Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-11-06
Secretary Blaine's Speech.

Secretary Blaine having drawn the free
| trade Democracy into masked ambush, Is
most destructive when he opens fire. When
the Mckinley bill was before Congress he
brought forward the reciprocity policy as
a principle that should be incorporated in
| 1t. Our friends the enemy with amazing
fatuity assumed that he had abandoned
high Protection ground, descended to the
free trade level and divided the Republi-
can forces. They accepted reciprocity
| with prccipitatc rush as long advance
In the direction of free trade and extolled
Secretary Blaine's proposals as in the high
est degree statesmanlike, rejoicing with
| exceeding joy over the irreparable breach
in the Republican ranks which they rash
| ly assumed had been made. When Con
| gress adopted the reciprocity amendment
as an integral part of the Republican sys
| TEN of Protection. they discovered too
late that the veteran campaigner had led
them into an ambuscade, and after draw
| Ing their fire had them at his mercy. Re
| ciproctty instead Of dividing had united
| the Republican forces on higher Protec-
| ton ground than was previously occupied.
| There was nothing for the Free Traders to
| do except to retreat in extreme disorder,
crying out against reciprocity as a delus-
ion and sham.
Naturally 50 brilliant a tactcan as Sec
retary Blaine makes effective use of
the laundering manrnvres of his
opponents. In his Canton speech he de-
scrihes with grim hum0r the, ardor aud
enthusiasm for reciprocity as long as they
fancicd that the Republican party would
be stampeded by it, and their panic ->trlck-
en- dl>may when they found that no breach
~ Yt IN, hn
and that they had been hurrahing in front
Of masked battery The loud clamors
with which they have been dcnouncing re.
ciprocity n policy Of humbug ana pre-
trncc> hc di,mi~>es with contempt a> signs
ot he dIsorlcr|y ruut of tile free trade
aSSallntS Of American Industrial prosper
tty. hon follows a lucid exposition Of
the essential principle Of reciprocity
which i not unrestricted free trade but
fair dealings between nations. Secretary
Blaine makes tAis new principle of Repub-
lican policy intclligtble 10 the lulest mind
II the sugar producing countries are to
have a free market in the United States
for what they raise, it Is only just that
t.i Y should turn about AMI give Ameri-
can farmers and manufacturers fair play.
Reciprocity a. embodied in the Tarid bin
Is essentially protective principle. 1t
fts in with all the provisions for encour-
aging domestic industries and relieving
them from the pressure Of foreign compc-
tltion. II protects American wheat. pork,
Kerosene aud manufactures In tile Span
i~h-imcrican market precisely as the tar
N schedules protect the same Interests in
the home market.
II Is most fortunate that Secretary
Blaine during the closing week Of the can
yass has made this issue prominent one.
His presence in Mr. Mckinlcy'- district
railylng The Republicans Of OAip To the sup
port Of that great leader efectually di~pcS
The free trade Illusion that there has been
any break in the party ranks. His reply |
To the assumption OF MIR. Schurz aud Mr. I
Wells that the good times following l~t4 |
were caused by the enactment of low
tariff il most effective and powerful. This |
stock argument Of the free traders is !
brought forward in this canvass as an of |
set to the uncXampled prosperity of the /
country during the last thirty years unser
Protection. 1t is demolished by the Pro |
tecttoni-t leader whose conversion TO free |
trade our friends the enemy were mpu-
IDENTIFY claiming a few months ago. Sec /
retary Blaine's speech is aggressive in |
tone, luminous in the treatment of contro- 4
vcr-ial questions and instinct with argu-
mentativc power-thc best speech made in |
the Republican canvass; hut its chief mer- /
il i the dalectic skill with which reci- /
proCity, one Of the great issues Of the per
fected Tariff act, is presented and explain /
ed to the American people Complex as /
the legislative policy Of the Republican /
party in Congress has been, reciprocity 1
stands out a one of the substantial results /
OF the scs>lon-a landmark Of progress in /
the development of American industrial /
interests. 1t is theme worthy of Secre-
tary Blaines gcuius.-N J. IrituRe