Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-08-27
JAMES e. BLAINE SPEAKS.
THE PlUMEO KNIGHT OPENS THE
CAMPAIGN IN MAINE.
In Mastery speech he Arraigns the
Democratic Party-The Labor Ques-
tion-Necessity of Protection
The Fishery Dispute.

Democratic Party-The Labor Cues
ton Necessity of Projections
The Fishery Dispute.
SEBAGO LAKE, Me. Aug. PA mass
meeting formally opening the Republican
campaign in Cumberlandacounty was held
here this afternoon under the auspices of
the county committee. The regular and
special midday trains as well as others
were crowded. Hon. James G.. Blaine,
Congressman Reed of Maine and Hon.
William Gibson of Ohio were the speakers
of the occasion and arrived about 1870, &C
cOmpanied by Mayor Chapman of Port
land, and were driven to the hotel. Mr.
Blaine had left Augusta about 10 O'Clock.
At 2:45 these gentlemen reached the
place of meeting. Slight applause greet
ed Mr.. Blaine as he made his
way to the stand and three cheers We're
called for but met with scant
response. Mr. Blaine's appearance on the
platform. however, called forth great ap-
plause, the assembly number probably
1000 persons nearly all of them standing.
An incident of the waiting for Mr. Blaine's
appearance was the distribution by Rev.
John Collins of circulars headed "Will
question" These circulars called forth
numerous remarks of various character.
Mr.. Warren, the presiding officer at once
called upon Mr. Blaine Introducing HIM
as one who needs "no introduction to
the citizens of Maine, one whom
glad to hear from" Mr.. Blaine was
greatly applauded upon stepping to the
front of the platform. Several quiet re
marks to the effect that he looked grayer
were made among the audience near the
platform. HIS speech was apDlauded at
frequent intervals, and was listened to
throughout with marked attention. At
ter he had been speaking a short time his
voice became somewhat husky, and he
remarked that it was so long since he had
spoken in the open air that it affected his
voice Il little.
MIR. BLAINE'S SPEECH.
Mr. Blaine referred to the futile attempt
to pass the Morrison tariff bill in Con
gress as illustrating the fact that the Re
publican party is more than ever united
in support of protective tariff policy,
while the Democracy is as ever united on
the policy of free trade. These facts, he
said Indicate that the policy of protection
versus free trade, is Il general and ma
tional issue, atfording distinct line of div
iSiOn between the Republican and Demo
cratic pasties The constant opposition of
| icy during the past IL years had been the
cause of vast loss upon the country
| through abandoned projects. This was
the result of uncertainty superinduced by
| the perpetual menace OF the Democracy
| upon the protective tariff.
Referring to the labor question he said
| the right Of labor to organize could not
| be questioned, but every citizen should re-
| member that "the liberty of one man
must always end where the the rights of
another man begins" He looked bach
| with satisfaction to his record in Congress
as he had never blotted by IA single vote
that was not friendly to interests of Amer
| lean labor. He intimated that the wages
/ of labor in America could not be kept above
| the European standard without a protec
| tive policy. Labor organizations have made
no movement toward perpetuating the pro-
! teCtive policy by national legislation. They
| seem to have taken little or no heed of the
/ existence of 100000 able bodied labOrers
| in the South with dark skins, but with eX-
| panding intellect, increasing intelligence
aud growing ambition. While these men
We're slaves the,skilled labor of the North
felt no competition from them. But since
they became freemen there has been a
great change in the variety ana skill of
/ the labor performed by the colOred men in
/ the South. The great mass are, of course
/ still engaged in agricultural pursuits, but
! hundreds of thousands have entered
]
OF course, they are underpaid They re-
ceiVe far less than has been paid in years
past to Northern mechanics for similar
work. They are able to take no part in
making laws for their own protection, and
they consequently are unable to maintain
| a fair standard OF wages
Continuing he said, DO you suppose
you can permanently maintain in the
/ Northern States one scale of prices, when
just beyond an imaginary line on the south
of us far different scale of prices is paid
for labor The colOred mechanic of the
South is not so skillful "A workman nor SO
intelligent man as yOuare, but II he will
. lay brick in a new cotton factory in South
/ Carolina at half the price you are paid, he
/ is inevitably erecting Industry which, ii
/ the same rate wages be maintained
! throughout will drive you ont of business
/ or lead YOU to the gates of his own poverty.
The situation is therefor plainly discerni
| BILE and demonstrable, VIZ: FIRST, If the
Democratic party shall succeed as they
have been annually attempting for L.
years past in destroying the protective
/ tariff the artisans of the United States
will be thrown into direct competition
with the highly skilled and miserably
paid labor of Europe. Second, if the
Democratic party shall be able TO hold
control of the national government the
colored laborer in the southern States
will remain where the southern Demo
Gratis have placed him politically, subject
to the white man, and unable TO flX the
price of hIs labor The colored man will
therefore, under those conditions remain 4
constant quantity III the labor market
receiving inadequate compensation
for his own toll and steadily crowd
ing down the compensation of white
labor, if not to his own level, yet far below
its just and adequate standard. At every
turn therefore, whether it be in exposing
the white American laborer TO the danger
of European competition by destroying
the protective tariff, or whether it be ii
reducing the wages of the white man by
unfairly making the colored laborer hi,
fatal competitor, in all fields of toll, the
Democratic party, Mouth and south, ap
pears as the enemy of every interest OF the
American workman With that party
placed in fun power, and with all it'
measures achieved, tina wages OF Ameri
can labor will fall as certainly aSS enecI
follows cause. Mr. Blaine referred to th'
fisheries dispute claiming that the
! coursp followed bV Secretary Bayart