The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-30
BLAZNg'S EL0QUEgCE
In Behalf Of the American Policy
Of Protection.
THOUSANDS LISTEN TO HIM
While Hundreds Stand In tho Rain
Unable to Get In tho IIall-A
Characteristic Specch-Tcll.
Ing Blows for tho Cause.

sou7H. BEND, IND, Oct. 20.-Th,
ground was covered with snow and
drizzling min wnu falling when tho trair
bearing the Hen. James G. Blaine ar
rived here. So that there were only q
lew who ventured out 10 meet the dis.
tinguished visitor. Mr.. Blaine was I'M.
mediately conveyed to the home OF Mr..
James Oliver for luncheon. At2 o'clock
the Secretary WAS taken to the skating
rink where 5000 people were packed in
like sardines. Hundreds Of farmers,
who had come miles In tho snow and
rain to hear the speaking, were disap-
pointed and had TO stand outside in the
rain.
The Secretary smiled pleasantly at his
royal reception and opened at once on
tho tariff. He said:
l wish to Ill your attention to O few
general facts which I think arc more i'm
portant than any stated bill can be, that
embodies these iacts, and these general
iacts. To begin WITH the people Of this
country to.Gay owe their prosperity in q
larger degree to the system OF protection
than TO any other law that was ever
passed by Congress.
TIE PRICES UNDER FREE TRADE.
You hear a great deal about advance
in prices and oppression OF the poor
man. undertake to call your attention
to the fact that under the last free trade
tariff, which onded in the beginning OF
1861, you were paying more for every
thing that entered into your living, your
household expenses, what you have on
Jour table, and what you mad upon your
back than you are paying to-day. We
have had Protection now for twenty.
nine years. Go back, il you please, and
consult the old tariff, you young men,
(and you older ones will remember it).
Compare its results with those Of the
present tariff. Compare it article by
article, and you will find that in most
every case, they are vastly cheaper now
than then. The Democratic party al
legged that protective duties increase
prices. That is their strongest point. l
don't 'tstand here to argue theories, I in.
vite your attention to the fact that dur
ing the period Of twenty.nine years OF
protection the tendency OF prices for
luxuries and the necessities OF life has
been steadily downward. So much for
that aspect OF the tariff. Every man
who has a household has to consider
that much, and il you don't find you are
paying less for every single item than
you were under the free trade law en-
acted in 1916, will come back here and
retract what l have said.
GRANDER SUBJECT.
II protection does 30 much for the in.
dividual, you have far grander subject
to contemplate when you look at the
aggregate progress OF the country, under
the system OF Protection. l mean these
United States, this march Of the Ameri-
can people, the great republic of the
world. There is no country on the globe
whose progress can compare with ours.
We have more railroads than all the
continents and islands in the world;
Ave.sixths OF these roads have been built
since the Republicans have baen in
power. What OF our farming interests
What have We done for the popula-
ton OF this country2 We have con-
siderably more than doubled the
population during the twenty.nine years
OF Protection. l would like to ask any
gentleman, Democrat or Republican,
what part Of the people Of the United
States, or what portion OF the Govern
ment OF the Unired States, has been in
jured during the period Of Protection.
We had, to be sure, n very great struggle,
and a bloody war for the maintenance OF
the Government; but we have acxuired
wealth despite the strain on the people
Of paying the expense OF that war, the
payment Of a sum almost incalculable.
When man says to you that you are in
jured and pinched ia your daily living
in consequence OF this tariff, ask him il
you did not pay more for things under
free trade than you do now. l think it
q good question 10 put to every DEM
ocrat.
WHAT We OWE TO RErUBLIcANIsM.
All great steps taken in this country
have been taken by the Republicans, the
namocroto ohopfipp. uVor sooptt 1o