The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-25
CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES.
Hon. James G. Blaine Discusses Cues
tons That Divide the Great Parties.
Ills Views on the Tariff, the Labor and Fishery
Questions. Our Relations with Mexico,
and Third Party ProhibitiOnists.

SEBAGo LAKE, Me-, Aug 24-The formal
opening of the Republican campaign in Cumber-
land county took place this afternoon. when Hon.
James e. Blaine and Congressman Reed of
Maine and Gibson, of Ohio, made addresses be-
fore large assembly. The meeting was CAMEO
to order by Isaac w. Dyer, chairman OF tne
county COMMITTEES John e. Warren. of Cumber-
land, presided. Mr.. Blaine spoke as follows
Felloy-citizens-A new administration of the
national government is usually unyexed In It's
frst wear. except by the opportunities and the
disappointments of its own supporters Inc peo
gle at large give small heed for the time, to pub
lie affairs and the discussion of political issues
ls left as a somewhat perfunctory task to oDpos-
ing partsans in Congress. This season of APP
parent indifference is caused IN part by the nat
ural ebb of the tide which flowed so high IN the
preceding national election, and in part also by
the American instinct of fair play, which de-
mands that the party freshly installed may have
free opportunity and full time to lay out Its
ground and mature its measures. This period
of popular inaction Is thus not only advantageous
for rest but it prepares those who are the ulti-
mate arbiteTs in ali matters OF public concern to
give patient hearing TO fair argument when the
time arrives for popular discussion.
The approaching election of Governor. OF
four Representatives to a new Congress, and a
Legislature that shall choose Senator or the
United States revives the interest in political
topics in Maine and subjects to inquiry the va
rious issues which separate our people into DIS
tinct political parties. Have the old differences
between the Republican and Democratic organl-
cations been adjusted, or have they grown more
palpable and more pronouncedg Are the ques-
tions over which the Republicans and the Demo
Gratis have waged long contest to be now aoan-
donedl Is litigation in the court OF public opln-
ion to be discontinued and settlement effected
by entering neither party" on the peoples
aocketg Or on the other hand do the American
people just now begin to see with clearer vision
the aims and intentions, the methods and the
measures of each party and they waking to
a new and more earnest struggle over poilcies
that irreconcilable over measures that are In
herently and inevitably in conflict Let US in
qurs Of these things in spirit OF candor.
THE TARIFF POLICY.
1t is in the first place especially worthy Of OBJ
servation that in the history of industrial ques
tions no party in time of peace has ever been
more united in support of policy than is the
Republican in support of a protective tariff to-
day. At the late session of Congress measure
known as the Morrison tariff bill, designed to
FIRST weaken and ultimately destroy the pro-
fective policy, was resisted by so compact an or
ganization of the Republican members that
single vote from New York and two or three
votes from Minnesota all that broke the
absolute unanimity of the party And this was
rendered still more striking by the fact that the
organs of Republican opinion in New York and
Minnesota declare that these exceptional votes
were adverse to the wishes of largo majority
of those who elected the dissenting members.
On the other hand, the vast majority Of the
Democratic members supported the free-trade
side of the question: but a small minority,
uniting with the Republicans, found them
selves able to defeat the measure There
upon the Democratic papers quite generally
throughout the country denounced the recusants
M unfaithful to the creed of their party and the
Journal in New York which is said to reflect the
views of the national administration gave for
NAL notice to all Democrats, North and South,
who lean towards the policy Of protection, that
they must revise their opinions or leave the
party, because with their views they can find no
sympathy in Democratic ranks and no standing
room on Democratic platforms.
These leading facts indicate that the policy of
protection versus free trade is an issue shaped
and determined no longer by sectional prefer
ence-but has become general and nationalist
fording a distinct, well-marke6 line of division
between the Republican and Democratic parties.
1 do not recall these facts as preparatory to an
analytic discussion of the protective system, but
with the view of applying them to certain cur
rent movements and current events.
The hostility of the Democratic party to pro-
lection has entailed upon the co.utry a vast
Joss, and has in many ways obsLructed the
progress and development of certain sections.
Since the financial panic of 1873, and the con-
tsmporaneous qualification of the Southern vote,
the Democratic party has, with the exception of
single Congress, held control of the House of
Representatives. The power to originate reve-
nue. bills has been exclusively in their hands,
and they have used it to the confusion, the det-
riment in many instances to the destruction of
new enterprises throughout the Union. Conf
dence, once shaken. is hard to restore, and the
schemes of Improvement which have been aban-
doned within the past ten years, account of
the uncertainty of our revenue laws, constantly
menaced by the Democratic party in Congress,
would have caused prosperity and happiness in
many communities which have felt the dScour-
aping influence of dull times
The Democratic party is constantly using the
comparative dizziness in business. which their
own course in Congress for twelve years has
largely developed as an argument against the
policy of protection. But it is worth while to
compare the condition of the country in this
year of grace with its condition the year before
the Republicans succeeded in enacting their first
protective tariff. In the nine States which still
do the larger amount of manufacturing for the
country, aud which did it nearly all a quarter of
century ago. it is interesting and instructive to
compare their financial conditions at the begin
ming of 1861 and at the beginning of 1866 The
State referred to are the six of New England
with New York. New Jersey and Penn
sylvania. In 1861 the country pre-
scented a condition brought about by nearly
an entire generation of free trade and the ag-
gregate amount which the people had accumu-
lated in their savings banks during that long
period was less than one hundred and sixty mill
ions of dollars In the same States on the LIST
day of January 1886, the aggregate amount in
the savings banks was over one thousand and
twenty millions of dollars The difference in
the amount Of savings in Maine for the two pc,
RODS shows that in January, 1861. the people had
less than a million and a half in bank, while in
january, 1886. the people had over thirty six
millions in bank.
During this period it must be remembered
that the increase of population in the nine States
has been about 80 per cent, while the increase
Df deposits in savings banks has been at the
rate of 800 per cent.
Itmust De remembered that 70 per cent of
this vast sum belongs to the wage workers. The
vast number of depositors may be inferred from
the fact that in Maine, where the aggregate pop
niation is less than seven hundred thousand, the
the thirty-six millions of deposits are divided
between 10000 persons, showing that about
nne in six of the total population is depositor,