Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-08-28
BLAINE SPEAKS.

1t is in the first place especially
worthy OF observation that in the
history of industrial questions no
party in time of peace has ever been
more united in support of a policy
than is the Republican in support of
a protective tariff to day. At the
late session of Congress a measure
known as the Morrison Tariff bill,
designed to first weaken and ulti-
mately destroy the protective policy,
was resisted by so compact an or
ganization of the Republican men,
bers that a single vote from New
York and two or three votes from
Minnesota were 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 voters were adverse to
the wishes of large majority of
those who elected the dissenting
members.
"On the other hand, the vast ma
jority of the Democratic members
supported the free trade side of the
question but a small minority,
uniting with the Republicans, found
themselves able to defeat the meas
ure. Thereupon the Democratic
papers quite generally throughout
the country denounced the recusants
as 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
formal 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 Dem
ocratic 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
preference-but has become general
and misunderstanding distinct,
well marked line ofdiyision between
the Republican and Democratic
parties.
"The hostility Of the Democratic
party to protection has entailed mp.
on the country a vast loss, and has in
many ways INSTRUCTED the progress
and development of certain sections.
Since the financial panic of 1873,
and the contemporaneous solidifica-
ton of the Southern vote, the Dem.
ocratic party has, with the excep-
ton of a single Congress-, held con-
troll of the House OF Representatives.
The power to originate revenue bills
has been exclusively in their hands.
and they have used it to the confus-
ion, the detriment, in many instan-
Gee to the destruction, of now enter.
prlses throughout the Union. Con.
fidence once shaken is hard to re.
store, and the schemes of improve.
ment which have been abandoned
within the past ten years on 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 discouraging in
fuence of dull times.
FIGURES AND FACTS THAT TELL
"The Democratic party is con
stantly using the comparative dull
ness in business, which their OWL
course in Congress for twelve years
has largely developed, as an argu
ment against the policy of protec
ton. But it is worth while to com
pare the condition of the country in
this year of grace with its condition
the year before the Republicans sue
ceeded in enacting their first pro
tectiye tariff. In the nine states
which still do the larger amount oil
manufacturing for the country, aud
which did it nealy all quarter of a
century ago, it is interesting and in
structiye to compare their financial
conditions at the beginning OF 1861
and at the beginning of 1886. The
states referred to are the six of New
England, with New York, New Jer
sey and Pennsylvania. In 1861 the
country presented a condition
brought about by nearly an en-.
tire generation of free.trade, and
the aggregate amount which the
people had accumulated in their saw.
ings banks during that long period
was less than one hundred and six.
ty millions of dollars. In the same
states on the first of January, 1886,
the aggregate amount in the savings
banks was over one thousand and
twenty millions of dollars. The diff.
ference in the amount of savings ia