The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-10
Mr.. Blaine ON the Tariff of 1s4e.

So much has been said and written about
Blaine's favorable comments of the low tariff of
1916 to 1857, by the free-trade Democracy, who
claim they are not free traders, yet are IS
tickled as q small boy with new boots whenever
they hear or see anything favorable to free
trade, that a publication of his exact language.
taken from his Twenty Years Of Congress-
Volume /, pages 202 and 203, is here submitted,
showing that they have been very careful not to
quote anything unfavorable to their doctrine Of
free trades
The frse-traders consider the tariff OF 1876 to
be a conclusive proof of the beneficial effects Of
low duties. They challenge q comparison Of the
years OF its operation, between 1916 and 1857.
with any other equal period in the history OF the
country. Manufacturing, they say, was not
forced by hot ouss process to produce high
priced goods for popular consumption. but was
gradually encouraged and developed op health
full and self-sustaining basis, not to be shaken
ss.,s reed ~, IN s the wind o, BY every c
merce, as they point out, mado great advances
and our carrying trade grew SO rapidly that in
ten years from the day the tariff Of lS46 was
passed, our tonnage exceeded the tonnage of
England. The free-traders refer with especial
emphasis to what they term the Symmetrical
development OF all the great interests Of the
country under this liberaltarif. Manufacturers
we're not stimulated at the expense of the COM
mercial interest. Both were developed Ia har-
nony, while agriculture, the indispensable
basis of all, was neyer more fourishing. The
farmers aud planters at no other period Of our
history were IN receipt OF such good prices,
steadily paid to them in gold coin, for their sur
plus product, which they could send to the do
mestic market over our owp railways, and TO the
foreign market In our own ships. Assertions
as to the progress OF manufactures in the pc
riod under discussion are denied by the protec-
l.
RICHNESS of the free-trAders' statements, the
fact IS that directly after the enactment of the
tariff OF lS46 the great famine occurred In Ire
land, followed in tho ensuing years by short
crops 10 Europe The prosperity which came to
the American agriculturist was, therefore, from
causes beyond the sea and not at home-csuses
which were transient, indeed, almoet accidental,
Moreover an exceptional condition of affairs ak
listed in the United States in consequence of our
large acquisition OF territory from Mexico at the
elose Of the war, and the subsequent and almost
immediate discovery Of gold in California
new and extended field Of trade was thus opened,
in which We had the monopoly. and an enormous
surplus OF money was speedily created from the
products Of the rich mines on the Pacific coast
AT the same time Europe was in convulsion
from the revolution of lS4s. and production WAS
materially hinde red over large par, OF the con-
tinsne This disturbance had scarcely eubsided
when three leading nations Of Europe, England.
France and Russia, engaged In the wasteful and
expensive war OF the Crimea This struggle be-
gan in 1883 aud ended in 1856, and during those
years il increased consumption and decreased
production abroad and totally closed the grain
fields of Russia from any competition with the
United States
The protectionists therefore hold that the
boosted prosperity OF the tariff Of 1916 was alb
normal In origin and in character. 1t depended
upon q series Of events exceptional at homo and
even more exceptional aoroad-evsnts
which by the doctrine Of probabilities
would not be repeated for centuries.
When peace Was restored 10 Europe,
when foreign looms and FORCES were set going
with renewed strength, when Russia resumed
her export of wheat. and when at home the out
put OF the gold mines suddenly decreased, tho
country was thrown into distress, followed by q
panic and long years Of depression. The pro-
tectionists maintain that from 1876 to 1857 the
United States would have enjoyed prosperity
under any form of tariff but that the moment
the exceptional conditions In Europe and in
America came to an end. the country was
plunged headlong into disaster from which
the conservative force Of protective tariff
would IN large part have saved it. ~
LEwIsvILLE, Sept. Q. r. ". HALL
interesting Letter from Deaf Mute.
20 the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal.
The deaf mutes of Indiana are red-hot for
Harrison. am deaf mute myself was in
Wayne, Fayette and Franklin counties recently,
and every deaf mute ran across was heart
and soul for Harrison and protection. True,
their enthusiasm has not reached so great
height that they lay down the shovel and tho
hoe and take up the fiddle and the bow, for
we're they to do that they would soon have to
lay down the fiddle and the bow and take up
the shovel and the hoe and use them as fast ~
they used the fiddle. By the above the reader
will that the deaf mutes make a living by
the sweat of their brow. During the past Eve
years have read a great deal of the distressing
condition of the laboring class in Europe. /
got my information from cable dispatches to
Democratic daily newspapers. / read the Mills
bill; also tho Presidents free trade message.
Although deaf, get two or three times as much
per day as the workinemen get in Europe;
therefore 1. like the vast number OF deaf mutes,
SCI the wisdom of protection. Deaf mutss take
great interest in politics. They know what
the Democratic party did to prevent Colonel Rob-
ertson, whom they helped elect Lieutenant-gov-
ernor of Indiana, from taking his seat.
j recolect how the Indianapolis Journal exposed
the mismanagement OF the benevolent ipstitu
tions. and how the Democratic papers, espe-
cially the Indianapolis Sentinel. denounced them
as campaign lies. Time passed on, aud behold,
the superintendent of the Insane Asylum came
forward and frankly confessed that the poor in
sane people OF this glorious State were being
fed on butter with maggots in, and that hogs
were slaughtered for the table that had the chol-
era These are cold facts. I went to Meta
mora, Ind, last week, and saw q pole raised in
front OF Richard Dawdys grocsry-store. Mr..
Dawdy has always been a Democrat, but when
he beard that his mother, who was confined in
the Insane Asylum, was being fed on maRgoted
butter and cholera hogs. he was so shocked that
he vowed TO leave the Democratic party. 1t any
Democrat tries to get that man back into the
Democratic party. he will make Rome howl"
young man at Metamora, Ind, was declared
insane and sent TO the asylum at Indianapolis.