The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-08-17
THE Robe CLUB.
Address by William h. Looney' Esq.

Coo
Notwithstanding the rain a large audience
| assembled at the rooms of the Robe CLUB last
evening to listen to an address by w. H..
Iooney, ESQ.,, City Solicitor. President Prin-
| dable presided. Mr.. Looney's remarks were
frequently interrupted by applause. The fol-
lowing is an abstract of Mr. Looneys speech:
Mr.. Looney commenced by saying hat the
contest in Maine was between the conserva-
tive and progressive forces of civilization.
The men who oppose progress who hate reform,
who can see good only in the past and who are
hostile to whatever tends to make this country
great, prosperous and free naturally array
themselves in one party. The men VINO be-
heve in progress, who desire better and a
nobler future for all mankind, who desire to
see right triumph, OF right over wrong, OF JUS
tice over evil, array themselves upon the 9TH
er. The Democratic party represents The one;
the Republican party represents the other.
Designate it by whatever name you please the
forces which govern the Fusion party of
Maine are the forces which dominated and
doomed to defeat the Democratic party of the
Nation for over twenty years and will consign
the Fusion party of Maine to overwhelming
defeat in September.
The party which declared that slavery was
national and freedom sectional which opposed
the abolition OF slavery, which has been wrong
Oh OfOAy ehOoo PubliS 4uObbluA AOl tliO idcb
quarter of century still rears It's "horrid
front" and by new combinations seeks to cap
ture the old Pine Tree State.
Because of the efforts and the valor of the
Republican party, many of those sublime is
sues of the past Involving human rights and
national integrity have been settled. The
most important question now before the Amer
lean people is that relating to free ballot
and an honest count. This is still an unset
tied question because the Democratic party
L. f.. hoax aI1A 10
tional provisions and the laws enacted by Re-
publican Legislatures to secure to the humblest
citizen of the Republic the unrestricted right
to cast one ballot at every election, and the au-
thority to have that ballot counted.
Less stirring but of vital Importance to the
welfare of great people are those economic
questions relating to taxation, the develop
ment OF Industries and the status OF the cur
rency. 1t is the duty of a government to pro-
tect and foster varied industries and make it
possible for every man to earn a comfortable
subsistence. The issues, go far as they are of
a national character relate to the purity OF the
ballot, to tariff regulations, to methods of tax
alton and to the currency.
Hr. Looney said that in the limited time
which he should occupy it would be impossible
for him to discuss in detail each of these i'm
portant questions, he should therefore confne
himself exclusively to the tariff and local
questions. The Republican and Democratic
parties hold Numerically opposite views on
carefully and skillfully discriminating upon
the articles on which duty is placed and the
amount of that duty for the protection OF
American industries. The latter is in favor
OF free trade or what is the same thing tariff
for revenue only Upon this as upon all other
questions the Democratic party had trimmed
its sails to catch every popular breeze hoping
thus to sail into power. But its history, the
utterances OF its leaders and its platforms de-
monstrate that it is free-trads party.
A protactive tariff is osSantial to otIr prnS ner-
ity and national Independence. A duty placed
upon foreign manufactured article protects
the domestic manufacturer of that article just
in proportion to the amount of that duty.
Thus domestic skill and industry are en-
couraged The serf labor of England is glad
to get employment at any wages to keep it
from starvation. England has untold wealth
invested in manufactures. How could the
free la Dor of this country successfully compete
with the slave labor Of England unless protec-
ted by tariff? 1t is and always has been the
policy of England to destroy our manufactures
and if permitted to do so ahe would pour in
upon gus her goods at less than their actual
cost. 1t is her policy at whatever temporary
sacrifice to crush our artizans and mocha iics,
and thus gain market of the whole Union.
Break down our protective tariff in obedience
to the behests of England and her ally ia this
country the Democratic party and our manu-
featuring industries will be destroyed.
Mr.. LooneY then argued at length to prove
courage and sustain American manufactures
by protective tariff was for tho permanent ,
welfare of the country. He said it should be
the desire OF every true American that this
country should be not only an agricultural
but manufacturing nation, that we should
encourage our artizans and mechanics, and
that we should produce the fabrics which we
need rather than depend upon any other ma
ton for them. Free trade means perpetual
industrial vassalage to England. 1t would put
no vofA mo m for pafion
of the globe. 1t would reduce us to an
agricultural people. The effect of tariff is to
diminish rather than increase the price OF the
manufactured article. The very purpose OF
the tariff is that this should be SO. Here Mr.
Looney compared the prices of various articles
to make good his assertions.
Mr. Looney then went on to combat the OBJ.
jections raised that the tariff favored monopo-
lists. The principle of the tariff should not he
affected by the details. The former may be |
was the duty OF the tariff commission to elm
mate all of the Objectionable features of the
tariff. The arguments of the Fusion orators
that the tariff Disseminated in favor OF the
rich against the poor, deserved the contempt
of all honest men. Poverty in this country
constituted no Procustean bed. The path to
success is open to all. Tha son of the poor
man has actually the better chance in the race
of life.
Mr.. Looney next gave history of the free
tugal, Turkey, India and Ireland, and said
that with tho assistance of the Democratic
party England hoped to force The Infamous
policy which ruined those countries upon the
United States. He next touched upon local
issues and said that there was no principle in
a movement like the Fusion party which was
based upon two platforms Numerically oppo-
site It's corner stone was plumber. The great
mass of the Fusion party were honest men,
but they were deceived by class of miserable
demagogues and political tricksters. Every
bankrupt politician, every political hack, every
sutler who for years had hung in the rear OF
the two old parties were shining lights in this
mongrel party. Do the people Of Maine want
a repetition of the infamous Garcelon regime
which disgraced its fair fame? Let the Huns
who oppose the Republican party again sue
coed, and a dynasty as corrupt as ever the
Tweed ring will perpetuate its power, resort to
even worse methods than those OF the star
chamber known as the Garcelon conspirators.
1t would be like the shirt of Nessus which all
the labors of Hercules could not tear off
The Robbie Club extended vote of thanks