions of the world as phenomenal. That our
country should surmount the peril ana the
cost of gigantic war and for an entlre Pc
riod of twenty years make an average gain to
its wealth of one hundred and twenty-five mill
lion dollars per month surpaSSeS the expert
ence of all other nations ancient or modern
Even the opponents of the present revenue
system do not pretend that in the whole his
tory of civilization any parallel can be found
to the material progress OF the United states
since the accession of the republican party to
power. ~ ,
been one of material prosperity only. AT no
time in the history of the United States has
there been such progress in the moral and
philanthropic field. Religious and charitable
institutions, schools, Summaries and colleges
have been founded and endowed far more
generously than at any previous time IN our
history. Greater and more varied relief has
been extended to human suffering, and the
entire progreSs of the country in wealth has
been accompanied and dignitied by a broaden
ing and elevation of our national character as
people. --
system produces a surplus. But they should
not forget that the law has given specific
purpose to which all of the surplus is profita-
bly, and honorably applied-the reduction of
the public debt and the consequent relief of
the burden and taxation. No dollar has been
wasted, and the only extravaganza with which
the party stands charged is the generous PEN
sioning of soldiers, sailors and their families
an extravaganza which embOdles the highest
form of Justice in the recognition and pay
mGnt OF SdCTeu ueDt. w Hch lSuuSbioh VI
taxation is to be made, the republican party
can be trusted to accomplish it in such form
as will most effectively aid the industries of
the nation.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
A frequent accusation by our opponents is
that the foreign commerce OF the country has
steadily decayed under the influence of the
protective tariff In this way they seek to ar
ray the importing interest against the repub-
ncan party. 1t is a common and yet radical
error to confound the commerce OF the coun-
try with. its carrying trade-an error often
committed innocently and sometimes design
edly-but an error so gross that it does not
distinguish between the ship and the cargo:
Foreign commerce represents the exports and
imports of country regardless of the nation
atty of the vessel that may carry the COM
modities of exchange. Our carrying trade has
from obvious causes suffered many. discour-
agements since 1860, but our foreign COM
merce has in the same period steadily and
prodigiously ncreased-increased indeed at a
rate and to an amount which absolutely
dwarfs all previous developments of our trace
beyond the sea. From 1880 to the present time
the foreign commerce of the United States
divided with approximate equality between
exports and importsJ reached the astounding
aggregate of twenty-four thousand millions