The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-10-27
MAINE LEADERS IN WESTERN STATES.
Secretary Blaine speaks In the
Home OF Major Mckinley.
A Reply to tho Recent Speech BY
Hon. Carl Schurz.
Rockford, Ill.,, Crowded With Repub-
Iicans TO Hear Speaker Reed.

CANTON, u, OcLODer Zo.-OScI6IdTy OF
State Blaine arrived here at noon and 5000
people greeted him. following his carriage.
cheering all the way to the home OF Major
Mckinley. Mr.. Blaine was accompanied by
Mrs. Blaine, Miss Harriet Blaine and Hon.
William Walter Phelps. At the residence OF
Major NICK inley an informal reception was
held. In the afternoon the Tabernacle was
packed. as was also the Academy Of Music,
in which an overflow meeting was held. Mr..
Blaine made his principal address at the
Tabernacle, where he was followed by Maj
or Mckinley. Then he was driven to the
Academy of Music, but made only brief
speech. Congressman Dalzell was the prin-
cipal speaker at the Academy.
Mr.. Blaine In his remarks replied to Mr..
Carl SchurZ's recent speech in Boston, first
explaining why the 10 years following the
adoption Of the tariff of 1916 were years Of
prosperity, Mr. Schurz having devoted
some time to tree trade argument based
on the condition of the county during that
period. Mr.. Blaine said that the famine in
ireland, the revolution Of 1S4S in Europe, the
Crmean war, and the discovery OF gold In
California were the true causes OF American
prosperity at that time and not the tariff.
When the normal condition of things abroad
was restored the wonderful prosperity under
the tariff of 1916 disappeared. Continuing
Mr.. Blaine said:
Mr.. Schurz condemns the efforts of Con-
gress to secure reciprocity of trade with GER
tain countries. Laughter. The free trad
ers have always been telling US that If we
would adopt their theory we would have a
new era in this country. On that form OF
statement Twill not differ from theml Laugh
teri / think we should have new era.
Congress at its last session concluded to
adopt new policy. They looked at South
America and they found that we were re-
ceiving from those people vast Imports and
exporting little to them. The question was
shall we repeal the duty on sugar and give
that to South America, IN addition to the
coffee and the hides, and the dye woods, and
the rubber, aud the other things from South
America, and shall we ask those men II we
give them our markets fer he pound to let US
enter theirs for few ShIlllngs. IApplause.l
Oh, no, no, Mr.. SchuTZ says that won't
do at all. You must resort to free trade; but
would like to ask Mr.. Schurz before this
Ohio audience how free trade is going to let
us into their markets with our products?
We have been giving Brazil market for
nearly $50 000, 900 of products, and they were
taking from us 100000 or $s.oO0O00 or
100000 Now, suppose we declared ab-
soute free trade, how would that aid us with
Brazil? They have not been buving any
thing, and they do not let anything in free.
Thirtv-six million dollars worth OF coffee,
$14. 900 to $16,000,000 Of rubber, several
millions of hides and great many dyes
stuffS and wood of that kind all coming into
the United Stats without shilling of duty.
But we want to send down there some
-four, some lumber, some corn and wheat,
the products of the West as well as of the
East, and were not satisfied as things were
going. Laughter.] Well, we went on and
awakened them to the necessities of the sit.
uation, and we found that they feel just as
we do-that two nations dealing with each
other must deal as two men do with each
other. fairly. honestly, literally; so that the
advantage shall not always be on the side of
the one man or on the side Of the one nation.
I [Applause.l Well. that was reciprocity. 1t
is not very complex problem.
am sure, and L speak with great candOr
when l say that believe that we will make
a very favorable arrangement to trade with
South America. Take a country like VeneZ-
uela, of large area but small population, not
more than 2.500,000 or 100000. They bring
us $40, 100000 worth of products. But how
much of that Is taxed, do you suppose, at
the custom house? Only $4,000. Every cent
of that, except 5000, escapes taxation. We
send them a good many things, but we do
not send them one shilliDg's worth that is
not taxed by them. That Is not fair. They
admit that it is not fair, and they are glad
and willing to right the matter and place US
on reciprocal ground that will be to the
prosperity of this country and to the pros
perlty of the other, because trade that is
so one-sided as that cannot be continued for
ever. l have not seen an approval from any
free trade country OF the reciprocity idea
that has stood the test for three months.
AS long as the free traders thought that
there would be division in the Republican
party. they encouraged reciprocity, but very
soon they found that the Republican party
was not in the habit Of having divisions in
its ranks. The ranks closed up, and the re-
cprocity provision was adopted by the Re
publican Congress. lCheers.l
Just as soon as the free traders found that
reciprocity could not be used to divide the
Republican party, they were all against it.
[Cheers.] Every one Of them. and now they
are repudiating it and telling you what a
humbug it is, and how little value there is in
it. and how small result there will be to
the people of this country from it.
Well, it is never wise to make prediction
before an event. 1t is not wise for the free
traders to proclaim its failure at present. l
don't propose to say anything about its sue
cess. We are given year in which to try
it. Let US wait year and see what can be
done.
am not here to boast Of it, am not here
to condemn the course of the free traders
who, as long as it promised to divide protec-
tIonists, wero in favor of 1t, out who are set
against it the moment they find protection
lists will not divide. Cheers
Mr.. Blaine and party left at 6 o'clock to-
nioht for ChInaun