The Portland daily press., 1888-09-03
STRONG ARGUMENT.
Hon. r. e. Frazier Addresses Repub-
licans In City Hall.
Hon. Clarence Hale PresIdes at the
Meeting.
Their Speeches Create a Great Deal
Of Enthusiasm.


listen to the Hon. r. E. Frazier Of Michigan,
and Hon. Clarence Hale Of this city. The
speeches were received with great enthusi-
asm. Mr.. Frazier discussed the questions at
issue from the standpoint of an Irishman,
and his stories, with which he enforced his
arguments, were full Of Irish wit.
A large number of well known citizens oc-
cupied the platform when the hour arrived
for the speaking to begin. Prior to that time
the Portland Band played several selections,
which were received with great applause.
Chairman Briggs called the meeting to or
order, and introduced Hon. Clarence Hale as
presiding officer. Mr.. Hale was warmly re-
ceived, and spoke as follows, his speech be-
ing frequently interrupted by applause:
MIR. HALE's SPEECH.
Fellow Republicans, Ladies and Gentle
men why are Maine Republicans so ear
nest and active in this campaign ?" asks a
Massachusetts newspaper. Because we are
Maine Republicans, and we head the column
IN the great struggle that is now going on in
this country for the advancement of Ameri-
can ideas and the protection of American in
terests. Because we are in the forefront of
the battle, and can see victory just ahead.
The Republicans of Maine are accustomed
Isl.
They are not ashamed of their earnestness,
and their devotion to Republican principles.
They are not afraid to work for those princi-
pies from the beginning of the campaign,
until the polls close; and then they general
ly. enjoy the coming in of the returns. If /
mistake not, we shall have better time this
year when the returns come in than "our
friends, the enemy" will have. But there is
special reason this year why the citizens of
Maine should see to it that no harm comes to
the State. Every man who cares for the
business welfare of the State, has an inter-
est, direct and implicit. in the result of this
election. The bill which was prepared by a
Democratic caucus, and pressed through the
House OF Representatives by Democratic
majority, assails the great leading industries
of Maine.
If Democratic leaders had studied with
scrupul0us malice to hunt up the chief prod
ucts from which the citizens of Maine derive
an income, in order to make these products
the target for their attack, they could not
have done much worse. 1t seems that they
must have taken great deal of time from
their grieved contemplation of the surplus,
and spent it in making a list of the things on
the soil and in the soil of Maine, to which
our labor, protected by Republican legisla-
tion. has been directed. so that they might
remove the protection from our speciali In
dustries, and leave them in competition with
the poorly paid labor of Canada.
Democratic assurances that the Mills bill
has no free trade tendencies are not very assur
ing to us in Maine when so many of our pro-
ducts are put on the free list. The tendencies of
the bill are decidedly toward free trade as to
those products left absolutely unprotected.
Our laborers in lumber manufactures who
are out of a job by the Democratic legisla-
tl0n Will not take vital interest in knowing
that, after all the Mills bill reduces the
amount received on dutia5le articles but
seven pei cent The free trade arguments
w n ba Urif how
copied the books of England for generation
have made them very familiar to us. But a
Democratic majority by object teaching
upon our Maine industries have made those
arguments more impressive than the Golden
Club or all the theorists of the schools could
make them.
The Democratic party isstrue to its history
and traditions In its continued attack this
year upon our American system of protec-
ton to home industries. 1 have heard Of no
In some form an arraignment of that system.
Frank Hurd himself could not have
put the stock arguments in favor OF
Tree trade in more neatly turned
phrases than those same arguments have
just been put by Mr.. Moulton, one of the
cratic leaders. The present tariff is called
IAN extended edition of the war tax" To
be sure the facts have been fully published
which show that the free list has been ex-
tended from war time about 1000 per cent,
under Republican legislation, but at the
which most need protection have been kept
out of competition with foreign products.
And any element of protection is very griev-
ons in the sight of the man who is true to
his free trade Democratic teaching.
With all the danger that there is to Maine
in Democratic success let us see to it that the
voice OF Maine Is made very loud and clear
upon this question when she speaks on Sep
tember 10TH
am not here to discuss at length the
questions involved in this contest We have
most eloquent gentleman with us this
evening who is doing the highest service In
our State In presenting the issues of the
campaign, and take great pleasure in in-
Producing Hon. r. E. Frazier, of Michigan.
When Mr.. Frazier came forward it was
some time before he could address his audi
ence owing to the long continued applause
When quiet was restored he proceeded as
follows;
GEN. FRAzIER's SPEECH.
Mr.. President and Fellolv Citizens:
have been invited by your committee to
leave my home in Michigan to come here
into this State to talk to the people upon
questions upon which we are mutually inter-
ested. l responded to that invitation with a
great deal of pleasure, for knew nothing OF
England States. had had no opportunity
to study your interests or your people, but
from the time / arrived within the borders OF
Maine every day and every hour has been to
me an additional surprise.
had heard that you were living up here
In a pine country, with scarcely any arabic
land, that you were a people who lacked
push and energy, and that any man who mad
any ambition went West. But / find that
you have been misrepresented by those who
made these statements, and / shall return to
my home when have finished my work with
the most pleasurable sensations, with the
knowledge of the fact that you have great
State capable OF being more fully developed,
and that you are hospitable and intelligent
people.
That you are interested in the discussion
OF these great political questions is evident
from the fact that you have assembled here
tonight. This large gathering of people has
come here for the purpose of seeing or hear
Ing what can be said in addition to
what they have already heard upon questions
would be foolish for me to attribute the fact
OF your coming here to listen to me. am an
entire stranger among you, and it is not at
all probable that you have ever heard my
hame before but It is testimony of your
love for the Republican party that you have
assembled here in this spacious building,
thousands OF people who have come here to
discuss questions which are of so vital import
ance to you that upon a just and righteous
discussion OF them the fate of your industries
depends.
do not wonder that you are a contented
and happy people, that there are so few poor
among you, when you are enjoying this life
with this beautiful harb0r before you a sight
which shall be engraven in my memory as
long. as live. These surroundings ought to
inspire every man with eloquence, and such
country ought to be preserved for its de.
scendants. / stand here then to advocate
the cause of the Republican party; not from
any confidence in myself but with no fear of
the result.
am Republican because l am an Ameri-
can. l am Republican because / love my
country. am a Republican because / be-
lieve in the interests Of every American citi-
zen, and the interests Of the American work.
ing man are dearer to me than the working
man of any other country.
/ have seen in New England here that his.
tory is written over all your hills.
have heard discussed the history of the Rev
olution, and families are living here now
whose ancestors were engaged in that grand
struggle Where / come from, nothing Is old
but everything is new. But still, believe,
situated as l am, that have as great love
for this country as any man who can trace
back his lineage among the earliest of Amer
icans
The stock from which / sprung has had no
such advantages the advantages that we
nave received have been by the suffrages of
the American people. l stand here today as
the son Of an Irish-American, and this coun-
try has done so much for me that from my
earliest hour have been taught to reverence
IL; nave been taught to love the flag that
waves over this nation.
The great issue in this campaign is free
traQe or pratPctlnn. i dnn,t I'm what q