Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-06-13

much greater extent, by the millions
of millions of acres of wild lands which
have have been converted into pro-
ductive farms and flourishing towns.
The United States has not only grown
in population of natural increase, but
also by the throwing open of her ports
and inviting the people of all coun-
tries to become citizens Of the great
republic. The great cause for wonder
is, not that the United States has be-
come so rich and populous, but that
Great Britain has gained so much in
the same direction.
The argument in favor of protec-
tive duties. based upon such COM
parison, is totally unfounded, and l
am surprised that SO able man as
Mr.. Blaine should have presented it.,
nor would he if he had not become so
welded to the policy of protection
that he sees no evidences of national
prosperity that are not based upon it,
and
FORSEEs NO ILL
that will not be- the result of its
abandonment. That the United States
has been largely enriched by her man
uiacturers is admitted, but has not her
enrichment been largely at the ex-
pense of the great body of the people?
She has rapidly increased in popula-
ton, but this increase has been large
ly the result of the demands of her
manufacturers for cheap labor. How
expensive this cheap labor may prove
to be, in the character of tie laborers,
is a question which is yet to be solved.
The premonitions that come from our
large cities on this head are very far
from being comforting.
If Mr.. Blaine had seen the West rs
l saw it, in 1888, when more than
three quarters of such States as Michi-
gan, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri
were untouched by the plow, and all
beyond was a magnificent but we'll
nigh trackless wilderness, and should
see it as it now is, he would not at
tribute the growth of the United States
to protection, nor would he undertake
to sustain his favorite theory by COM
pairing that to the slower growth of
the United Kingdom.
No one can tell what would have
been the condition of the country if
the tariff had been radically changed
at the close of the civil war, but this
we do known, that its present condi-
tion is not healthy. 1t is the greatest
producing country in the world, and
therefore.
NEEDS THE WIDEST MARKETS
for its productions. With all needed
markets open to it, it has no we'll de-
fined and mutually profitable trade,
even with South America. Its manu-
facturers as well as its agricultural
productions exceed not only the home
demand but what is left to it of the
foreign demand, and rs its produc-
tions are increasing more rapidly than
the demand for them, it is impossible
for me to see where relief is to come
from except from. increas, of our for
eign trade, which can only be brought
about by reform Of the tariff.
As ! have said we do not know
what would have happened if the
policy Of the government in regard to
import duties had been changed
twenty years ago, but it is clear to my
mind that if the nation of the greatest
producing power does not hold the
keys OF the worlds commerce, if she
does not make the nations her conf
mercial tributaries, the fault must be
her own. Precious time has been lost
and immense sacrifices have been
made to build up and sustain one
great branch Of national industry, but
such are the resources of the country
and the energy of the people that
with wiser legislation. which cannot
be long delayed, all damages can be
repaired and general prosperity Sc
cured. This legislation will be found
in removing from the tariff everything
that stands in The way of the interna-
tional trade and the adoption of the
needful means for the restoration of
our merchant marine.