The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-19
Blaine's Speech at Grand Rapids.

Mr.. Chairman and fellOW-ctiZens of
Michigan:-I have no doubt that you
have often heard that the system of pro-
lection was devised for the benefit of
New England, that the east gets all the
advantages, and that the west sustains
all the burden. That has been the cry
ofthe free trader ever since there was
west, yet under it all the west does some.
how i'll this grert national progress keep
in place III the van, and Ill point ofrapid-
ly expanding enterprise and in point of
great acquisition of wealtl, keeps ahead
OF the east in the ratio Of acquisition. I
am especially influenced this afternoon
to call your attention to the issue involy.
ed in that charge by having read in a
Detroit paper that the Hon. Don. Nj.
Dickinson, postmaster general under
President Cleveland, has lately been de-
livering himself OH that subject, and l
quote among other things. from what lie
says, the following: "New England sell
lishly hangs OH the body polite, absorb
ing The wealth and giving nothing in re-
turn. We buy of New England at extor.
tionate prices. kept up by the tariff. willie
ut the same time we sell her nothing.
FaILACIEs ANSWERED. l,Y FACTS.
II Mr.. Dickinson, in his deliverances,
speak the word Of sober truth it is very
serious matter. II New England is pros
pering under a protective tariff and is
selling largely to the west every year,
and is buying nothing from her, it pres
ents, l say, very serious aspect af af-
fairs, and there should be a radical
change. Evidently it cannot be per-
mancnt condition of trade. AS soon as 1
read that statement by Mr.. Dickinson l
set myself to work to procure some sta
tistics, and shall give you the bene fit
OF them; and promise at this point by
saying that every time you hear west.
ern man complaining that the east and
especially New England, for which l
shall especially speak at this time, gets
every lthing and gives nothing, sells
everything and buys nothing, you hear
the same man telling you that our grea,
market is beyond the ocean in old Eng.
land, and that there is where the Yves,
should look for the sale of their products
You can always tell one of them by that
sign.
Well, l have been busy for day OF
two past securing some statistics OH tho
point of New England taking nothins
u from the west. In the first place fine
lat she takes between a half million ant
hundred thousand tons of grain an
PLY. She raises only four per cent O
hsr people use for breadstuff
4 only GO.OoO,COO pounds o
annually by farmers of the
n the frce-trade tariff wa,
In6h just before the war. Under
effects Of the protective tariff We
We increased The amount Of wool grown
Emost wholly in the west, to 3O0, OOO, OO(
d bounds annually, and it brings vast az
gregatc of about 800, 5000 to tn. farm.
ers of the country. Mr.. Cleveland re.
commends that the duty OH wool he re.
pealed, and that we shall put tile wool
grower Of the west OH the same plane az
the wool-grower Of Australia and Canada.
The republicans say No. and New Eng.
land, of which Mr.. Dickinson speaks M
unexpectedly, takes every year half Of
that entire wool crop, and pays the west
N5.OOo,0OO year for it. Besides, as
New England needs bread, for which,
She pays the west So. 100000 Il year, she
needs also provisions, which includes all
forms of meat, and for that and poultry
in addition, imported from the west,
New England pays the farmers of these
Western states $50, OOO, 600 year. More.
over, the people of the east want some
butter TO spread OIL their bread, and
they do not make much at home, go
they pay the west over $4,000, 900 a year
tor that. Then New England needs a
good deal Of lumber, hard wood and
pine. and there are just three states here
from which she gels it-Aliclligan, Wis.
consin and Minnesota. and she pays SIS.
OOO,OOO year for western lumber, prin.
clpally from Michigan. Then of copper
and lead and salt and hides, which are
are taken from the western states, in the
aggregate about S5O,0O0.OOO more. The
aggregate, you will observe, is will up to.
ward S200.OO0.000. We all know that Mr.