The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-08-18

pT6Cldto iIOlu INC uOPOho VI AA'J
1t is Swallowed only by the sad event
which greeted us as the first piece OF
American news that we heard-the
death of General Sheridan, man
who was above party and stood for
the Union of the States. Shouts OF
"Good."I With that exception my
arrival upon my native shore was
unattended by anything but joy and
happiness.
1.-THE campaign on which you are
about to enter should be prefaced, if
that were possible. by every voter in
the United States seeing what [ have
seen, ("Good, good") and hearing
what l have heard during the last
year. Applause. The progress of
the campaign in the United States is
viewed from the European stand
point with an interest as profound as
it is in the United States. 1t is the
opportunity of England. 1t is the
long-looked for occasion upon which
the cheaper labor and the cheaper
fabrics of the Old World expect to
invade the New and lower the wages
of the American workingmen to
the European standard. Great ap-
plause. 1t is not contest of capt.
tai against capital it is not a contest
of partisan against partisan. 1t is
much higher than either of these. 1t
transcends all party motive. APP
plause.l Whether the great mass of
American citizens who earn their
bread by the sweat of their brow
shall be seriously reduced in their
emolument from day to day ap-
plause that is the whole pith and
moment of this question. Anything
that adverts the question from that
single point is weakening of the
campaign. Applause and cries of
"Good."] 1 say here, as 1 hope to
say with much more elaboration,
cloud cheering and cries of "That's
what we want")-I say here that
THE WAGES OF THE AMERICAN La
BoRER CANNOT BE REDUCED EXCEPT
WITH THE CONSENT AND THE VOTE
OF THE AMERICAN LABoRER HIM
SELF. The APPEAL LIES TO HIM.
1t comes to his door and asks him
whether. with the great power of the
franchise and the great majority he
possesses in his own hands, he is
willing for himself and his asso-
ciats, his children and his children's
children, to take the fatal step, at the
bidding of an American Congress
and an American President who are
governed by that element which
sought to destroy this nation.
"But, gentlemen. it is not time
for political speech. My heart is
too full to enter at this time on
heightened argument. In this mo-
ment of welcome and joy, getting
home to old scenes and old friends, l
must be allowed to enjoy the pleas
ant emotions of the occasion. L can
only add my fervent thanks to each
and every member of the club and
to all my friends for the generous
and joyous welcome they have ex-
tended to me in the harbor of New
York"
About 8 o'clock the crowd around
Madison Square numbered many
thousands. The people whiled away
the time shouting for Blaine. Harri-
son and Morton. The crowd repre-
sented all classes of society. On the
stand were ]. P. Archibald, Master
Workman Magee and a number of
other labor leaders. as well as officers
of the various Republican organiza-
tions here and out of town. S. B.
Elkins, Percy Carson, and Walker
Blaine and others were also conspic-
uous.
When Mr.. Blaine appeared on the
stand Mr.. Ford again called the
meeting to order, and called on
David Healy TO read an address on
behalf of the workingmen of New
YORK to Mr.. Blaine. The address
was a strong Endorsement of pro.
tectionism. Mr.. Blaine was then in
PRODUCED land after the applause sub
sided said:
"MR, CHAIRMAN 1T would be
considerable egotism on my part to
take this magnificent demonstration
as personal altogether to myself. 1t
rather signifies the great popular in
terest in the question upon which 1
am supposed at least to have a con-
sistent record and an earnest szeal.
Applause.] You have here before
you a contest in which that great
issue is to be settled by the American
people for perhaps an indefinite pc
Rod. the one way or the other. The
year 1887 was prosperous and the
PrpSi6nnf of ito olOSo nrnnocad a rad-