Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-09-16
THE THREE GREAT ISSUES
Upon which MIR. Blaine Would Fight
this Campaign.


this Campaign.
1. The issue of the greatest consequence
is the tariff on imports and it will continue
to be until a settlement is effected by ma
jority so large that it will be tantamount
to general acquiescence. The Republicans
are aggressive on this subject. Two years
agothey passed general enactment known
as the Mckinley tariff, which for time
failed to meet with popular approval, and
was regarded with certain degree of dis
trust by those who had always upheld the
protective system. But powerful reaction
has come in consequence of the vindication
of the Mckinley tariff by experience. 1t
is found to have worked admirably, and
within the last year has produced greater
volume of business, internal and external
export and import, than the United States
ever transacted before
Against this tariff the Democratic party
have taken position almost without par
allel in the history of the country. They
reject entirely the doctrine of protection
pronounce it fraud and anathematize it
generally. A resolution to this effect was
adopted by the Democratic convention,
against the report of the committee on res
olutions, by a twO-thirds vote, thus mani
Testing the intelligent participation of every
man in the convention.
The Democrats are 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 a considerable
surplus, and the question was, What should
be done? Should the tariff be reduced, or
ch hn ha int
son pointedly asked: "Shall we suppress
the imposts and give that advantage to
foreign over domestic manufacturers?
For himself, he recommended that ''the
imposts be maintained and that the sur
plus created "should be appropriated to the
improvement of roads, canals, rivers and
education" If the constitution did not
give sufficient power to warrant these APP
preparations, jefferson went so far as to
recommend that it be amended.
This presents the strongest condition of
affairs upon which protective tariff can
be justified, and jefferson did not hesitate
to recommend it. The Democrats of the
present day. it is needless to say, are the
direct opponents of the policy which JEFF
ferson thus outlined and adhered to.
2. In spite of Democratic opposition,
we have attained through reciprocity new
| and valuable trade and the system has
| demonstrated its many advantages We
| were about to declare sugar, molasses, cot
| fee and hides free of all duties in the Nc
Kinley bill, but, instead of that, we passed
/ a law by which we asked the several ma
| tons interested what they would give to
have those articles made free. We found
that the privileges which we were about
to give, without cost and without charge,
] lar i'm in
Cuba and Porto Rico, in the Windward
and I.eeward islands, in British Guiana
and Jamaica, San Domingo and the five
| Central American states, and to a minor
| degree in Austria, France and Germany
all in exchange for the articles which we
had intended to admit gratutously.
This is the whole of the reciprocity
scheme. 1t is very plain and very simple.
1t secures a valuable trade in exchange for
articles otherwise destined to be put on the
free list. The Democratic party think
they can dscredit it, and they make the
effort, apparently, for the unpatriotic rea-
son that they did not originate it,
8. With all its calamities the war
brought us one great blessing-national
currency. Prior to the war we had the
worst currency system of any enlightened
nation in the world. The state banks, with
some exceptions, were thoroughly irrespOn-
sible. They existed by thousands through
out the United States. Whenever one of
them failed the result was a large loss
and great distress among the people. No
one was responsible for their bills, and
they were generally found scattered in the
pockets of the laboring man, to whom they
were total loss, without any redemption
whatever. OF the state banks it was often
and truly said that their debts were the
measure of their profits. They caused an
aggregate loss of hundreds of millions of
dollars among the poor.
Since the close of the war all this is diff
ferent. Every paper dollar that circulates
among the people has the United States
behind it as a guarantee. All the banks
that exist are under the control of the ma
tional government, and if they fail as finan-
cial institutions the government has taken
care that their bills shall be paid by Sc
curities deposited in government vaults.
Under these circumstances, it is a matter
for extraordinary surprise that the Demo
cratic convention should deliberately pass
resolutions for the revival of state banks.
The palpable effect of this policy, if carried
out, would be to cheat the poor man out OF
his daily bread. If state banks be adopted,
and their circulation attain large issue,
no device COulu NC more ueduly loI lne ue-
, ceptiOn and despolment of all the com
mercial and laboring classes.
The three issues which have given are
! the issues upon which would arraign the
, Democratic party. l would not multiply
r issues nor be diverted by our opponent:
from a steadfast adherence to, and constant
. presentation of, these questions before thu
people until every voter is made to know
and understand their true and Weighty
significance. Very sincerely yours,
JAMES G. BLAINE.