Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-06
BLAINE TAKES THE STUMP
Against Cleveland's Message-He
Calls it a Political Move to Draw At
tenti0n From the Tarif-The PresI-
dent Charged With Change OF
front and Inconsistency.

Lewiston, Ne, before TIE largest audi
ence ever assembled III the building, and
one of the most enthusiastic poilti "a
gatherings ever known in that section OF
Maine John A. Kass Jp, Of Iowa, and
Nelson Dingiey, Of Maine also sddresse ed
the assemblage. Mr.. Blaine was met n
the station by full turnout of the re-
publican organizations OF Lewiston and
Auburn, over 400 members Of local uni
formed organizations were il the pro
cessIon with two bands. One OF the
features Of the parade was an Organiza
ton OF about 100 Operatives of the Ara
Cushman 81 CO., shoe factory IN Auburn
the largest shoe factory in Maine. Al
the city hall thousands were unable &c
gain admission. The stage was occupied
by some OF the leading men of andres
coggin county. Over 1000 people heard
Mr.. Blgine's address. The meeting open
ed with remarks by Congressman DIBgley
of Lewiston. Mr.. Blaine reached the hall
at the close OF Mr.. Eingley's address. HIS
coming vas the signal for an ovation.
Mr.. B.aine spoke as follows: Fellow
citizens Of Lewiston. When / accepted
your invitation to speak here, this eve
ning, I had intended TO present some
facts with relation TO interests which the
many thousand wage workers OF your city
have, in the maintainence OF q sound pro
tectiye tariff, but the question has already
been discussed this evening by your dis
tinguifhed representative, Gov. Diugley.
and [ shall be followed by john A. Kas-
son, long a distinguished representative
IN congress, from Iowa, and equally veil
known for the ability and dignity with
which he has represented his country IL
two great empires of Europe. I shall
therefore devote the few moments l
speak to the consideration OF the fisher
les which may deeply interest thousands
of the citizens of Maine, and hence in a
larger sense interest the whole country.
did not have the opportunity of reading
the full text of President Cleveland S
message on the subject, until this morn
ing, and with all due respect 60 the chief
executive CT the nation, must say that,
considering ali the circumstances, it is
the most extraordinary document that
was ever sent from the white house TO the
capitol.
You have the main facts of the issue
between Canada aad the United States, or
perhaps TO speak more exactly, between
Great Britain aud the United States in
respect to the fisheries. It was our be
lief and still is that after the articles of
she treaty of Washington relating TO fish
cries had expired, the Canadian govern
ment behaved in an uupeighborly, I'm
seemlv and u0just man~er toward our
fishermen, refusing rights which they had
enjoyed by long prescri gtion. In order
TO bring the government of the Dominion
of the just appreciation of the subject
INF ~, - he
spring of 1887 10 adopt at his discretion
policy OF retaliation, directing among
other things that whenever and so long as
American vessels were deprived of com
merciaI privileges in the ports of Canada,
Canadian vessels should be deprived of
like privileges in the ports OF the United
State. This, il / may indulge III up
propriate slang, this was genuine "tiI-
for tat" policy IN which the punishment
was admirably fitted to the crime. Presi
dent Cleveland declined TO enforce the
policy and allowed outrage upon our fish
ing vessels to go unredressed. He was
bent on some form OF negotiation wirh
England, even against the expressed
wishes OF the United States Senate, and
In defiance of the large share in the
treaty making power which the consti-
tuition assigns to the Senate. Finally,
without the consent Of the Senate, and
practically against It's protest, the presi
dent organized commission TO frame a
treaty that should settle all points of
dispute. He thus gave what was never
INTENDED by the constitutions PARTISAN
side to an inter national discussion.
&c was never designed by the founders
of our government that intercourse with
foreign nations should be conducted by
republicans or by democrats, or by wings
or by federalists: il should only be by the
nation as whole. We can have our par
tisan differences at home and settle them
on our own soil in our own way, but to-
ward all foreign powers on the globe we
should present one united, indivisible,
American Republic. But this was not
done. The treaty was launched as dem
ocraSio partisan measure, rather than a
patriotic American measure, and the
London papers have been following their
usual vocation of eulogiziug the deInoc,
raoy and abusing the republicans with
greatly increased vituperatIon against
the republican party, ever since it was
found that the Senate was bent on main.
tanning the national dignity. It is prob
ably apparent from the text of the con.
stitutlou itself, that the wise man who
framed il intended that the ordinary leg
isIative power should be committed tC
the ajority, however small, but that nc
treaty could he framed without the over
wheimipg suppport of public opinion
They provided, therefore, that it should
require, IN all cases, two-thirds of the
senate to ratify treaty, bUt des pite thi:
the national administration went ahead
regardless of results, and negotiated {
treaty so repugnant to the American in
stinot of national self respect that; in
stead of securing a ratification by two
thirds of the senate, it was absolutely re
jected by majority vote. What then
At the fist rebound the presidents haC
leaped too far over on the other side theI
he asks authority 10 cripple all COR com
mercial relations with Canada, from Pas
sauna quoddy Bay to Vancouver's Island
Having for three years refused &c
maintain the rights Of fishermen and th,
national dignity at the same time, thu
president desires now to cross over tC
tne other side OF the question and out
Herod Herod Ia his demands for redress
He seems eager to day 10 discharge
whole battery Of hrupp guns on III,
question, when last year a blank cartridg,
from q pocket pistol would have set
tied the whole affair. After subjectins
the country month after month to the hu
initiation Of an unprecedented surrender
the presidents supporters, with the yea
of new converts, rather with the extrava
CANT enthusiasm of pretenders, are nov
manifesting such areneWed and deep an,
keen sense of wrongs We have experience
ed from Great Britain and Canada in tn
matter of the fisheries, that they secon
and, in the slang of the democratic heel
erS Ihar ora for ynre