The Dickinson press., 1884-07-26
BLAINE'S ACCEPTANCE.
All the Issues of the Campaign Treated Ex.
haustively and with Strength and
Directness.
Civil Service Reform Commended and the Re
publican Position on the Tariff
Clearly Interpreted.
Mr.. 1slaine's Acceptance.

Mr.. Blaine's Acceptance.
The following is Mr.. Blaine's letter accept.
ing the nomination for president
AUGUSTA, Me-, July 10, 1SS4.-The Hon
mittee, etc, ctc.-Gentlemen: In accepting
the nomination for the presidency rendered
me by the Republican national convention
beg to express 4 deep sense of the honor
which is imposed. l venture to accompany
the acceptance with some observations upon
the questions involved i'll the contest-ques-
tions whose settlement may affect the future
of the nation favorably or ,mtavoraby for a
long series of years.
In enumerating the issues upon which the
Republican party appeals for popular sup
port, the convention has been sinwularlv eX-
plict and feiictous. 1t has properly given
the leading position to the industrial inter-
ests of the country as affected by the tariff
On imports On that question the two polit-
ical parties are radically i'll conflict Almost
the first act of the Republicans, when they
came into power in 1861, was the establish
ment of the principle of protection to Amer
lean labor and to American capital. This
principle the Republican party has ever since
steadily maintained, while on the other hand
the Democratic party i'll congress has for
fifty years persistently, warred upon it,
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 represcn-
tatives, hostile legislation has been at
tempted-nevcr more conspicuously than in
their principal measure at the late session of
congress.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Revenue laws are in their very nature sub.
ject to frequent revision 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 q
principle of wide application and beneticent
influence, against theory which we believe
to he ,lnsound in conception and inevitably
visions which have been necessary for the
past twenty three years, or which may here.
after become necessary, the Republican
party has maintained and will maintain the
policy of protection to American industry
while our opponents insist upon revision
which practically destroys that policy. III,
issue is thus distinct, well defined and una
voidable. The pending election may deter
mine the fate of protection for u generation
The overthrow of the policy means larg,
and prominent reduction i'll the wages of tn,
American laborcr, besides involving the los
of vast amounts of American capital in
vested in manufacturing enterprises. TIL,
value of the present revenue system to til,
people 6f the United States is not matter o
theory, and shall submit no argument t,
| SUSTAIN lu. i Only luVlUC itUUtuUlOu 10 Ger
tain facts of official record which seem tt
constitute demonstration.
In the census OF 1880 an effort was made
for the first time i'll our history, to obtain
valuation of all the property in the Unitet
States The attempt was in q large degre
unsuccessful. Partly from lack of time
partly from prejudice among many VIII,
Thought the inquiries foreshadowed new
scheme of taxation, the returns were incom
plete and unsatisfactory. Little more wa
done than to consolidate the local valuation
used in the states for purposes of assess
ment, and that, as everyone knows, differ
widely from the complete exhibit of all tn
property.
In the census of 1860, however, the work
was done with great thoroughness-the dis
tinction between assessed" value and true
value being carefully observed Tho CRANE
result was that the true value" "of all the prop
erty in the States and Territories (excludin!
| slaves) amounted to fourteen thousand mil
lions Of dollars Gfl4 600, 600 OOO) This ag
gregate was the net result of the labor an,
the savings of all the people within the are
OF the United States from the time the frs
British colonist landed i'll 1907 down to tn
year 1860. 1t represented the fruit of th
toll of $50 years.
After 1850 the business of the country wa
encouraged and developed by protective
tariff. At the end of twenty years the tota
property of the United States, as returned b,
the census of 1880, amounted to TIL
enormous aggregate of forty-four thou
sand millions of dollars, Cf44, 900,
OOO, O,OOO) This great result was attained
notwithstanding the fact that countless mil
progress of q bloody war. 1t thus appear
that while our population between 1860 an,
1880 increased go per cent, the aggregat
property of the country increased PA pc
cent-showing vastly enhanced wealth pc
millions of dollars $3.50, ,O0O, ,O0O, ,OOW hat
been added during these twenty years to tn
permanent wealth OF the nation.
These results are regarded by the olde
nations of the world as phenominal. Tha
our country should surmount the peril ant
the cost OF gigantic war and for an entir
period OF twenty years make an average gail
to it's wealth of S125, 100000 per montl
surpasscs the experience of all other nations
ancient OF modern. Even the opponents o
the present revenue system do not prctent
that in the whole histoty of civilization an,
parallel can be found to the material progress
of the United States since the accession o
the Republican party to power.
The period between 1850 and to-day ha
not been one of material prosperity only. a
no time in the history of the United State
and philanthropic field. Religious and char
table institutions, schools, seminalcs ant
colleges, have been founded and cndowe,
far more generously than at any previou
time in our history. Greater and more vartet
relief has been extended to human sufferin,
and the entire progress of the country il
| wealth. has been accompanied and dignifie(
by broadening and elevation of our ma
tional character us people.
Our opponents find fault that our revenu,
system produces q surplus. But they SHOULD
not forget that the law has given q specific
purpose to which all OF the surplus is profit
| ably aud honoraby applied-the reduction
of the public debt and the consequent relief
OF the burden OF taxation. No dollar ha!
been wasted, and the only extravaganza
with which the party stands charged is thu
generous pensioning of soldiers, sailors ant
their families--an extravaganza which en-
| bodies the highest form of Justice in the rec
ognition and payment OF sacred debt
| When reduction OF taxation is to be made
the Republican party can be trusted to &C
complish it in such form as will most effect
lively 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 decaNed under the influence Of
the protective tariff. In this way they seel
Republican party. IL is a common and ye
radical error to confound the commerce o1
the country with it's carrying trade-an crrol
often committed innocently and sometimes
designedly-but an error so gross that it does
not distinguish between the ship and tho
cargo. Foreign commerce represents the ex
ports and imports of a country regardless Of
the nationality Of the vessel that may carry
the commodities of exchange. Our carrying
trade has from obvious causes suffered many
discouragements since 1860, but our foreign
commerce has in the same period steadily
and prodigiously ncreased-incrcased in
deed at rate and to all amount which abso
lutely dwarf all previous developments O
our trade beyond the sea. From 1860 to the
present time the foreign commerce of tht
United States, divided with approximate
equality between exports and imports)
| reached the astounding annrerate OF taventr