Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-30
BLAINE OF MAINE.
he SPREADS HIMSELF ON HIS RE-
CIpROclTY IDEA.
Reciprocity, Though, He Says. IL Not
Free Trade--Representative Mason
and Lodge Also Speak.
lBy telegraph to the pIspatch.l

VAUDEVILLE, Mr.. August 29.--Secretary
Blaine spoke here tonight at Republican
mass-meeting. In regard to national ques-
lions. he said: II wish to declare the
opinion that the United States has reached
point where one of its highest duties Is
to enlarge the area of its foreign trade.
Under the benefcent policy of protection
We have developed a volume of manutac-
lures which in many departments overrun
the demands of the home market. In the
field of agriculture, with the immense pro-
portions given il by agricultural imple-
ments, we can do far more than produce
breadstuffs and provisions tor our own
people; nor would ii be an AMBITIOUS des-
tiny for so great country as ours TO man
ufacture only what we can consume or TO
produce only what We can eat. we are al
ready in many fabrics and in many pro-
ducts far beyond that, and our great de-
mand is expansion-I mean expansion OF
trade with countries where we can lind
profitable exchanges.
ANNEXATION.
We are not seeking annexation OF terri
tory. Certainly we do not desire 1t unless
it should come by the volition OF people
who might ask the priceless boon OF peace
under the flag of the Union. feel sure
that for a long time to come the people OF
the United States will be wisely content
with our present area and not launch upon
any scheme of annexation. At the same
time | think we should be unwisely con-
tent il we did not seek to engage in what
the younger Pitt so well termed the an
nexation of trade.
THE BENEFITS OF PROTECTION.
For nearly thirty years now the United
States has had the great advantage of a
protective tariff-by far the longest un-
broken period that its industrial policy has
been in force since the Federal Govern
ment was organized. Happily the great
majority of our people, without strict regard
to party lines, believe the results to the
American people from the protective pol
icy have been intellectually benifcent, az
greeating in aquaIter century national and
individual wealth beyond anything ever
dreamed of before in the history of the
world.
do not mention protection because |
intend TO speak in reference thereto before
this audience. That would be a needless
il not an impertinent effort. L merely wish
to proclaim its victories. Without pro-
lection the United States would have been
poor indeed after the ravages of the war
from 1861 to 1865. With protection every
section has fiourished and prospered grown
and gained. Even where revenue duties
have been laid with no expectation of de-
veloping industries there have in many in
stances been great financial and industrial
results.
The heavy duty on silk was levied prl-
marily-not for protection. but simply TO
secure a large revenue from one OF the
| Injuries of the rich. The consequence is
that our silk industry has increased so
rapidly that it constitutes one of the lead
| ing fabrics of New Jersey-One OF the largest
| manufacturing States of the Union.
EXPANSION OF OUR FOREIGN TRADE.
could readily advance other illustra-
| tions TO the same effect, but. as have al
| ready intimated. am here to speak of the
| expansion of our foreign trade-nOt by any
novel process; not by any mode that will
| shock or disturb home industries not by
any mode that will invite our people to
rash experiments or that will launch US on
| TO doubtful and dangerous investments.
TRADE RECIPROCITY.
What mean TO speak Of briefly is n sys-
| TEN of reciprocity not in conflict with the
protective tariff, but supplementary
| thereto and presenting a field Of enter.
prise that will richly repay the efforts and
energy of the American people.
We shall find it instructive and valuable
| 10 examine into the sources of our imports
| and the destination of our exports aud to
strike a balance between the two.
The BALANCE or TRADE.
Take last year. 1889. In that year our whole
exports to all countries in the three CONT
nents of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and tt
| Australia Canada and Hawaii amounted
! in round numbers to S65S 900 900, and oul
| imports from all those countries amounted
| III round numbers 10 S529,0OO,OOO, showing
| that from that vast trade we have bal
ance. of Sl29, 600, 900 in our favor equiya
| lent to that amount of gold.
THE BALANCE AGAINST Us.
But when accounts were closed instead
of having Sl29, 900. 900 in our favor, we haC
a balance Of Sl3. 000, 900 against US. From
our foreign trade we must, therefore, have
| lost SI42, 000, 900 in our commerce with those
countries TO which have referred. Where
could we have found such large adverse
balance? Let me tell you.
WHERE WE LOST.
We lost S4l, 100000 in Cuba, from which
our imports we're S52 600, 600, and to which
our exports were only 81 100000. Forty
one millions is a pretty large sum to lose If
one island in year. In the Republic o.
! Brazil we lost S51, 100000. Our imports
from Brazil were $50. 000, 900. Our exports
TO Brazil were S9,000,0OO In Mexico We
lost SO 100000. Our imports from Mexlct
we're so, 0OO, 900. Our exports to Mexico
were 81, 900, 900.
To sum 1t up, all the imports from coun
tries north of us. both insular and CONT
mental. on this hemisphere were s2l6,09C,
600; our exports TO them, S75,OOO.OO0. 1h'
balance against us in our trade wlth-thos'
countries, therefore, is SAP, 600. exceed
ing our gains from all the rest OF the worl'
| by Sl3,000,00O.
Nv no figure of speech can we f1atte
ourselves into the belief that our trade
with our American neighbors Is IN pros
porous condition. How can this state o
affairs be remedied?
THE WAR TARIFF.
You have heard q great deal said within
the past ten wears by our Democratl,
friends about the iniquity of the Republi
can party keeping up the war tarlii. AS
matter Of fact the war tariff has not beel
kept up. but has been amended over ant
over again till the revision Of 1888 LEI
scarcely "a trace of the actual tariff tina
was in force at the close of the war and 10
few wears thereafter During the war WI
were compelled 20 tax almost everything
in the air, in the water, on the earth. an'
under the earth.
The necessities of the Government wer'
so great that We could allow scarcely any.
thing to be imported without paving tn
butte and | think no patriotic man cal
deny that that was a wise policy. w
were not then studying the philosophy
trade relations, but how to save the life o
the nation. Money was primal necessit,
and we seized 1t wherever we could reacl
it lawfully. but during the last eighteen
years great change has been made. >,
entirely has the war tariff been aboi
ished that in the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1889. the articles admitted
free were considerably more than on
third of all the imports. To be exact
the imported articles that paid dut.
exceeded s4ss, 1000 600 in value and the I'M
ported articles that paid no duty exceeded
S256. 900 900 in value. The inevitable ten