Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-07-31
BLAINES' LETTER.
Text of His Letter Accepting the Presiden-
tial Nomination at the Hands of the Re-
publican Party.

Text of His Letter Accepting the Presiden-
tial Nomination at the Hands of the Re-
publican Party.
The following is Mr.. BIaine's letter of ac-
ceptance:
AUGUSTA, Me-, July Is, 1884.
To the Hon. John B. Henderson and others of the
COMMITTEES:
GENTLEMEN I'm accepting the nOmina-
ton for the Presidency, rendered me by the
Republican National Convention, l beg to
express a deep sense of the honor which is
conferred, and of the duty which is i'm
posed venture to accompany the accept
ance with some observations upon the
questions involved in the contest questions
whose settlement may affect the future of
the Nation, favorably or unfavorably, for a
long series of years. In enumerating the
issues upon which the Republican party ap-
peals for support, the convention has been
singularly explicit and felicitous. It has
properly given the leading position to the
industrial interests of the country as affect
ed by
THE TARIFF.
on imports. On that question the two DO
litcal parties are radically in conflict. Al
most the first act of the Republicans when
they came into power in 1864 was the es-
Enlistment of the principles of protection
to American labor, and to American prin-
ciples. This principle the Republican par
ty 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 destroyed
tariffs arranged for protection, and since
the close OF the civil war, whenever they
have controlled the House of Representa-
tiVes, hostile legislation has been attempt
ed, never more cOnspicuOusly than in their
principal measure at the late session of
Congress on the tariff question.
AGRTCTT TTTPE mn TET4 ~ pTFE
The Agricultural interest is by far the
largest in the Nation and is entitled in ev-
cry adjustment of revenue laws to the first
consideration. Any. policy hostile to the
fullest development of agriculture in the
United States must be abandoned. RealiZ-
ing this fact, the opponents of the present
system of revenue have labored very ear
nestly to pursuade the farmers of the
United States that they are robbed by pro-
tective tariff, and the effort is thus made to
consolidate their vast influence in favor of
free trade. But happily the farmers of
America areinJelligent and cannot be misled
by sophistry when conclusive facts are be-
fore them. They see plainly that during
the past twenty-fOu years wealth has not
been acquired in one section or by
one Interest at the expense of an
other section or another interest.
They see that the agricultural
States have made even more rapid progress
ers see that in 1869 Massachusetts and
Illinois had about the same wealth, be-
tween eight and nine hundred million dol
lars each, and IN 1880 Massachusetts, had
advanced to tWenty-six hundred millions
while Illinois had advanced to thirty-tWo
hundred millions. They see that New Jer-
sey and Iowa were just equal in population
in 1860, and that in twenty years the wealth
of New jersey was increased by the sum of
eight hundred and fifty millions of dollars
while the wealth of Iowa was increased by
the sum of fifteen hundred million dollars.
They see that nine leading agricultural
States of the West have grown so rapidly
in prosperity that the aggregate addition to
their wealth since 1860 is almost as great as
the wealth of the entire country in that
year. They see the South, which is almost
exclusively agricultural, has shared in the
general prosperity, and that having recOv-
cred from the loss and devastation of the
war, has gained so rapidly that its total
wealth is at least double of that which it
possessed In 1860, exclusive of slaves. In
these extraordinary developments the far
mers see the helpful influence of a home
market, and they see that the financial and
revenue system enacted since the Kepubli-
can party came into power, has established
and instantly expanded the home mar
ket.
EFFECT UPON MECHANICS AND LABoRERs.
A policy of this kind would be disas-