The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-05
ORTLAND, FRIDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 5, 1884.

pie who gathered there were leagues and
leagues, IN enthus asm, beyond those who had
been summoned to blow the bugle. Unless
you LOOK to your Iaurels here, Massachusetts
will steal them away. He brought words OF
good cheer from the voters of Massachusetts,,
and IN return wanted TO hear good news from
Maine he then touched upon the course the
Independents are pursuing in the campaign,
commended their sincerity and the education
and zeai OF many of their number, especially
in Massachusetts. He thought, however, they
were beginning to discover their mistake, and
were coming to realize that they are strainlng
at gnat to swallow camel. In this cam
paign this trflng and immaterial episode
about letters drops out OF sight. We have
right to bring our best judgment to bear apon
this matter, and when we do it we can come to
but one conclusion. We can find no better
way to judge of a man than to investigate his
former acts, to look up his antecedents, his con-
duct and mode Of life. If that past has been
good one, it is good omen for the future,
almost necessary consequence from his past
The history of the Republican party for
the past quarter OF century was
then reviewed at some length by the
speaker, and the conclusion reached that while
il had always been on the right side of all
questions, its opponent, the Democratic party,
had always been on the wrong side. Mr.. Long
referred to speaker who had endeavored to
show the standing Of Mr.. Blaine in Ameri-
ca by naming few representative men
OF Europe and then asking the audience what
representative American they thought of to
place beside them To pass at once from the
sublime to the ridiculous what man under
heaven would think of suggesting beside that
OF Gladstone the name of Grover Cleveland?
(Derlsive laughter.) Mr.. Long touched upon
the Democratic Cry OF "turn the r4scals out, -
and showed how puerile and meaningless it
was by giving statistics of the loss by theft and
other causes in every department of govern
ment. In the name OF common sense and de-
cent Judgment, why should the faithful stew
ard be required to step down and out. He
spoke OF the great prosperity of the country
and denied that the poor were growing poorer,
as every church and dwelling aud school
house would show. The attitude ct the eler-
zeal pIsfsssion toward the candidates was
touched upon and civil service reform re-
ceived a word of comment. The way the
South is kept solid was detailed and the awful
story of Print Matthews narrated in thrilling
style. Never until the Democratic party de-
nounced such outrages should they be per-
mitted to assume power. He said the Presi-
Dental candidates could not be compared. Mr..
Cleveland had done one thing, he had written
the meanest, most evasive, most cowardly
letter of acceptance ever written by a Pres-
Dental. candidate. The opposition put an
unnatural construction on certain private let.
tiers and shout about corruption. The issue
cannot be SO obscured. The people know the
Republican party will be true in the future
as the past to the great interests of the Repub-
lie and that the next President of the country
will not be the least of the honored men who
have occupied at its hands the Presidential
chair.
The meeting at 5.25 adjourned with ringing
cheers for the ticket and the speakers