Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-16
MIR. BLAINE'S TARIFF.
A Republican Proposition Riddled
Fore and Aft by a Racy Con-
tributor,
COLUMBUS, OHIO, October4, 1884.

In his speech at Columbus, NJ. Blaine
sought to make the people believe that
the total increase of wealth in Ohio,
from 1860 to 1880, was wholly due to
ihe protective tariff of the Republican
party. He said:
"When the Republican party came
into power by the election of 1860, the
total wealth of the State of Ohio was
little over 81, 100, 100000; twenty years
from that time, in 1850, it was So, ,200,-
100000. [Cheers.l In other words,
under twenty years of protective tariff
you advance in wealth double the
whole amount that you had acquired
in all the previous history of your State.
Renewed Cheering.] Do you wish now
to give it up" No. no; never; we are
not going to: no, no.
He would have us understand that
nothing is due to increase population
or improvement of land, good crops or
the natural growth of the country. He
attributes it all to a protective tariff,
not even allowing God Almighty credit
for sunshine and rain, which has given
us bountiful harvests and enriched our
stores.
The population of Ohio increased one
million and half from 1860 to 1880.
Real estate advanced in value over
$500,O00,000 during that time. Six
million acres were reclaimed from a
wild state and put under cultivation
from 1860 to 1880.
The Knight of the White Plume
Knows very we'll that the advance in
wealth is due largely to the natural
| growth nf tho onunfrxy tnratbor u,;tI,
good crops and general prosperity
causes wholly independent of benefits
derived from any particular policy; yet
he has the cheek to tell an intelligent
people that it is all owing to the pro-
tective tariff.
observe that he gets his informa-
tion from the census reports. He might
have continued by saying:
"When the Republican party came
into power by the election of 1860 the
to!al number of paupers in the State of
Ohio was 5,053. Twenty years from
that time, in 1880, there were 7,463.
[Cheers.] In other words, under twen-
ty years of protective tariff, you adj
vance in the number of your paupers
1,5l0 per annum. [Renewed cheering. ]
Do you you wish now to give it up?"
"When the Republican party came
into power by the election of 1850 the
total number of insane people in Ohio
was 2,275. Twenty years from that
time there was 1896. [Cheers.1 In
other words, under twenty years of a
protective tariff, you have advanced in
The number of your insane people SOIL
per annum. [Renewed .cheering.] Do
you wish now to give it up?"
"Wben the Republican party came
into power by The election of 1860, the
total number of houses of prostitution
in Ohio was little over twenty-five
hundred. Twenty years from that
time, in 1880, there was 5,782. Cheers. |
In other words, under twenty years OF
a protective tariff you advanced in
houses of prostitution double the whole
previous history of your State. Re-
newed cheers.] Do you wish now TO
give it t up?' =
"When the Republican party came
into power by the election of 1860, the
total number of births per annum in
Ohio was little over $4,000. Twenty
years from that time, in 1880, there
were $4,000. [Cheers. In other words,
in twenty years of protective tariff
you have advanced in the number of
births per annum over $4,000. Renew
ed cheerins.] Do you wish now to
give it up?"
"When the Republican party came
into power by the election Of 1860, the
total deaths in Ohio numbered little
over twenty-four thousand per annum.
Twenty years from that time, in 1880,
they numbered over forty-two thousand
per annum. [Cheers.] In other words,
under twenty years of a protective tariff
you have advanced in the number of
your deaths per annum at the rate of
eighteen thousand. [Renewed cheer
ing.] Do you wish now to give it up?"
Il
Tmight go on to an unlimited tent
in illustration of the above character,
showing the absurdity of his position,
but it is unnecessary. Enough is given
to show Mr.. Blaine's position to be ut
terly fallacious.
He omitted to remind us that in 1860
the wealth of the State was petty even
ly distributed among the people; that
twenty years from that time, in 1880,
under Republican rule. the bulk of the
capital of the State was in The hands of
rich syndicates and great moneyed cor
porations; that when the Republican
party came into power by the election
of 1860 there were comparatively no idle
people in the State; all had employment
at remunerative wages; strikes were un-
known; because unnecessary; that Iwen-
ty-four years later, 1884, under Repub-
lican Government, all this hes been
changed; capital is consolidated in the
hands of the few; wages of the working
classes have been ground down to star
walton point; the State is filled With
idle people, who cannot obtain work at
any price; thousands are at the point of
actual starvation. Twenty-Five hundred
miners in the Hooking; Valley are SUBJ
sisting their families on charities OBJ
tanned from the scant wages of their fel-
low-miners, many of them living in
tents provided by the Government of
the State, while their places are filled
by "pauper labor of Europe employed
by the wealthy syndicates of which, it
is said, the Plumed Knight at one time
(if not now was q conspicuous member.
General Logan failed to put in an ap-
pearance. If he had I presume he
would have asked his stereotyped ques-
tion that, am told, Re is asking where
ever he goes in Ohio; viz:
"Will you please show me what the
Democrats of Ohio ever did for the Ia
boring manW
The Statutes of Ohio furnish the an
swer. Legislation of Ohio in the in