Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-07
BLAINE IN WEST VIRGINIA.
He Makes an Excellent Speech to the
CiIizens of Grafton on Protective
Tarif-rhe People Very
Enthusiastic.
PARAMOUNT, W. Va, Oct.

on the Baltimore & Ohio road for Grafton.
Gen. Adam King of Baltimore separated from
the party at Wheeling to return TO work in
Ohio. At the Wheeling depot there was
quite demonstration and as the train moved
slowly out of the city, workmen. came out of
their shops and people out of their houses
and cheered. The first stop was made at
Mounisville. The chairman of the republi-
can State committee introduced Mr.. Blaine.
who was warmly welcomed. He said:
81 am glad to meet the citizens of Mar
shall county. am glad to be in West Vir-
ginia, l consider it one of the encouraging
signs of the times that an honest contest is
going on, in what was once slave State, for
republican principles, and republican princi-
Piles this year mean tariff for the protection
of American labor. If West Virginia is in
favor OF that she is republican, If she is op-
posed to it she is not republican. The de-
cision rests on her citizens. No State in the
United States is more directly interested in
the promotion of manufactures than your
State. Your rich beds of coal and iron and
your vast forests and all your natural re-
sources favor the great developement of
manufacturing industries. They can be de-
veloped under protective tariff; they cannot
be without it " At Cameron. Littleton, Man
ington and Pennington there were briet stops
and at each point MIR. Blaine spoke briefly of
the Importance to West Virginia of protec-
tive tariff. At Fairmount there was quite
large meeting. Mr. Blaine left the train and
addressed the people from stand. Here as
at all points the people were very enthusias-
tic.
PARKERsBURG, w. Va, Oct. 6.
At Grafton there was large meeting.
The little mountain town was filled with peo-
pie from the surrounding country. Mr.
Blaine was escorted to the stand where Hon.
John Il. Mason introduced him. MIR, Blaine
said:
"Citizens of West Virginia-As your
chairman has intimated am no stranger to
your State. have known 1t for more than
40 years, but do not see before me the
West Virginia that knew in my boyhood.
The West Virginia of 40 years ago was COM
paratively wilderness MIR. Blaine cited
figures to show the increase in population
and wealth and continued, From the close of
the war to 1880 West Virginia had gained in
wealth the enormous sum of $3.50 ,000
You have Jared pretty well therefore under
republican administration. Laughter and
applause. Probably some political opponent
does me honor to listen to me and l would
ask him as candid man what
agency was it that nerved the arm
of industry to smite the mountains
and create this wealth in West Virginia?
1t was the protective tariff and financial sys-
TEN that gave you good money. Before the
war you never had circulating in your midst
bill that would pass current 500 miles from
home. You don't TODAY have single piece
of paper money circulating in West Virginia
that is not good ali round the globe, not a
bill that would not pass in the money markets
of Europe as well as in New York or Balti-
more. So that the man who works for a days
wages knows when night comes that he is to
be paid in good money. Under the protective
tariff your coal industry and the industries
and wealth of your forests has been brought
out, and it is for you voters of West Virginia
to say whether you want to try free trade.
"A voice: No, we don't."O | make bold
to say with all respect that there is not a
democratic statesman on the stump in West
Virginia conspicuous enough to be known to
the nation. U speak only of those know
who advocates the protective tarif-nOt one.
| go further. l do not know of democratic
statesman who will acknowledge that tariff
for protection is constitutional, and therefore
as honest men they are bound to oppose it.
The Morrison tariff bill would have struck
at the interests of West Virginia in many
vital points, and it is an amazing fact that
the representatives in Congress from West
Virginia voted for that bill There is good
old adage which beg to recall to your minds
that God helps those who help themselves,
and if West Virginia is not willing to sustain
the protective tariff by her vote and influence
she must not expect it to be sustained for her
by others. If she wants the benefit of the
protective tariff she must give to it the bene-
fit of her support. | am glad am addressing
the southern people-a community that were
shareholders; community made up of those
who were masters and those who were slaves.
But am addressing a slave State no longer.
Cheers | am appealing to the new South
and West Virginia not to vote on tradition or
prejudice not to keep her ewes to the rear
but to look to the front to the future and if
could be heard would make the same ap.
peal to other Southern States, to old Vir-
ginia, to North Carolina, to Georgia, to
Alabama, to Tennessee and to Louisiana
They are all interested in a protective tariff
and the question is which do they prefer, to
crafty prejudice or to promote general pros
perity. West Virginia can lead the way.
They can break seemingly the impregnable
banner of the solid South. Cheers and
and cries we will do it Solid, on what?
Solid on prejudice, solid on tradition, solid
upon doctrines that separate different por-
tions Of the Union. Here | invite you TO
join in the Union, not merely in form but
union in fact ard to take your part in the
salution of the industrial problems of time
If West Viagidis takes that course on Oct
l4th she will do much to settle the contro.
versy that agitates us. The repeal of the pro.
tective tariff. according to the terms of the
Morrison bill, would cost West Virginia a
vast sum of money Between 1870 and 1880
you gained in your State Sl60, ,0OO, 900.
Between 1880 and 1890 you will gain much
more with tariff for protection, but ask any
business man here if he believes you can do
it with free trade. Cries of no, no. Here /
close my words of counsel, leav-
ing the action to you, leave
you, not as community influenced by
sectional feeling, but as a community broadly
national. leave you as q State allied on
one side to Pennsylvania and on the other to
Ohio, as much as you are TO Virginia and
Kentucky. leave you as a state that stands
in the van of the new south inviting the
whole south to join in the great national
movement which shall in fact and feeling as
well as in form make US a people with one
union, one constitution and one destiny"
lCheers
From Grafton the train turned from the
Ohio river. At Clarksburg there was quite q
large gathering. Here and at severa. points
on the route to Parkersburg Blaine spoke
briefly of protection to American industries
as the chief issue of the campaign.
Tammany Hall Nomiuar ions