Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-07-24
BLAINE'S ACCEPTANCE.
an the Tssues Of the Campaign Treated TX
haSst,yely and with strength and
Directness.
ciyfl Service Reform Commended and the Re
publican Position on the Tariff
Clearly Interpreted.
Mr.. blaine. Acceptance

| inc the nomination for president
AususrA, Ne. July 10, iSs4.--1he Hon
John b. Henderson and Others OF the Com
mittee, etc, etc. -Gentlemen: In accepting
the ~aomipation for the presidency rendered
me by the Republican national convention
| bep to express a deep sense OF the honor
which is imposed. venture TO accompany
the acceptance with some observations upon
The questions involved ip aahe contest--ques
tions whose settlement may affect the future
OF the nation fayorsbiy or unfayoraply lor
long series % years
In ennmeraiipQ the issues upon which the
Republican party appeals Tor popular sup
port. the convention has been singulariy ex-
plicir and feiicitous. IL has properly given
the leading position 70 the industrial inter
esfs OF the country as affected by the tariff
ON imports On that question the Two polit-
lcal parties are radically IN conflict Almost
the first act OF the Republicans, when they
came into power IN 1861, was the establish
ment Of the principle OF protection 20 Amer
lean 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 persistently warred upon H.
Twice within hat period our opponents have
destroyed tariffs arranged for protection. and
since the close OF the civil war, whenever
they have controlled the house OF represen-
tatives. hostile Legislation has been at
teupted-never more consptcu0usly thsn In
their principal measure nc the late session OF
congress
THE TAsrFf QUESTION.
Revenue laws are Ina their very nature sub
ject to frequent revision in order that they
may be adapted 10 changes and modification
OF trade. Tn Republican party IL not con-
tending 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 aud far deeper. It involves y
principle Of wide application and benefieent
influence, against a theory which we believe
TO be nnsound IN conception and inevitably
hurtfni in practice. In the many tariff re-
visions which have been necessary for the
past twenty-three years, or which may here
after become necessary, the Republican
party has maintained and viii maintain the
policy OF protection TO American industry,
while cur opponents insist upon a revision,
which practically destroys that policy. The
issla Is thus distinct. Wei dehned and ana
yoidable. The pending election may deter
mine the fate of protection for a generation.
The overthrow Of the policy means q large
and prominent reduction In the wages OF the
American laborer, besides involving the loss
Of vast amounts Of American capital In
vested in manufacturing enterprises. The
value OF the present revenue system to the
people OF the United States In not a matter OF
theory, and l shall submit no argument to
sustain IL l only invite attention TO GER
tain facts OF official record which seem 10
constitute a demonstration
In the census OF 1850 an effort was made,
for the first time Ia our history, TO obtain o
valuation Of all the property in the United
States. T.,s attempt was In a large degree
unsuccessful Partly from lack of time,
partly from prejudice IN many who
thought the inquiries foreshadowed a new
scheme OF taxation, the returns were incom.
piete and unsatisfactory. LATHE more was
dune than 10 consolidate the local valuation
coed In the states for purposes OF assess
ment, and that, as everyone knows, differs
widely from the complete exhibit OF all the
prop ".
In me census OF 1860, however, the work
was dom with great thoroughness--the dis
tincticn between -assessed" value and ~truen
value being carefully observed Tn grand
result was that the Atruc valuo'ofall the prop
erty In the States and Territories t~excluding
slaves amounted tc fourteen thousand mil
lions OF dollars tSIA, 900, 600, 000l This ag-
Rregatr wasthe 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 10 the
year 1850 IL represented the fruit OF the
toll Of $50 years
After 1860 The business OF the country was
encouraged and developed by q protective
tariff AZ the end OF twenty years the total
property OF the United States, as returned by
the census OF 1850, amounted to the
enormous aggregate OF forty-four thou
eand millions OF dollars, t$44, 900
600, O001 This great result was attained.
notwithstanding the fact that countless mil
lions had In the interval been wasted In the
progress OF a bloody war IL thus appears
that while our population between 1860 aud
1880 increased GO per cent, the aggregate
property of the coantry increased 2l4 per
cent--showing a VASTLY enhanced wealth per
capita among the people. Thirty thousand
millions Of dollars ESQ, 900, 0O0, 600 had
been added during these twenty years TO the
permanent wealth Of the nation.
