The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-08-16

Gen. Harrison on the 3Ist ult., addressed
delegation of LOO Henry county, Ind.
farmers. In the course of his remarks he
said
In all the addresses which have been made to
me, tnere has been some reference to the great
question of the protection of our American in
dusIrIes. see it upon the banners which you
carry, Our party stands unequiyocaily, with
out evasion or qualification, Tor the doctrine
tiiat the American market shall be preserved
lor our American producers. We are not at
tfacted by the suggestion that we should sur
render TO foreign producers the best market in
The world. Our $4,000 000 of people are the best
buyers lhthe world and they are such because
our working classt S receive the hest wages.
lApplause) Knt wedo- not mean TO be con
Tent with our own market We should seek to
promote closer and more friendly commercial
relat1ons with the Central and south American
states. And what is essential to that end !?
Regular mails are the first condition of COM
merce. The merchant must kEow when his Or
der VIII be received. and when his consign :
ment viii be returned, or there can be no trade
neLWeen distant countries. What we need,
therefore, is the establishment of American
steamship lines between our ports and the
ports of Central and South America. Then it
VIII pc no longer necessary that an American
Minister commissioned to an American state
snail take an English ship to Liverpool to find
another English ship to carry him to his dest-
nation, We are not to be frightened by the
use OF that ugly word subsidy We should
pay to American steamship lines liberal com
pensatlon for carrying our mails instead of
tuibibs bHtlA over W DTItlSu IIaupS St6dIn-
ships
The policy outlined IS that suggested by
Mr.. Blaine when Secretary OF State, in his
proposition to hold in Washington peace
Congress OF representatives from the States
OF North aud South America, for the pur-
pose of agreeing upon terms of CONNER.
clal reciprocity. 1t was attacked by the
Democrats and Mugwump press as the con-
cepton of a filihustering spirit that would
ultimately involve this country in war.
The importing, free trade, Anglo meri.
can influence OF New York bitterly de.
nounced it, and attempted to brighten, and
did frlghten, the money bags of Wall
Street with the direful effects that might
flow from the Inauguration of policy
such as that urged both in his proposition
and that of Gen. Harrison. Politicians
were cowed by the clamor against subsi-
dies, and all kinds of threats were made
against those who would vote money out
of the public treasury to aid in establish
ing direct communication between the
United States and Central and South
America. But the common sense of the
country begins to take practical view of
the subject. Instead of reaching South
and Central American ports by way of
Liverpool and in English vessels, and
under British CONTROL ana auspices, to hold
domestic communication with these coun-
tries through American vessels and under
reciprocal commercial treaties, is the true
American policy, 1t would open the mar
ket of Central and South America to the
products of the United States and furnish
an outlet for our surplus of the farm and
workshops, under conditions which would
be advantageous to both countries.
Gen. Harrison has struck the key note
to vast commercial system which would
give control of the markets Of South and
Central America to this country and fur
nish an outlet for our grain and flour and
manufactured articles, on terms mutually
advantageous and which contribute to the
wealth and prosperity of both countries.
II, JIG The true, statesmanlike American pol
icy, and will, when properly pres ented, be
appro,~ ed and accepted by the American
people.