The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-25
MIR. BLAINE'S SPEECH
All THE REPUBLICAN MEETING
Held ut sebugo Lake, Maine, YSsterdHy-A
Powerful ArraIgnmerN Of the Demo-
cratic AdmInIstTatIon-Its short
comIngs aud ItSb Failures.

James Il. Blaine, delivered at the Repub-
lican mas meeting held at sebago Lake,
Maine, yesterday,
FELLOW CITIzESs:-A new adminislra'
ton Of The National government is usually
uuyexed in its first year except by the i'm
portuuities and the disappointments oiits
own supporters, The PEOPLE at large give
small heed for the time 10 public affairs
and the discussion Of political issues is LETT
as somewhat perIuuctory task to oPpos'
ing parllsans in Congress. This season oil
apparent Indifference is caused in part by
the natural ebb Of the tide which flowed
so high in the proceeding national election
and in part also by the American Instinct
of fair play which demands that the party
freuhly installed may have free OPportun'
ity and full time to lay out ita ground and
mature its measures, ThisperiOd ofpop'
nlar iuaction ia thus not only advantage
ons for rest, but it prepares those who are
the Intimate arbiters in all matters OF pub
liz concern to give patient hearing to fair
argument when the time arrives ior popu.
lar discussion.
The approaching election OF q governor,
nj four representatives to q new Congress,
and a Legislature that shall choose u Sena'
Tor Of the United States, reViYes the in
terest in political topics in Maine and sub
iects 10 inquiry the various Issues which
separate our people into distinct political
nartieg, Have the old differences be-
tween the Republican and Democratic
organizations been adjusted, or have they
grown more palpable and more pro.
nonnced? Are the questions over which
the Republicans Rld Democrats have
waGed q long contest to be now abandon
ed? Ia litigation in the couFE OF public
opinion TO be Discontinued and settle.
ment effected by entering neither party"
on the Peoples docket? Or, Oh the other
hand, do tho American people Just now
begin to see with clearer vision the aims
and intentions, the methods and the
measures ii each party, and arc they wax
ing to q new and more earnest struggle
over policies that are irreCoHCHabEe, over
measures that are inherently aud newt:
ably in conflict? Let us inquire Of
these things in q spirit OF candor!
THETARIFF POLICY.
It's In the tirt place specially worthy
OF observation that in tho history OF IN.
du.tflal questions no party in time Of
peace has ever bean more united In sup
port Of policy than Is the Republican IN
support OF u Protective Tariff to-day. AT
the late session Of Congress measure
known as the Morrison Tariff Bill, design.
ed first 10 weaken and ultimately tOdestrOy
the Protective policy, was resisted by 30
compact an organiziti Of the Republi.
can members that u single vote from New
York and two or three votes from Mime.
sofa were all that broke the absolute unan.
unity OF the party. And this was rem
dered still more striking by the fact that
the organs OF Republican opinion in New
York aud Minnesota declare that these
exCeptiOnal votes we're adverse to the
wishes Of large 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 q
small minority, uniting with the Repub.
licans, found themselves able to defeat
the measure. IhereupOn the Democratic
papers quite generally throughout the
country denounced the TeCusants as I'M.
faithful to tho creed OF their party, and
the journal in New York which is said to
reflect the views OF the National Admins.
tration gave formal notice TO all Demo.
Gratis, North and South, who lean toward |
the policy OF protection, that they must
reyise their opinions or leave the party, |
because with their views they can find no
sympathy in Democratic ranks and no
standing room on Democratic plattorms.
ANATiONAL ISSUE
Tho leading facts indicate that the
policy ofproteCtion versus FREQ trade, is an |
issue shaped and determined no longer |
by sectional preierenCe-bu has become
general and misunderstanding distinct, |
we'll marked line Of division between the
Republican and Democratic parties. do
not recall these facts as preparatory to IN
analytic discussion Of the protective sys.
TEN, but with the view Of applying them
to certain current movements and current
events.
The hostility Of the Democratic party to
protection has entailed upon the country
u vast loss and has in many ways obslruCt-
ed the progress and development OF Ger.
tain sections. Since the financial panic
OF 1873 and the Contemporaneou soIidih.
cation Of the Southern vote, the Demo.
cratic party has, with the exception OF q
single Congress, held control Of the House
OF Representatives. The power to Origl.
nate revenue bills has been exclusively
in their hands and they have used 1t to
the confusion, the detriment, in many in.
stances TO the destruction OF now enter.
prises throughout the Union. Confidence
once shaken Ia hard 10 restore and the
schemes Of improvement which have
been abandoned within the past ten years
on account OF the uncertainty OF our rev.
enue laws, constantly menaCed by the
Democratic party In Congress, would have
caused prosperity and happiness in many
communities which have felt the diaCour.
aging influence OF dull times.
STRIKING ILLUSTRATION.
The Democratic party 10 constantly
using the comparative dullness In bust.
ness, which their own course in Congress
for twelve years has largely developed, as
an argument against The policy Of pro.
lection. But 1t Is worth while TO compare
tha condition nj tho country In Lhia YEAR