The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-27
FREEpoRTS REPUBLICAN FLAG RAISING.
The Event enthusiastically ceIe-
brated by a Rousing Rally.
Speeches by w. n. Looney, ESQ.,, and
Clarence Hale, Esq.
Bath Republicans open the Cam.
paign In Old Sagadahoc.
Especial to tile Press.


pafgn In Old Sagadahoc.
Especial to tile Press
| FREEpoRT, July 26-Freeport Republi-
| cans turned out in great numbers tonight to
witness the raising of campaign flag. The
large handsome flag was greeted with vol
| ley of cheers, and II. T. Brewer, Esq, made
| brief speech. Then the assemblage ad-
| journed to the town hall, which was packed
to the doors. Dr. G. W. Witham presided,
and introduced W. II. Looney, Esq, of Port
land. as the first speaker. Mr. Looney was
greeted with hearty applause, which was
continued at intervals during his remarks.
MIR. LooNEY's SPEECH.
Mr.. Looney discussed the issues involved
in the campaign substantially as he did in
his Brunswick speech, dwelling, however,
more at length upon the tariff. Theoretical
ly, he said, free trade is an impossibility.
| This is manifest when we consider that the
annual expenses of the government are up
wards of $315.0OO,000, and that the larger
part of this sum must be raised by customs
duties, for direct taxation is oppressive and
condemned by all practical statesmen and
economists.
The practical question is how shall the du-
ties be levied. The position-o of the Republi-
can and the protectionist is that they shall
| be so levied as to discriminate in favor of
| American industry and American labor. The
Democrat and free trader, on the contrary,
contends that in levying duties to defray the
| expenses OF the government no such discrim-
lnation shall be made; in word, that the
duties shall be levied for revenue only This
iS the vital dfCfin0fi0n hQtmQpn thp
ZIONIST and free trader.
The policy of the Democratic party, as de-
fined in the Presidents message and the
speeches of the Democratic leaders, is the
British economic policy. Whenever tried in
this country, 1t has been followed by paral-
ysis of all forms of industry, widespread
bankruptcy, business and financial distress.
1t Is policy, the object of which is to re-
consumers, the policy which ruined Turkey,
degraded India, pauperized Portugal, and ex-
hausted the life blood of Ireland.
It is policy, which, if crystalized into
legislation here, would close every manufac-
turing establishment in. Maine. 1t would
dwarf American skilled Industry, crush
American manufacturing enterprises. at
once make this country market Of the shop
worn goods of Europe, and consign it for all
time to the class of nations second in rank
which can only produce raw material, but
can never rise to skillful production.
Clarence Hale, Esq, was the next speaker.
Mr.. Hale was warmly received, and the au-
dience, during bis speech, gave abundant
evidence of their appreciation of his re-
marks.
MR.. HALE's SPEECH
There can be no more inspiring sight than
the American flag floating over a happy,
peaceful community. bearing upon its folds
the names of Republican standard bearers in
contest for distnctively American inter-
ests, and for the advancement and protection
of American citizens, native and naturalized,
in American homes.
1t has been the habit Of Democratic ora
tors and partisans in political campaigns of
the past few years TO cry that there were no
great issues before the people, and that
hence there would be no harm done in re-
firing the Republican party from power; in
ignoring its great services and in searching
through its long record of achievement to find
out and punish its errors. To be sure this
was kind of confession that so long as
there were issues the Republican party was
certain to be on the right side; 1t was a very
pointed reminder of the history of tardy
Democratic progress in the past twenty-five
years a progress that has come only so near
htCDiuE pdCC Will htpuDlCdu pIDSItSS Ilidb
1t has kept a few years behind the Republi-
can party in occupying Republican positions,
and has finally got the party ON the right
side OF nearly every question several years
after that particular question was settled.
Undoubtedly that party by the cry of mo
issues succeeded in obscuridg their own bad
positions and in covering up their true in
wardness. Even four years ago they sue
ceeded in making great portion of the
country believe that the question of protec-
h0nn
volved in the contest, and that their party
was really a very good protection party. But
this year the issue is too well joined to per-
init anybody to be fooled: The Republican
the American system Of protection" The
Democratic position is the Presidents free
trade message. That message in
its teaching and tendency, If not
plain free trade utterance as was the state
ment in the constitution of the so-called
Southern Confederacy that nc ''duties or
taxes on importations from foreign nations
of industry" That message assumes that
tariff laws are "a scheme which permits a
tax to be laid on every consumer in the land
for the benefit of our manufacturers" And
since that message every power OF Demo-
cratic administration has been brought to
bear to strangle the late protection wing of
the Democratic party, So that the Demo-
cratic creed is now interpreted" by that
message, and is that message. The Demo-
cratic platform is the hand of the Democrat
ic party, but the voice is the voice of the
President. A French Republican in
1903 said it was folly for Napoleon to
pretend to be in favor Of popular govern
ment so long as he killed every agta-
tor who raised his voice for popular govern
ment. A Democratic President cannot de-
Gently pretend to be even tolerant of protec-
tion sentiment in his party while he is put
ting his heavy office-shod foot on the neck
of Mr. dali NJ
not free trade pronunciamento? Why, the
English people have known something of
free trade tor many years; they would be
likely to know free trader when they see
him; and their leading papers spoke of the
message in such language as the London
Times when it complimented Mr.. Cleveland
on employing "the same arguments which
Mr.. Golden used TO employ 45 years ago and
which any English free trader would employ
now" The message is the germ of the Mills
bill which is just passed by a Democratic
majority; and that majority is now has
tening to apologize for it and to assure the
terrified business interests of the country
snat tra there are no free trade tendencies in it.
ting that % it 'e't,On IS .only ys aoeS, step
in the right direction" and what that
direction, is may be guessed at by the
former and franker speech of Mr.. Mills
which our own Representative, the leader of
the Republicans, forced the leader of the
Democratic ways and means committee to
acknowledge as his own language. That
language was; I'VE must let wealth, the
creation of labor, grow up in all the homes
of our people Then every industry will
spring forward at a bound, and wealth
prosperity land power will bless the land
that is dedicated to free men, free labor and
free trade" Is there any doubt about the
leader of the Democratic majority being
free trader?
The Republican party is for protecting
American labor and diyersifying American
industry. 1t says to every laborer in the
land, Seek out for yourself such work as
you can do best, engage in the manufacture
of such articles as your life has best fitted
you to engage in, and we will do our best to
make market in America for the. product
of your labor. 1t is visionary and foolish
to suppose that we can open the closed
doors of France and Italy and Belgium for
the results of your toll but we can develope
and maintain home markets and from year
to year the great industries built up by wise
financial and economic policy on American
soil are filling the land with prosperity giving
employment to all who seek to be employed,
and at the same time are producing that
wholesome cOmpetitiOn which keeps the