The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-07
HIS LETTER BOTH TIMELY
AND CONVINCING.
Benefits Of the New Tariff and the
Value Of Reciprocity.
THE DEMOCRATIC ASSAULT ON
THE BANKING SYSTEM.

| Democrats Almost Unparalleled in
| the Country's History and Not in
Accord With Their Own Traditions
| State Banks and the Evils Which
/ Would Follow if the Old System
Were Revived.
AUGUSTA, September 6.-The follow
| ing letter from Hon. James G.. Blaine to
Chairman Manley, of the Republican
State Committee, was made public to-
night:
BAR HARBoR, September 8, 1892.
Hon. Joseph Fl. Mantey, chairman, ETC.,
| augusta, Ne:
| My Dear Sir-Not being able, for rea-
sons which have explained to you, to
| deliver public speeches in the present
campaign, 1 take the liberty of submit
ting my views upon the issues which
regard as being strongest for the Repub-
licans to urge before the people.
1.-The issue of the greatest conse-
quence is the tariff on imports, and it
| will continue to be so until a settlement
is effected by majority 50
mount to general acquiesence. The
| subject Two years ago they passed a
general enactment known as the McKin-
| ley tariff, which for a time failed to meet
with popular approval and was regarded
with certain degree of distrust by
those who had always upheld the pro-
| tective system. But a 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, notwithstanding the character and
extent of the opposition to it. Agricul-
ture is remuner ative, manufactures are
prosperous and commerce is more flour
| ishing than at any previous time, thus
vindicating the Mckinley tariff by an i'm
pressive and undeniable series of facts.
Against this tariff the Democratic
party have taken position almost with
out parallel in the history of the country.
They reject entirely the doctrine of pro-
| matize it generally. A resolution to this
effect was adopted by the Democratic
convention. against the report of
the committee on resolutions,
by two-thirds vote, thus
manifesting the intelligent participation
of every man in the convention. Some
times resolution may be adopted in
haste or just when the convention is adj
| journing, and may fail to receive the atten-
ton of the members, but this resolution
| was debated pro and con, adopted after a
contest, and was perfectly understood by
the members of the convention. 1t is
contained in these words:
We denounce Republican protection as la
fraud upon the labor of the great majority of
| the American people for the benefit of a few.
We declare it a fundamental principle OF the
Democratic party that the federal government
has no constitutional power to impose and col
lect tariff duties except for the purpose OF
revenue only. We demand that the collection
of such taxes be limited to the necessities OF
| the government when honestly and economical
ly administered.
If ANY one will take the truoble to read
the resolution by which Mr.. Calhoun
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 sub
iect further he will discover that the
duties in the compromise tariff which
reconciled Nj. Calhoun and appeased his
angry followers in South Carolina, were
of more comprehensive character than
those contempla ted in the Democratic
resolution of 1892.
The Democrats are in the habit of man,
ing Jefferson as the founder of their
party: and yet, on the subject of the tar
| iff. they are in radical opposition to the
principles laid down by, jefferson. Tow
ard the close of his administration the
revenue from the tariff on imports pro-
duced a considerable surplus and the
question was: Should the tariff be re-
.duced or should this surplus be main
tanned? Jefferson pointedly asked:
"Shall we suppress the imposts and give
that advantage to foreign over domestic
manufacturers" For himself, he recon-
mended that ''the imports be main
tained'' and that the surpins
created s'should be appropriated
to the improvement Of roads,
canals, rivers and education"
If the constitution did not give sufficient
power to warrant these appropriations.
Jefferson went so far as to recommend
that it be amended. This presents the
strongest condition of affairs upon which
a 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 oppen-