Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-24
BLAINE'SI LETTER.
Hon. James &. Blaine's Letter OF Ac.
ceptance.

AUGUSTA. Me-, July 18th, 1884.
The Hon. John b. Henderson and other.
| Of the Commute, ETC., etc.
| GENTLEMEN:-In accepting the nomi
nation for the Presidency rendered me
by the Republican National Convention
beg to express deep sense of the
honor which is conferred and of the
duty which is imposed. | venture to
accompany the acceptance with some
observations upon the questions involy-
ed in the contest-question whose settle.
ment may affect the future of the Nation
favorably or unfayorably for long
series of years.
In enumerating the issues upon which
the Republican party appeals for popu-
lar support, the convention has been
siugularly explicit and felicitous. II
has properly given the leading position
to the industrial interests of the country
as affected by the tariff on reports. On
that question the two political parties
are radically in conflict. Almost the
first act of the Republicans, when they
came into power in 1861, was the estab-
lishment of the principal of protection
to American labor and to American
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 per-
sistently warred upon it. Twice within
that period our opponents have des-
troyed tariffs arranged for protection.
and since the close of the civil war,
whenever they have controlled the
House of Representatives hostile legis.
lation has been attempted more
conspicuously than in their principal
measure at the late session of Congress.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue laws are in their very ma
ture subject to frequent revision IN order
that they may be adapted to changes
and notifications of trade The Re-
publican party is not contending 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 in
wolves 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 revsons
which have been necessary for the past
twenty-three years, or which may here
after become necessary, the Republic
can party has maintained and will main
tain the policy of protection to Ameri-
can industry, while our opponents in
siSt upon revision, which practically
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 a
large and permanent reduction in the
wages of the American laborer, besides
| involving the loss of vast amounts of
1 American capital invested in manufac-
turing 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 it. | only invite attention to
certain facts of official record which
seem to constitute demonstration.
In the census of 1850 an effort was
made for the first time in our history, to
obtain valuation of all the property
/ in the United States. The attempt was
in large degree unsuccessful. Partly
/ from lack of time, partly from preju-
dice among many who thought the in
| quiries foreshadowed a new scheme of
taxation, the returns were incomplete
and unsatisfactory. Little more was
done than to consolidate the local valu-
alton used in the States for purposes of
assessment, and that, as everyone
knows, differs widely from y complete
exhibit of all the property.
In the census of 1860, however, the
work was done with great thoroughness
the distinction between assessed"
value 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 (S14,000, 900, 900. J
This aggregate was the net result of
the labor and the savings of all the
1 people within the area of the United
States from the time the British colon
lists landed in 1907 down to the year
1860. 1t represented the fruit of the
toll of two hundred and fifty years
After 1860 the business of the country
was encouraged and developed by a
protective tariff At TIE end of twenty
years the total property of the United
States, as returned by the census of
| 1880, amounted to the enormous aggre-
gate of forty-four thousand millions of
dollars (S44, 900, 000,000) This great
result was attained Notwithstanding the
| fact that countless millions had in the
| interval been wasted in the progress
of a bloody war. 1t thus appears that
while our population between 1860 and
! 1880 increased sixty per cent, the ag-
I gregate property of the country in
creased two hundred and fourteen per
cent. showing a vastly enhanced
wealth per capita among the people.
| Thirty thousand millions of dollars
| $3.50, 900, 900, 000)had been added dur
ing these twenty years to the permanent
wealth of the Nation.
! These results are regarded by the
older nations of the world as pheno-
menal. That our country should sur
mount the peril and the cost of gi-
gantic war and for an entire period of
twenty years make an average gain to
its wealth of one hundred and twenty
five million dollars per month surpasses
the experience of other nations, ancient
or modern. Even the opponents of the
present revenue system do not pretend
that in the whole history of civilization
any parallel can be found To the mater
ial progress of the United States, since
the accession of the Republican party
to power.
The period between 1860 and to-day
has not been one of material prosperity
only. At no time in the history of the
United States has there been such pro-
gress in the moral and philanthropic
field. Religious and charitable institu-
tons, schools, semnaries 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 hu-
man suffering and the entire progress
of the country in wealth has been ac-
companied and dignified by broaden
ing and elevating of our National char
acter as people.
Our opponents find fault that our
revenue system produces a surplus.
But they should not forget that the law
has given q specific purpose to which
all of the surplus is profitably and
honorably applied-the reduction of the