The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-07
NO SPEECHES BY BLAINE.
Formally Announces That He Has
No Time to Give to
Harrison.
But He Writes q Short Letter
on the Issues of the
Day.
Most of It Devoted to Lnudntion Of tho
Keciprocity Scheme He Claims to
Have Originated.


Reciprocity Scheme He Claims to
Have Originated.
AuGusrA, Me-, Sept. 6.--Ths following
letter from Hon. James g. Blaine to Chair
man Manlsy, of the republican state COM
mittee, was made public tonight:
BAR HARBoR, No., Sept 3.-Hon. JOS. II.
Manley. Chairman. etc, Augusta. Me-: My
Dear Sr:-Not being able, for reasons
which explained to you, to deliver public
speeches in the present campaign. ! take
the liberty Of submitting my views on tbs
issues which regard A. being the strong-
est for the republicans to urge before the
people. Tie issue Of greatest consequence
is the tariff on impo t., and it will con-
tinue to be until aaettlement is effected oya
majority so large that it will bs tan.amouns
to general Acqulescence. Iho republicans
are aggressive on this subject. Two ysars
ago they passed the 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 always upheld the pro-
tsctive system. but powerful reaction
has come in consequence of the vindication
Of tho Mckinley tariff by experience. II
was 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
tho character and extent Of the opposition
to it, agriculture il remunerative, manu-
factureis are prosperous and commerce 10
more fourishin. at than any previous time,
thus vindicating the Mckinley tariff by an
impressive and undeniable series Of facts.
Against this tariff the democratic party
has taken position almost without par
allel in tie history Of the country. They
reject entirely the doctrine of protection.
pronounce it a fraud. and anathematize il
generally. A resolution to this effect was
adopted by the dsmocrstic 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. Sometimes
resolution may be adopted in haste. or
just when q convention 10 adiourning il
may fail to receive the attention of mem
bers, but this resolntica was debated pro
fectly understood by the membres Of the
convention. It is contained IN these words.
1--WE denounee republican protection as q
| fraud on the labor of q great majority Of
| the American people for the benefit of the
few. We declare il a fundamental princi-
pie of the democratic party that the federal
| government has no constitutional power to
| impose or collect tariff duties, except for
the purpose of revenue only. We demand
that the collection Of suoh taxes Dc limited
to the necessities Of tho government, when
| honestly and economically administered"
If any one will take the trouble to read
| the resolutions by which Mr.. Calhoun
sought to defend his notification scheme
| in 1888 he will find the taft platform of
| the democratic party in general harmony
Herewith. and if he examines the subject
further he will discover that the duties in
the compromise tariff which reconciled Mr..
Calhoun and appeased his angry followers
| in South Carolina OF no more com pre- hensive
char aoter than those contemplated in the
demool alto resolution of 1892 The demo-
Gratis are in the habit of naming Jefferson
as the founder of their party, and yet, on
tho subject of tariff they are in radical op.-
position to the principles laid down by JEFF
ferson. Toward the close of his admin is-
| traton the revende from the tariff on i'm
ports produced considerable surplus. and
| the question was. should the tariff bs re-
| duced or should this surplus be m ain t air sdl
Jefferson polntsly asked, shall We suppress
imports aud give the advantage to To- eign
over domestic manufacturer" For himself
he recommended that the imports be main
tanned, and that the surplus created should
be appropriated to the improvement Of
roads. canals, rivers and education" II
the constitution did not give sufflcient
power TO warrant these appropriations JEFF
ferson went so far ~ to recommend that il
be amended. This presents the strongest
condition of affairs upon which protective
tovi n ho inatjffaR and .lafforspO Ai1 pok
hesitate to recommend it. Democrats OF
the present day. il is needless to say. aars
in direct opposition TO tho policy which Jef-
fsrson outlined and adhered to. %
When the principle of reciprocal trade
was first proposed to be introduced into
| the tariff system the democrats showed
most generous appreciation of the question,
and gave il their support so long
as the republicans refused to ac-
cspt it. But when the republi-3
po t vanished and instead of favorine We
find the democratic national convention
| passing resolution hostile to ths system
But in spite OF democratic opposition We
attained, through reciDr ocity, new and val
liable trade and the system demonstrated
! declare sugar, molassss, coffee ana hides
free OF all duties in the Mckinley bill, but
instead Of that We passed a law by which
We asked the small nations interested what
they would give co have those articles made
free. We found that tho privilege which we
wore about to give without cost and without
charge would secure 10 EGe trnds in Brazil,
in Cuba. and in Porto Rioo, III tho Wind
ward and Lesward islands. in British
Guiana and Jamacia. San Domingo and
five Central American states, and to =
minor degree in Austria, France and Ger
many, all in exchange for articles which We
intended Rr8tituously TO admit. The tree
list in the Mckinley tariff 10 larger in the
number of articles and in the ag-
Rregate amount OF their import value
than the dutiable list. What would have
been the result to the Unitsd States IL
every article before it were put on the free
list had been mnde the subject Of inquiry
to see what We could get in exchange for itf
We omitted to do 10 for many years, and
that neglect cost the government Rn ndvan-
tage in trade which would have amounted to
tens of millions OF dollars. This Ia the
whole of the reciprocity scheme. 1t 10 very
plain and very simple, 1t secures valuable
trade in exchange for articles otherwise
destin to he put on the I GO list Tbs
democratic party think they can disersdit
il, and they make al effort. apparently for
tho unpa.riotic reason that they did not
originate 1t.
With all its calsmisies the war brought
us one great blessing. a natal currency.
There are many who will say IL wss worth
the cost of the war 10 bring shout so ~.
spicioas result to capital and labor.
Prior TO the war We had the worst oarrsnoy
system Of any enlightened nation,
tho, nm ghlv iryann noU ahlA hanks avtaANd h.