Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-09-24
BLAINE'S Views.

1&&&&44t&3 ~ 49, " fSs
DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE ARRAIGNED UPON
MKINLEY TARIFF, RECIPROCITY
AND cURRENcY-A MAsTERLY LET
TER.
James G. Blame has written letter
to Chairman Marley, of the Maine Re-
publican State Committee, in which he
defines very clearly the three main Issues
upon which to meet the Democrats III
the pending contest. 1t is masterly
presentation of tue Republican argument
and telling expose of the unpatriotic
Democratic attitude on the questions OF
the Mckinley tariff, reciprocity aud the
National currency Following is the full
text of the letter:
BAR HARBoR, Sept. 3, 1892.
Hon Joseph H. Marley, Chairman, Etc,
Augusta, Me-:
My Dear SIr-Not being able, for rea-
SOUS which have explained to you, to
deli ,r public speeches in this present
cam. align, ] take the liberty of sub
hitting my views or the issues which l
regard as being the strongest for the
Republicans TO urge before the people.
THE STRONGEST ISSUES.
1. The issue of the greatest conse-
/ quence is the tariff on imports, and it
4 will continue to be until settlement is
effected by a majority so large that it
will be tantamount to general acquies-
cence. The Republicans are aggressive
on this subject. Two years ago they
| passed general enactment known as
the Mckinley tariff, which for time
failed to meet with popular approval,
/ and was regarded with certain degree
of distrust by those who had always up
held the protective system.
But a powerful reaction has come in
consequence of the vindication of the
Mckinley tariff by experience. Il is
found to have worked admirably, and
within the last year has produced
/ greater volume of business, internal and
external, and export and import, than
the United Ststes ever transacted before.
/ Notwithstanding the character and the
extent of the opposition to it, agriculture
is remunerative, manufactures are pros
!
ing than at any previous time, thus vim
dicating the Mckinley tariff by an I'M
/ pressive and undeniabe series of facts.
THE DEMOCRATIC POSITION.
Against this tariff the Democratic
Party has taken position almost with
out parallel in the history of the country.
They reject entirely the doctrine of pro-
lection, pronounce it fraud and an
athemize it generally. A resolution to
this effect was adopted by the Demo
cratic Convention, against the report of
the Committee on Resolutions, By two
thirds vote, thus man:festing the intelli-
gent participation of every man in the
convention.
Sometimes a resolution may be adopted
in haste, or just when the convention is
adjourning it may fail to receive the at
teution of the members; but this reso-
luton was debated, pro and con, adopted
after contest aud was perfectly under
stood by the members of the convention.
Ii is contained in these words:
awe denounce the Republican pro-
lection as fraud upon the labor of the
great majority of the American people
for the benefit of few. We declare it
fundamental principle of the Demo-
cratic Party that the Federal Govern.
ment has no constitutional power to i'm
pose and collect tariff duties, except for
the purpose of revenue only. We de-
mand that the collection of such taxes
be limited to the necessities of the Gov
eminent when honestly and economi-
cally administered.
CALHoUNs MULTIPLICATION SCHEME.
If any one will take the trouble to
read the resolutions by which Mr.. Cal
houn sought to defend his Notification
scheme in 1888, he will find the tariff
platform of the Democratic Party in
general harmony herewith. and if he
examines the subject further he will
discover that the duties in the compro-
mise tariff which reconciled Mr.. Cal
houn aud appeased his angry followers
IN South Carolina were of a more com
rrehensive character than those con
templated in the Democratic resolution OF
1892.
The Democrats arc IN the habit of
naming Jefferson as the founder of their
party; and yet on the subject of tariff
they are in radical opposition to the
principles laid down By Jefferson.
Toward the close of his administration
the revenue from the tariff on imports
produced considerable surplus, and
the question was, What should be done2
Should the tariff be reduced or should
this surplus be maintaIned2
JEFFERSON WANTED BPosTs.
jefferson pointedly asked; ''ShalI we
suppress the imposts and give that adj
vantage to foreign over domestic manu-.
facturers"
For himself he recommended that "the
imposts be maintained" and the surplus
created "should be appropriated to the
improvement of the roads, canals, rivers
and education.
If the Constitution did not give suffi-
Gent power to warrant these appropria'
tions, Jefferson went so far as to recon-.
mend that 1t be amended. This presents
the strongest condition of affairs upon
which protective tariff can be justified,
and Jefferson did not hesitate to recon-
mend 1t. The Democrats of the present
day, it is needless to say, are the direct
opponents of the policy which Jefferson
thus outlined and adhered to.
DEMOCRATS ONCE PRoTECTIoNIsTs.
Q. When the principle of reciprocal
trade was first proposed to be introduced
into the tariff system the Democrats
showed a most generous appreciation of
the question, aud gave it their support
so long as the Republicans refused to
accept it; but when the Republicans
came to approve it the Democratic sup
port vanished, and instead of favoring
we find the Democratic National Con-
vention passing resolution hostile to
the system.
But in spite of Democratic opposition
we have attained through reciprocity a
new and valuable trade, and the system
has demonstrated its many advantages.
We were about to declare sugar, mo-
lasses, coffee and hides free of all duties
in the Mckinley bill, but instead of that
we passed law by which we asked the
several Nations interested what they
would give TO have these articles made
free.
We found that the privileges whlca
vo xyarn about IN rive without coSt and