, 1890-08-30
BLAINE EXPLAINS
The Secretary of State Talks
at Waterville, Me.
Our Home Market Entirely
Too Small.
What Must be Done to Extend
Foreign Trade.

WATERvILE, Me Aug. pa pub
lie mass meeting was held here tonight
and after Governor Burleigh had spoken,
President Small of Colby university intro
duced tile leader of the Republican par
" and the famous advocate of the inter
esting and progressive protective tariff,
Hon. Jas. q. Blaine"
In regard to national questions"
Blaine said, II wish to declare the opin-
ion that the United States has reached a
point where one of its highest duties is to
enlarge the area of its foreign trade.
Under the beneiicent policy of protection
we have developed n volume manufacture
which, in many departments, overruus
the demands of the home market. In
field agriculture, with the immense pro,
pulsion given it by agricultural imple-
ments, we can do far more than produce
breadstuffs and provisions for our "
people, Nor would it be an ambitious
destiny for SO great a country as ours to
manufacture only what we can consume,
or produce only what we can eat.
We are already, in many fabrics and in
many products far beyond that, and our
great demand is for expansion; J. mean
an expansion of trade with countries
where we can find profitable exchanges.
We are not seeking annexation OF terri
tory; certainly we do not desire it, unless
it should come by the volition of the peo-
pie who might ask the tho priceless boon
ola place under the flag of our 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 annexa-
ton. At the same time | think we should
be unwisely content if we did not seek
to Engage in what the Younger Pitt so
well termed annexation trade. For nearly
thirty years now the United States has
had the great advantage of a protective
tariff. Happily the great majority of the
people, without strict regard to party
lines, believe the results to the American
people from the protective policy have
been intellectually benefcient, aggregatipg
in a quarter of a century national and in
dividual wealth beyond anything ever
dreamed of before in the history of the
world. do net mention this because |
intend to speak in reference thereto be-
fore this audience. That would be a
needless, If not an impairment effort. L
merely wish to proclaim its victories.
Without protection the United States
would have been poor, indeed, after the
ravages OF war from 1861 to 1865. With
protection every section has fiourished
and prospered. Even where revenue du-
ties have been levied with no expectation
of developing industries, there have. in
many instances, been great financial and
industrial, results.
As | have already intimated, | am here
to speak of the expansion OF our foreign
trade. Take last ycar-lSS9. In that
year our whole exports to foreign oun
tries in the three continents of Europe,
Asia and Africa and Australia, Canada
and Hawaii. amounted in round numbers
to S65S, 600, 600, and our imports from all
those countries amounted in round num-
bers to 1919. 600, 900, showing that from
that vast trade we had o balance of $l29,
100000 in our favor. But when all &C
counts we're closed, instead of a balance
of Sl29,000 600 in our favor, we had a
balance of Sl3. OOO, 900 against us from
our foreign trade. We must, therefore,
have lost $l42, DOC. 900 in ouI
with the countries outside oil
those to which have referred. Where
could we have found such a large adverse
balance2 Let me tell you. We lost
S4l 900, 600 in Cuba, from which its i'm
ports we're $50, 600, 900 and tn which ouI
exports were only Sll ,O00,0 00. Forty
one million dollars is u pretty large sum
to lose in ono island in a single year. In
the republic of Brazil we left $5I, 900, 900.
Our exports to Brazil were SO, 900. 600.
In Mexico we lost $40, 600, 900: imports
from Mexico, $2I 900, 900; exports tC
Mexico, Sll. 600, 600. To sun it all up,
our imports from the countries south OF
us were S2I6, 900, 900: our exports to them
were S74, 00O, 900. The balance against
us in our trade with these countries, there
fore, is Sl42, GOO, 600, exceeding our gain;
from all the rest OF the world by 3d.
000,00).
By no figure OF speech can we hatteI
ourselves into the belief that our trade
with our American neiChbors is in a pros
porous condition. How can this state oil
affairs be remeiIcd? You have heard
great deal said within the past ten years
by our Democratic friends about the in.
EQUITY OF the Republican party keeping
up the war tariff. As a matter of iacI
the war tariff has not been kept, but ha.
been amended over and over again unit
the revision OF 1888 lett scarcely a trace O.
the actual tariff that was in operation al
the close:of the war anda few years after
wards. The inevitable tendency is, ]
think, towards an increase of the free list
Our great mistake was made when we be
gan 20 repeal the war duties on so large
an amount of Imports. Any duty re
pealed was a favor and advantage to thu
exporting country and We have asked
nothing in return.
Every repeal of duty should have
been preceded by the most thorough in
vestigation, and whenever it was tounC
practicable to export anything from thu
United States, and thus establish recip.
rocitY of trade. it should have been done.
do not, OF course, intend to declare, OF
to imply, that we could have secured the
free admission of $3.50, 900, 600 worth Of
American pro iucts into the countrie:
whose products we purchase annually tc
That amount. The richer country cannot
expect TO get complete reciprocity ii
amount from countries less wealthy, but
what ever we should have received would
nave been clear gain, and in all future re
peais OF duties whatever we may be able
70 get Will be clear gain. 1t is not 9
question OF setting deliberately to work tc
establish reciprocal exchanges, but with al
duties we have thus far repealed it has
been a question OF whether we shoald get
something or get nothing.
we rave chosen with our ayes closed tc
get nothing. ! hope now. with our eyes
opeD,that We shall in the future choose tc
get something. We encounter opposition
to this policy. There are those who de
clare that if we enter into reciprocity Of
trade with one country we must do SC
with all countrioa and TINS indiractlv