Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-13
Mr.. Blaine's Speech.
FeAQ,c Republicans Of Kehnebee:

| thank you for the compliment of your
call. join with you in hearty congratula-
tons and fluctuations over the great national
achievement of last week. We have elected
the X publican candidates TO the Presidency
and ice-Presideucy, and never did any party
have candidates i'll whom more Implicit faith
could be placed-faith IN their principles,
tai'h in their ability, faith in their zeal, faith
in their honor, talth in them personally, faltn
in tn m officially. 1t adds 70 the value of
our triumph that We have secured in General
HARRISON Il President, VINO comprehends the
Wants of the whole Nation, and who by tenn
per ,ment and experience embodies all the
r, ,quIrements for an executive position, whose
duties a.e, perhaps, more engrosslng ami ex-
acting than any similar position in the world.
Cheers aud continued applause.
And yet, if the election of Harrison and
Morton were merely the election of two emf
uent citizens to the highest positions in the
Republic, our rejoicing would not have the
deep significance which attends it. The
President ald Vice +. esldent- elect carry with
them IN their Dc served elevation the triumph
of the p o ectlye policy in the United States
(appiau,e) and that is the feature of the VIC
tory which strs the nation.
An old Scotch divine prayed fervenIly to
the Lord Ito gle Gs good opinion o our
selves The republicans of kennebec have
a special right ia this hour of victory 10 a
good opinion OF themselves. Organized as
Il county in the last century, kennebec,
whether as a part of Massachusetts or a
part Maine, has never failed III her loyalty
TO the policy of protection. Throughout
The whole of her existence kenuebec has
never voted for a democratic candidate for
the Presidency. Applause She has
Just given to General Harrison a
majority of 5000 and she gave
about the same to the General Harrison OF
1910. She has i'll the long interim varied little
in the majorities which she has given for
each Wing aud Republican Presidential
candidate III succession. Whoever has fat
tered either in Maine or in other states the
opponents of free trade and OF the demo-
cratic party in Kenutbec county have always
been firm, consistent and courageous. DE
feat in State or Nation has never dampened
heir arlor. Ii was only the signal to Ken
ueb.c for a more earnest strug lie the next
time.
Many persons from inattention to the
course of events and some from mere cyni-
clsm regard a presidential electi III as only a
struggle tor the ''spois" of office. Perhaps
'.spoils .wouid cause them TO molify this
opinion. We are now sixty-fve millions OF
people and we speak of the danger of having
one hundred thousand office holders under
The National government.
Quite true we have one hun nired thousand
office holders but vast number of those
nave salaries under one hundred dollars each
a great proportion under one thousand
dollars each, more than tour-tifths of the
whole number under two thousand dollars
each while the President does not h ave
within his power Of appo tment two
hundred civil office rs with salaries exceeding
nve thousand dollars a year. | doubt, in
deed, If he has more than one hundred.
Certainly "spoIls" cannot profoundly enlist
the interest or call forth the
efforts OF great people, among whom oppor-
tunIiIes for business aud tor fortune are
greater than in any other hation of the world
it was something far deeper than 'sp0lls of
otliCe that called the full Republican
strength to TIE polls-and no question but
that OF pr1te &C .ion could have done it. Ap-
plause
But, my friends, let US remember that
Wis mon ton of 1.-The old man elpquent' to
i1mph moderately. Republicans have al
ways been more energetic in gaining vic
tory at the polls than of Boosting of it after
IL has been secured. Ii is well that it is So
for victory would indeed be barren of good
irut aud unworthy of respect, IT it did not
bring benz fit to all the peo,le alike, regard
|, IS of geographical lines or party divisions
We have sharp rivalry as democrats or re-
publIcans III the earnest struggle of the cam
paign but when the election Is over we re-
member that we are all united ia the endur-
ing brotherhood of Am, rican citizenship
citizenship of the east and the west, of the
north and the south, citizenship of the great
undivided, in1ivisible republic! Applause. !
When Mr.. Blaine finished speaking the
audience, which had listened with rapt at
tention, broke forth into loud cheering,
which was continued till their tired throats
refused to utter another sound. The pro.
cession marched back down State, Grove
and Water streets to Market Square, where,
with one final cheer for Harrison, Morton
and protection, the crowd dispersed and Au.
gustas great election jubilee was over.