These rlsuiss are regarded by the older
nations OF tho world as phenomenal. That
oar country should surnount the peril and
the cost Of q gigantic war and for an entire
period or twenty yearsmnke an average gain
10 its wealth OF Sl23, 600, 900 per month
surpasses the experience OF all other nations,
ancient or modern Even the opponents OF
the present revenue system do not pretend
that In the whole histoty OF civilization any
parallel can be found TO the material progress
OF the United states since the accession of
the republican party To power.
The period between 1850 and to-day has
not been one OF material prosperity only. At
no time In the history OF the United States
has there been such progress In the moral
and phtlanthropic field Religious and char
table institutions, schools, seminaries and
colleges. have been founded and endowed
far more generously chan at any previous
fanle In our history. Greater and more varied
relief has been extended to human suffering
n the enri.e progress or tho ountry I'M
wealth has been accompanied and dignihed
by n broadening nnd elevation OF our ma
uonaf character as a people.
Our opponents find fault that our revenue
system produces a surplus But they should
not forget that the law has given a specific
purposo 20 which all of the surplus Is profit
ably aud honorably applied-the reduction
Of the public debt and the consequent relief
OF the burden OF taxation. No dollar mas
been wasted, and the only extravaganza
with which the party stands charged is the
generous pensioning OF soldiers, sailors and
their famtlies--nn extravaganza which em
bodies the highest form OF justice in the rec
ignition and payment OF a sacred debt
When reduction OF taxation IL 10 be made.
the Republican party car Re trusted TO ac-
compliSh IL In such foy-sCs WIZ most effect
lively aid the industris 4 ~ the NATION.
OUR FDRrr = ~rpdNvRCE.
A frequent accuse loa by our oplN..snts Is
that the foreign c~.".aae.ce OF the country
has steadily decayed und, a the influence OF
the protective tariff. in this way they seek
10 array the importing interest against the
Republican party. IL Il a common and yet
radical error TO confound the OF
The country with it, carrying trade-an error
often committed innoccntly and sometimes
designediy--but an error 80 gross that IL does
not distinguish between the ship and the
cargo. Foreign commerce represents the ex-
ports ana Imports OF a country regardless OF
the nationality of the vessel that may carry
the commodities OF exchange. Our carrying
trade has from obvious causes suffered many
discouragements since 1860, br. our foreign
has In the same period steadily
and prodigiously ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In
deed at q rate aud 10 an amount which abso-
lntely dwarf all previous developments OF
our trade beyond the sea From 1s00 70 the
present time the foreign of the
United States, divided with approximate
equality between exports and importsl,
reached the astounding aggregate OF twenty
four thousand millions OF dollars lS24. 600
DOC, ZOO The balance Of this vast com
merce inclined in our favor, but IL would
have been much larger IL our trade with the
countries OF America, ise=aS=e- referred e.
had been more wisely adjusted
~ Is difficult even TO appreciate the maQnj-
tude OF our export trade since 1860 and we
can gain a correct conception OF il only by
ronparison wit. preceding results in the
held. Tho total exports from the
United states from tho declaration Of indie
.pendence In l776 down 20 the day OF Lin
COINS election In 1850, added 20 ali that had
previously been exported from the American
colonies from their original settiement
amounted 20 less than nine thousand millions
Of dollars $50. 600. 0O0. 900. ON the other
hand our exports from 1860 TO the close Of
the last fiscal year exceeded twelve thousand
millions OF dollars t$l2, 900. 0Oe, OoO-the