The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-21

of America. so that its compensation is
larger than is realized in any other country.
1t has guarded our people against the I'M
fair competition of contract labor from
China and may be called upon to prohibit the
growth OF a similar evil from Europe. 1t is
obviously unfair to permit capitalists to make
contracts for cheap labor in foreign countries
TO the hurt and dispi ragement II the labor of
American citizens. e,uc4i ii policy like that
which wCutI leave the title and other condi
tions OF home labor exclusively in the control
of the employees, is injurious to all parties
NOT the least SO to the unhappy persons who
are made the subjects of the contract. The
institutions Of the United States rest upon
the intelligence and virtue of all the people.
Suffrage is made universal as just weapon
of Self-protection to every citizen 1t is not
the interest of the republic that any economic
system should be adopted which involves the
reduction of wages to the hard standard pre-
vailing elsewhere. The Republican party
aims to elevate and dignity labor-not to de-
grade it.
As substitute for the industrial system
which under Republican administration has
developed extraordinary power, our oppo-
nents offer policy which is hut series OF
experiments upon our system of revenue-a
policy whose end must be harm TO our manu-
features and greater harm to our labor. Elk
pertinent in the industrial and financial sys-
tenn is the country's greatest dread, as stabil-
ity is its greatest boon Even the uncer
tainty resulting from the recent tariff agita-
ton in congress has hmtfully affected the
business Of the entire country Who can
measure the harm to our shops and our
homes, to our farms and our commerce, if
the uncertainty of perpetual tariff agitation
is to be inflicted upon the country. We are
in the midst of an abundant harvest; we are
on the eve of a revival of general prosperity.
Nothing stands in our way but the dread Of a
change in the industrial system, which has
wrought such wonders in the last twenty
years, and which, with the power of increased
capital, will work still greater marvels of
prosperity i'll the twenty years to come.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
Our foreign relations favor our domestic
development. We are at peace with the
world-at peace upon sound basis with no
unsettled questions of sufficient magnitude to
embarrass or distract us. Happily removed
by our geographical position from participa-
ton OF interest in those questions of dynasty
OF boundary which SO frequently disturb the
peace of Europe, are left to cultivate
friendly relations with all, and are free from
possible entanglements in the quarrels of any
The United States has no cause and no
desire to engage i'll conflict with any power ON
earth, and we may rest in assured confidence
that no power desires to attack the United
States.
With the nations of the western hemisphere
we should cultivate closer relations and for
our common prosperity and advancement we
should invite them all to join with us in an
agreement that, for the future, all interna-
tional troubles in North or South America
shall be adjusted by impartial arbitration
and not by arms. This project was part of the
fixed policy of President Garfieid's admins
tration, and it should, in my Judgment be
renewed. Its accomplishment on this CONT
nent would favorably affect the nations
beyond the sea, and thus powerfully contri-
butte at no distant day to the universal accept
ance of the philanthropic and Christian prin-
ciple of arbitration The effect even of sug-
costing it for the Spanish American states
has been most happy, and has increased the
confidence of those people in our friendly dis
position. 1t fell to my lot, rs secretary of
state, in June, 1881, to quiet apprehension in
the republic of Mexico, by giving the assur-
ance in an official dispatch, that "there is not
the faintest desire i'll the United States for
territorial extension south of the Rio Grande
The boundaries of the two republics have
been established in conformity with the best
luisdictional interests of both The line of
demarcation is not merely conventional. 1t
is more. 1t separates a Spanish American
people from a Saxon-American people. 1t
divides one great nation from another with
distinct and natural tnahty,'
We seek the conquests of peace. We de-
sire to extend our commerce, and in an
especial degree with our friends and neigh
b0rs on this continent We have not I'M
proved our relations with Spanish-America
as wisely and as peIsistently as We might
have done For more than generation the
sympathy of those countries has been al
lowed TO drift away from US We should
now make every effort to gain their friend
ship. Ou trade with them is already large.
During the last year our exchanges in the
western hemisphere amounted to $3.50, 00a, o00
hearty one-fourth of our entire foreign
commerce To those why may he disposed
to underrate the value OF our trade with the
countries of North and South America, it
may be well to state that their population is
nearly or quite $1,000, 000-and that in pro
portion to aggregate numbers, we import
nearly double as much from them as we dc
from Europe. But the result OF the whole
American trade Ii in n high degree unsatis-
factory. The imports during the past year
exceeded S225, 900, 0O0-showing a balance
against US of more than 100000, 900.
But the money does not go to Span
ish America. We send large sums to
Europe iii coin or its equivalent to pay
| European manufacturers for the goods which
| they send to Spanish America. We are but
| paymnSterS fer this enormous amount an
nuaily to European factoTs-an amount
| which is Il serious draft in every financial
| depression, upon our resources OF specie.
| Cannot this condition of trade in great
part be changed. Cannot the market for ouI
| products be greatly enargedl We have
made beginning in our effort to improve
our trade relations with Mexico. and We
| should not be content until similar and mu
| tually advantageous arrangements have beer
| successfully made with every nation of NORTH
| and South America. While the great power
Of Europe are steadily enlarging the colouia
| domination in Asia and Africa it is the
especial province Of this country to improve
| and expand Its trade with the nations Of
America, No field promises SO much NJ
field has been cultivated SO little. Our foreign
| policy should be an American policy in it
broadcast and most comprehensive SENSE
policy of peace, of friendship, Of Commercial
enlargement.
The name of American which belongs to u
in our national capacity must always exal
the just pride of patriotism. Citizenship O
the republic must he the panoply and safe
guard of him who wears il. TIE American
citizen, rich or poor, native or naturalizei
white or colored, must everywhere wall
secure in his personal and civil rights. Tn
republic should never accept lesser duty, l
can never assume a nobler one, than the pro
| lection of the humblest man who owes i
neutrality-suspicious. at home, and protectio
which shall follow him abroad, into whatevo
hand he may go upon a lawful eTTand
| THE SOUTHERN STATES.
l recognize, not without regret the neces
sity for speaking of two sections of our CON
mon country But the regret dilninishe
when see that the elements which separate
them are fast disappearing PrejudiceS hav
yielded and are yielding, while CROWN
cordially warns the southern and the nortl
ern heart alike. Can any one doubt that be
tween the sections confidence and esteem al
to-day more marked than at any period i
the sixty years preceding the election {
President Lincoln! This is the result in paI
of time and in part of Republican principle
applied under the favorable conditions {
uniformity. 1t would be great calamity I
change these influences under which souther
commonwealth are learning to vindicat
civil rights, and adapting themselves to th
conditions of political tranquility and indu
trial progress II there be occasional an
violent outbreaks in the south against tn
peaceful progress, the public opinion of tt
country regards them as exceptional an
hopefully trusts that each VIII prove I'll
last.
The south needs capital and occupation, III
controversy As much as any part of Il
north, the south needs the full protection
the revenue laws which the Republican part
| offers Some of the southern states have a