The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-07-19
NIGHT DISPATCHES.
BLAINE'S BLARE.
The Entire Field of Finance,
Commerce, Philanthro-
ply and Religion
Exhausted.
To Furnish Reasons Why
He Should be Elected
President.
A Bid for the Working
mems Vote.
His Letter OF Acceptance.

His Letter OF Acceptance.
AUGUSTA, Me-, July IS, 1884.
To the Hon. J10 B.. Henderson ant
others of the National Committee
GENTLEMEN: In accepting tn
nomination for the Presidency, ten
dered me by the Republican Nationa
Committee, I beg to express u deeI
sense of the honor which is conferred
and of the duty which is imposed
L venture to accompany the accept
ance with some observations upon
the questions involved in the con.
test-questiOns whose settlement may
effect the future of the nation favor.
ably or unfavorably for a long series
of years. In enumerating the issues
upon which the Republican party
appeals for popular support, the con-
vention has been singularly explicit:
fe%licitous. It has very properly given
the leading position to the industrial
interests Of the country a. effected by
the tariff on imports. Upon that
question the two poll. ical parties are
radically in coDf ct. Almost thu
first act of the Republicans when
they came into power in 1861, was
the establishment of the princicie of
protection to American labor and to
American capital. That principle the
Republican party has eve since
| steadily maintained; while on the
other hand the Democratic party IN
Congress has for fifty years persist
entity wa'red upon it. Twice within
that period U opponents have de-
stroy ed tariffs arranged for protection
and since the close Of the civil war,
whenever they have controlled the
House of Representatives. hostile
legislation has been attempted never
more conspicu0usly than in their
principal measure at the late session
IF Con gress. TIE tariff question and
the revenue laws are in their very
nature subject to frequent revls-
ion in order that they may
be adapted to change and
notifications of trade. The Repub-
lican party is not coutenIing for the
permanency of any particular statute.
The issue between the two parties
does not have reference to a specific
law. It is far broader and far
deeper. 1t involves a principle of
wide application and b%enificenU in
fuence against a theory which we
believe to be unsound in conception
and inevitably hurtful, in practice.
In the many tariff reyisionS 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 olicy of protection. !
to American industry, while our op.
ponen.s insist on q revision which |
practically destroys that policy. The |
issue Is thus distinct, well defined |
and unavoidable. The election NAV
determine the fate of protection for
a generation. The overthrow of the
policy means a large and permanent
reduction in the wages of the Ameri-
can laborer, besides involving the
loss of vast amounts of American
capital invested IN manufacturing
enterprises. The value of the present
system to the people of the
United States, Is not q matter
of thought, and I shall
submit no argument to sustain it.
invite attention to certain facts
of official record which seem to con-
a 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 and partly from pre-
!udlct among many who thought the
inquiries foreshadowed new scheme
Of taxation. The returns were in
complete and unsatisfactory. Little
more was done than to consolidate
The local valuation used in the States
or purposes of assessment, and that.
IS every one knows, differs widely {
a complete exhibit of all the ,
property. In the census of 8
1860. however, the work was done ,
with great thoroughness. The dis
iDcrion between assessed" vaiue .
md true" value being carefully OBJ ;
erved. The grand result was that =,
he true" value of ali the property {
n the States and Territories incIud. =,
ng slaves amounted to $14, 600, OOO. 900 Z
ibis aggregate was the net r suit :
# the labor and the savings ,
4 all the people within the area of ,
he United States from the tim. the : :
lrst British colOnist landed in 1907. =
own to the year 1860. 1t represent :
d the fruit Of the toll of two hun :
red and fifty years. After 1860 the !;
of the country was .ncOur- o
ged and developed by a protective +
arif. At the end of twenty wears a
be total property of the United q
'tates as returned bv the census of :
$50 amounted to the enormous az !,
rtgate of $44 DOC, OOO, 700. This great q
esult was attained Notwithstanding y
ne fact that countless millions had f.
! the interval been wasted in the II
rogress of a bloody war. II thus n
ppears that while our population !,
1860 to 1880 increased sixty ..
We. per cent, the aggregate property II
I the country actually increased 2l4 a,
cent, showing a vastly enhanced u
'ealth per capita among the people. o,
hirty billions of dollars bad :been a,
1ded during these twenty years to +,
he permanent wealth of the nation. -,
~~o~Ao oaV ASSdIueu ny the Al
DER nations OF the world as phe. o,
omena'. That u country should a,
lrmount the peril and the cost of a h.
gantlci war, and for a period of q,
Veaty years make an average gain &C.
its wealth of $l25, OOO, 600 per o. o.,
ontb, surprises the expert s.
'ces of all other nations ~
'clent or modern. Even opponents =.
the present revenue system do not th
etend that in the whole history of ~
.vilization any parallel can be found ~
the material progress of the United VI
ates since the accession of the re- g.
lbllcan party to power. The period -"
tween 1860 and to-day has moi been a.
70 OF material prosperity only. At ~
time in the history of the United Ill
ates has there been such progress in