The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-08-23
THE ROBBIE CLUB.
Address by Clarence Hale, Esq.

Address by Clarence Hale, Esq.
The Robbie Club was honored by a large at
tendance of earnest Republicans last evening
President Printable presided and Clarence
Hale, Esq, spoke on the issues of the day.
MR.. HALEs SPEECH.
1t was said of a certain political club in
France, in the last century, that 1t was based
entirely upon personal hate. The remark IL
Illustrates the difference between people un,
used to self-government, untitled for candid
political discussion, governed by personal ran
cour, and nation where the people are the
rulers, where political measures are discussed
freely and fully, where men are taught from
their boyhood to have opinions about the
great questions which are involved in the OF
ten recurring political elections club IKE
this is one of the most natural, and one OF tno
best, outgrow this of popular government. IL Is
club of young men brought together Dy q
common principle. 1t is an organization OF
men who believe in the Republican party and
are here to discuss the measures and the mis-
sion of that party. 1t is q club of young Re-
publican workers who propose to cordially en-
ter into the work of this political campaign
under the earnest and able leadership OF Col
Robe, the standard bearer of the Republican
party in Maine. Mr.. Hale then paid high
and glowing tribute to Col. Robbie as man
and as a trusted and experienced party leader,
of whose personal and political record the CLUB
may well be proud
The speaker then went on to say that we are
here to discuss the reasons why We believe in
the Republican party, and i've 1t our support.
We do not come here to abuse and berate our
opponents That is the peculiar province OF
the Fusion orator and the Fusion newspaper.
One of the great reasons why the Democratic
leaders lost the confidence of the people is that
from the time when they used to
call President Lincoln a murderer and
usurper they have conducted all their
campaigns by the, weapons OF abuse
and detraction and not OF argument.
The honest and candid men of both parties do
not like that kind of warfare. Mr.. Hale then
described the condition OF the country when
the Greenback party achieved its first great
prominence in this state. Many honest men
became discouraged at the hard times; they
thought we should never reach specie resump-
ton; they were tickled by the plausible
speeches of the new set OF orators like Leo
Miller and Hull They sought change. 1t
was no great wonder that candid, sincere men
should be befogged and mystified on the great
questions of finance that then formed the is
sues before the people. 1t took time to show
up and illustrate by the march of events the
unsoundness of the communistic doctrines
that were then preached. 1t was no new thing
for people to 60 through with this experience.
England drifted about for twenty years in the
early part of this century before she got upon
sound specie basis 1t is no wonder that men
got mystifed and sought to visit their dsaffec-
ton upon the nearest thing that came handy;
and that was the party in power. Now SO long
as men acted honestly from their convictions,
we have no right to find fault with them. we
must meet them with fair argument and try to
persuade. But then came the Democratic
leaders and sought, not to argue and convince
the Greenbacker, but to trade with MIN; Al
~, l. IF Z hn hon IN
among the Democrats and among the Green
hackers protested, the MAORI y OF the leaders
OF both factions got up trade on pure truck
and dicker system: "You vote for my candi-
date and will vote for yours" Mr.. Hale re-
viewed the various steps by which this fusion
was accomplished, by which the old hard
money Democrat is voting for believer in
fiat money and the new hedged convert to the
theory, that q national bank is a national rob-
Der, is voting for bank president. Parties
formed in this way, by trucking for offices,
right in the face and eyes of conscience and
political integrity, can never have any
thing but the most temporary success.
The great parties that have led the sentiment
of the country have not been gotten up by Of
fee brokers and fused by tricksters They
have been true to some great thought and
principle and refused to compromise or to
'sfuse,'' through evil report and through good
report. But after this open, palpable alliance
for offices and the spoils thereof this new crea-
lure Cdll0u 7iuslUl UcEhtoo buO AeOPUbliSNAi
party because it is party of 'sspois." LII
cool assurance is courage then the fusion par
ty is the most courageous organization ever
born, and their great apostle, Plalsted IS the
boldest leader that ever led. In the same let
ter in which he attacks the Republican party
as a "spoils" party he makes his bitter wall
because he is not permitted to have more of
the spoils. His complaint is that he has been
able to make but 1888 appointments. By Civ
ing his whole attention to the SUBJECT ne gath
= 81 lis l,r1r hxvo
means some 90 offices got away. MIR. Hale ar
gued that the council had acted in strict accord
with their plain constitutional duty, that the
constitution made it Jas clearly their duty to
advise in a confirmation as it is the Govern
or's duty to nominate in the first instance; and
that the Governor had not acted in the spirit
OF statesman seeking to do right but In the
spirit of Juggling office broker, twisting
about Republican office holders from one place
to another in order to try to put the council IN
the wrong and to worm in fusion friend.
This was illustrated in the cases OF Mr.. STAN
ley and of Mr. Little. Gov. Plaisted is even
now setting the supreme court at defiance by
not following their decision in the case of the
reporter of decisions whom he assumes to
have renewed by arrOgating to himself all the
functions of the Executive"
Mr.. Hale here discussed quite fully the
removal of Judge Libbey, and argued that the
Council had adopted wise and Just rule In
this case and in all cases, where they had in
sisted LUab WU0u SOUu CluCcE Was III piaOO hC
should not be displaced simply to crafty the
partizan spirit of Gov. Plaisted. The Fusion
leaders try to belittle the campaign this fall
by talking about a few offices at Augusta as
the only issues in the election. They try to
make us forget the national importance of the
election. Mr.. Hale here discussed the position
of the Republican party on the question OF
taxation and luxuries, and of Protecting the
purity of the ballot, and argued that the Demo-
cratic leaders in their action in Congress were
Al C.x.rk
coroancs with civilization far behind the
civilization of New England. He then dis
cussed quite fully what the Republican party
were doing by protective tariff
in building up the Elabor OF the
country and protecting the lanorer.
draw the foreign laborer to these shores, where,
instead of the starvation wages of the old
countries where population is adreg and man
a nuisance" he gets enough to make COM
Portable home. His children are educated
They become oar best citizens They share
our prosperity. They are fed by our great
granaries of the West, and thus help to create
market for American corn and wheat.
Mr.. Hale called the attention OF the club to
the fact that the Republican party had origl-
mated the great mass of legislation fer the past
twenty years, and that it had been the mission
of the Democratic a'ty leaders to deny and
obstruct. Which party is it better for young
man to give his vote to; the party that
achieves, or the party that denies; tne party
that excuses its past and is afraid of 'dead is-
sues" or the party that is proud of its record,
and glad to have It's character investigated and
its principles discussed?
The club extended vote of thanks to Mr..
Hale for his admirable address.
Hon. Geo. W. Woodman will address the
club next Tuesday evening
Personal.
DIR. Croker and family have removed to Au-