Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-10-22
A TARIFF FUR PROTECTION.
Remarks of Hon. James G. Blaine
at BeIIaire, Ohio.

The questio on of tariff for protection is prf-
marily of interest to the laboring man. The
original material that enters into any fabric
constitutes very small element in the cost Of
that fabric. If you take steamship that costs
S5OO,0Oo when she is launched, the material in
her costs $4,000, the labor $685. 900. If you take
ton Of pig iron that sells in your market to-
day for $40 the material that goes into it does
not cost originally 80 cents; $3.50 is labor.
mention these facts, which might be varied in
definitely, for illustration in many departments;
to show that if tariff for protection is
primarily or especially of interest to any one it
Is to the laboring man fcries of You're right,
and II the labOring MAJ will not protect himself
with his vote, how can he ask others to do it.
effect Of a tariff for protection is not
q question OF speculation. 1t is quea@
uon OF fact, question on which you can
appeal to figures. You citizens Of the
State of Ohio. You have new city which has
grown up here within the last fifteen years. You
are one OF the evidences Of the great growth Of
the State. Ohio is the third State in the Union
IN population and in wealth, and have had oc-
cas1on TO say at other meetings to-day what
now say to you and what beg to impress upon
your minds. want you to take two epochs
in the history of Ohio. Take first the wear 1860
Your State wa q then about sixty wears old. It
was seventy-three years then from the time
Ohio was organized as part OF the Northwest
Territory. In those seventy three years of Terri
torial and State existence the citizens Of Ohio
have accumulated wealth to the amount Of ST.
10O,OOO,00O The United States census of 1860
shows that the total wealth of Ohio was then
little over eleven hundred millions, very large
sum Of money. II 1861 the industrial and finan-
cial policy of the United States was changed by
the incoming of the Republican party, and in
consequence of that change a protective tariff
was enacted which has been ever since in force.
In 1880, twenty years after the census of which
/ have just spoken, another census was taken,
and it was found that in those twenty years the
aggregate wealth of the State of Ohio had increas
ed from 81, 100 600 900 to So 200, 000G0 You had
added to your wealth in those twenty years
double as much as had been created in the seTs
enty-three preceding. You had added upon an
average OF $1,000 900 per year to the permanent
capitalized wealth of your State [app.ausel,
and that was done largely by virtue of and in
pursuance of the effect of the protective tariff
upon the labor and the industries of your State.
[Renewed applause.] Do you want that to con-
tinue? [Cries of Eyes, yes."] Do you want t.
Do you want Congress to be convulsed with tR
question so to unSettle values and check en-
terprise and fr1ghten capital, and generally, t:
produce q condition OF uncertainty Throughout
all the financial and business interests of tn
United States? rho, no, MOI Why? Look
what has been the effect simply of the Morrisos
tariff bill. They did not get it through tn
House of Representatives even, but they KEEP
the country in turmoil and agitation and thu
effected I'M urieS to the interests of every labor
States ["That's true! That's true!J Do yOp
want to organize not merely a change in tho
tariff Tor that might be done, but DO you want
to organize perpetual Congressional agitation
Of that question? ["No!" MOTT IT you do not,
the matter is in your own hands. [Great cheer
ing.I Ohio has the power to command that il
shall not be- You have the power to join in that
command, and the opportunity will be given
you on the 14th day OF Oct. through your indi-
vidual ballots. prolonged cheering.I