Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-27
AT LEWISTON.
A Rousing Republican Mass
Meeting.
Hr. Blaine nakeS CauStic Review Of
CleVeland's Course on the Fisheries,
And Char acterizes His Message on that
Subject an a Most Extraor-
dinary Somersault.


! lut scCOuu puDht dduItss VI AlI- DidiL
on the political issues of the campaign wa
delivered in the City Hall here Saturda,
evening before the largest audience eve
assembled there, and one of the most Ell
thusiastic political gatherings ever known il
this section of Maine. Hon. John A. Kas
son of Iowa and Hon. Nelson Dingley, Jr.
Mr.. Blaine and party arrived in Lewiston a
s o'clock, the train over the Maine Centra
railroad from the west being delayed, He
was met at the station by a full tournout OF
the republican organizations of Lewiston
and Auburn. Over 400 members of loca
uniformed organizations were in procession
with two bands. The streets of Lewiston
were crowded. One of the features of the
parade was an organization Of about 100 op-
eratives of the Ara Cushman company, shoe
factory in Auburn, the largest shoe factory
in Maine. 1t is fairly estimated that the
throng of people in the streets as the car.
riage containing Mr. Blaine passed up Lis
bon street to the hotel was unprecedented in
the city's political history. At City Hall the
people fairly took possession of it.
Seats were to be reserved but could beheld.
Thousands were unable to gain admission
The stage was occupied by some of the
leading men of Androscoggin county. Over
1000 people heard the address
The meeting opened with remarks by Con.
gressman Dingley of Lewiston. His recep
ton was very cordial Mr.. Blaine, who was
accompanied by his son, Walker Blaine and
Chairman Manley, took brief rest at the
hotel, reaching the hall at the closeof Con
gresham Dingley's remarks. His coming
was the signal for an ovation. The crowd
rose en- masse and welcomed him. Mr.
Blaine spoke with vigor and precision. Mr.
kasson's speech was also most cordially
received. Mr. Kasson has been in the city
since noon. During the parade the French
Canadian Republicans raised campaign
flag. Mr.. Blaine spoke as follows:
When | accepted your invitation to speak
here this evening, had intended to present
some facts iu which relation to the in-
terests which the many thousand wagework-
ers of your city have in the maintenance of
a sound protective tariff, but that question
has already been discussed this evening by
your distinguished representative, Gov. Ding
ley and shall be followed by Hon. John
A. KassOn, long distinguished representa-
tive in Congress, from Iowa, and equally
well known for the dignity AMI ability with
which he has represented his country in two
great empires of Europe. | shall, therefore,
devote the few moments | speak to the con-
sderaton of the treaty which very deeply
interests thousands of the people of Maine,
and hence in q large sense interests the whole
State. l did not happen to have an opportu-
nifty for reading the full text of President
Cleveland's message on the subject until this
morning. and, with all due respect to the
chief executive of the nation, | must say
that, considering all the circumstances it is
the most extraordinary document that was
ever sent from the White House to the capi-
tol. You know the main facts of the issue
between Canada and the United States, or,
perhaps to speak more exactly, between
Great Britain and the United States, in re-
spect to the fisheries. 1t was our belief and
still is that after the articles of the treaty of
w asHiilktOi TtldtinR u Tue usutIles, Hau e&-
pired, the Canadian government behaved in
an unneighborly, unseemly and uniust man.
ner toward our fishermen in refusing them
rights which they had enjoyed by long pre-
scription. In order to bring the government
of the Dominion to just appreciation of the
subject, Congress authorized the President
in the spring of 1887, to adopt at his tdiscre-
ton policy of suitable retaliation, directing
thar hot han n,sar ~,IF go
long as American vessels were deprived of
commercial privileges in the ports of Cana
da, Canadian vessels should he deprived of
like privileges in the ports of the United
States. This, if may indulge in appropri-
ate slang, was a genuine tit for tat policy,
in which the punishment was admirably fitted
to the crime. President Cleveland declined
to inforce the policy, and allowed outrage
after outrage upon our fishing vessels to go
unredressed. He was bent on some form of
negotiation with England, even against the
expressed wish and will of the nited States
Senate, and in defiance of the large share in
the treaty making power, which the constitu-
ton assigns to the Senate. Finally, without
the consent of the Senate. and practically
against its protest, the President organized a
commission to frame a treaty that should
settle all points of dispute. He thus gave
what was never intended by the constitution,
a partisan side to an international discussion.
1t was never designed by the founders of our
government that intercourse with foreign ma
tons should be conducted by republicans or
by democrats or by wings or by federalists.
1t should only be by the nation as a whole.
We can have our party differences at home
and settle them on our own soil in our own
way, but toward all foreign powers on the
globe we should present one united indivisi-
bic American republic But this was not
done. The treaty was launched as a demo-
cratic partisan measure, rather than patri-
otic American measure, and the London pa
pers have been following their usual voca-
ton of eulogizing the democracy and abusing
the republicans, with greatly increased vitu-
peration against the republican party ever
since it was found that the Senate was bent
on maintaining the national dignity. 1t is
plainly apparent from the text of the consti-
tuition itself that the wise men who framed il
intended that the orpinary legislative power
should be committed to the majority, how
ever small, but that no treaty could be framed
without the overwhelming support of public
opinion. They provided, therefore, that i,
should require in all cases two thirds of the
Senate to ratify treaty; but despite this
the national administration went Ahead, re-
gardless of results, and negotiated treaty al
repugnant to the American instinct of ma
tional self respect, that, instead of securing
ratification by two thirds of the Senate, il
was absolutely rejected by majority vote
| What then? At the first rebound the Presi
dent has leaped so far over on the other side
that he asks authority to cripple all our com
mercial relations with Canada, from Passa
maquoddy Bay to vancouver's island Hav
| ing for three years offered to waive the right
of the fishermen and the national dignity a