The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-01
Mr.. Blaine's Speeches.

Aside from Mr.. Blaine's criticism of
the Administration for its failure to
deal with the Canadian Fisheries ques-
ton in vigorous manner, and its re-
fusal to submit TO outrsges on American
citizens along the Texas frontier by our
Mexican neighbors, we find nothing new
in the speeches he is now making in the
S'tate Of Maine.
His chief attack on the Democratic
party is that it opposes the doctrine Of
protection to American labor. This is
more easily asserted than proved. In
the Democratic Text Book, issued for
Use in the pending Congressional cleo
lions the Democratic position Oh the
tariff i fairly and clearly stated as fol
loRs:
The professed policy of the Repuhii-
can party in opposing reduction OF the
tariff is protection to American labor
aud industries A glance at the census
statistics of population and those en-
gagged IN the various gainfHl agOcstlons
Is sufficient to demonstrate that this
claim is false and hypocritical; that
their tariff il restrictive aud not pro
tective.
According to the census Of 1880 the
total population Of the United States
was 50, l55, 1888. OF this population the
whole number engaged in all gainful
occupations was II 1872 099 The sub
divisions of said occupations were as
follows Agriculture. 1870, 493; profes
sioral and personal service, 4,074 ,238:
manufacturing, mechanical and mining
1897 .ll2; trade and transportation, l,
8l0,256.
The principal subdivisions of said
! total occupied in manufacturing, me
chanical and mining were: Carpenters
and joiners, 373, l43; miliiners. dress
makers and seamstresses, 285y 461; mi
ners. 234 22S; boot and shoemakers
1874, 079; blacksmiths, 172,726; cotton
mill operatives, 1871; tailors anC
tailoresses, 1873 756; painters and var
nishers, l28, $50; iron and steel worker
and shop operatives, 1859; masoh
(brick and stone), 102,473; machinists
| l01, 1870; woolen-mill operatives, 5000
engineers and firemen, 1885.
"The Democratic policy of taxation j
| to commence at the head of this list a
far as possible and do exact justice b
the whole so, 1878 people, the Il 1892
099 in all occupations, and all Others /
the foot of the column, including, o
course. the manufacturers. The Reput
ican policy, as exemplifed BY its praG
tice, is TO commence near the foot of tn
list and protect the manufacturers, re
gaTdless and at the expense of the pee
pie, the farmers and those in other occu
tpatiOns.
But even in this small effort the
fail by practically restricting the manu-
facturers to a home market OF 80, 900, 90
consumers instead of allowing them b
a better and more profitable policy t
supply the 100000, 0O0in the market
of the world"
The laborers whom Mr.. Blaine seem
most anxious to protect, are those er
gagged in manufacturing, mining an
mechanical pursuits, constituting 1887
ll2 of the 50,000,00O of people, an
these he would protect at the expens
of all the others. Upon what princi
pie?
The protected industries of the cOuI
try have for many years contribute
largely to the corruption funds of th
Republican party, aid it may be that j
advocacy of .heir claims to q continl
ance of the privilege Of robbing til
consumers, he is but doing that whic
the recipients of costly favors feel ma
ural inclination to do.