The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-07-30
'BLAINE'S LETTER.
Tariff the Paramount Issue OF the
Campaign.
An American Policy for Americans
Protection Of Our Industries
The Foreign Policy Clearly Defln.
ed-Strong Opposition to Cheap
Foreign Labor, Etc.

Z
ed-Strong Opposition to cheaE
Foreign Labor, Etc.
The Hon. John B. nenderson, ana
Others Of the Committee, etc.
GENTLEMEN In accepting th,
nomination for the Presidency ten
dered me by the Republican Ma
tional Convention, | beg to expires.
deep sense of the honor which i.
conferred, and of the duty which j:
imposed. venture to accompany
the acceptance with some observa
tlons upon the questions involved
In the contest-questions whose set
tlement may affect the future of the
Nation favorably or unfavorably, fol
a long series of years.
In enumerating the issues upon
which the Republican party appeals
for popular support, the Convention
has been singularly explicit and fe
licitous. 1t has properly given the
leading position to the Industrial
interests of the country as affected
by the Tariff on imports. 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 establishment ofthe principle 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 persist
emily warred upon it. Twice within
that period our opponents have de-
stroyed Tariffs arranged for Protec-
ton, and since the close of the Civil
War. whenever they have controlled
the House of Representatives, hos
tile legislation has been attempted
never more conspicuously than in
their principal measure at the late
session of Congress.
THE TARIFF QUESTION
Revenue laws are In their very
nature subject to frequent revision
in order that they may be adapted
to changes and notifications of
trade. The Republican party is not
contending for the permanency OF
any particular statute. The issue
between the two parties does not
have reference to a specific law. 1t
is far broader and far deeper. Itin-
wolves principle of wide applica-
ton and benefcent influence against
theory which we believe to be un-
sound in conception ard inevitably
hurtful in practice. In the many
Tariff revisions which have been
necessary for the past twenty-three
years, or which may hereafter be-
come necessary, the Republican par
ty has maintained and will maintain
the policy of Protection to American
Industry, while our opponents in
sist upon a revision, which practi-
cally destroys that policy. The is
sue is thus distinct, well defined. and
unavoidable, The pending election
may determine the fate of Protection
for generation. The overthrow of
the policy means large and perma-
nent reduction in the wages of the
American laborer, besides involving
the loss of vast amounts of American
capital invested in manufacturing
enterprises. The value of the pres
ent revenue system to the people of
the United States is not a matter eli
theory, and | shall submit no argu-
meEt olsustain il. | only invite
attention to certain facts of official
record which seem to constitute a
demonstration.
In the census of 1850 an effort
was made, for the first time in our
history, to obtain a valuation of all
the property of the United States.
The attempt was, in a large degree,
unsuccessful. Partly from lack OF
time, partly from prejudice among
many who thought the inquiries
foreshadowed a new scheme of taxa
tion, the returns were incomplete
and unsatisfactory. Little more was
done than to consolidate the local
valuation used in the States for pur-
poses of assessment, and that. as
everyone knows, differs widely
from a complete exhibit of all the
property.
In the census of 1860, however,
the work was done with great thor
oughness-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 mil
lions of dollars (s14,000,000.000).
This aggregate was the net result OF
the labor and the savings of all the
people within the area OF the United
States from the time the first British
colonist landed in 1907 down to the
year 1850. IL represented the
fruit of the toll OF two hundred and
fifty years.
After 1860 the business of the
country was encouraged and devel-
oped by Protective Tariff. At the
end OF twenty years the total proper
ty of the United States, as returned
by the census of 1880, amounted to
the enormous aggregate of forty-foul
thousand million of dollars (s44 ,000,,
100000. This great result was at.
tanned. Notwithstanding the fact that
countless millions had in the inter.
val been wasted in the progress Of a
bloody war. Ii thus appears thai
while our population between 1860
and 1880 increased GO per cent. the
aggregate property of the country
increased PA per cent.-showing q
vastly enhanced wealth per copitc
among the people Thirty thousand
millions Of dollars (s30,000,000, 600,
had been added during these twenty
years to the permanent wealth of the
Nation.
These results are regarded by the
olJ1- ro{,orc of tho World as pha