Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-09-07
BLAINE AT PORTLAND.


j. q. Blaine. Three thousand person,
were present. When Mr. Blaine appeared
In the corridor Of the building great
shout went up from the crowd outside
and was re echoed by the throngs i'm the
hall. the men cheering and ladies waving
their handkerchiefs As the gentlem an
assembled the platform Gen Henry B
Cleves was called upon TO preside. lie
spoke briefly upon introducing Mr.. Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine in response said
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
/ should not have left my home the very
day after my arrival. but for my desire to
feel myself once more in touch with
those with whom have in previous years
fought in many good Republican con tests.
! (cheers) once more TO compare notes with
those upon whose wisdom the party has
always relied. namely. the Republican
masses-as TO what should be done at his
crisis in the political affairs Of the coun.
try and in the history of the party which
Is its great defender When President
Cleveland delivered his message he had
something TO say to the American people
about the danger Of trusts" | think
there have since been no Democratic pa
pers In the county. whether they under
stand the meaning of the word or not.
that have not been constantly warning
the people as 10 the horrible danger Of
trusts. Laughter) Well. | shall not
discuss them this afternoon. shall not
venture TO say that they are altogether
advantageous or Instantaneous. They
are largely private affairs with which
neither President Cleveland nor any mi.
vate citizen has any particular right to
interfere. Aside from that, the point
which wish 10 impress upon you is that
trusts are not the outgrowth nor in any
way incident Of the protective policy, as
the President charges; that protective
policy no more breeds what the President
considers pestilence of trusts than does
the veriest free trade country in the
world, which is England. for England
is literally plastercd all over under her
system OF free trade. with trusts The
very day before sailed for home. cut
from the London Journal an announce
mcnt that all manufacturers Of collins and
all underwriters of the United Kingdom
had gone into trust; that ii was to con-
sist of s. 900, 900 capital which, in the
language Of the English financial market.
was to have large number of prefer
entail bonds. and that the yearly death
rate might be expected TO yield a semi.
annual dividend Of II per cent. Now,
think my friends, that we might safely
bury all the Presidents predictions OF
evil from trusts in this country, in graves
10 which those collins are about 10 20. pre-
ferential bonds and all, and we do this
safely by showing that so far from a pro-
tectlve policy generating trusts, an utter
free trade policy generates them in far
greater number. and thus | leave the
question. In Maine we are not able TO
devote ourselves wholly TO National cleo.
tons, but primarily TO State elections.
and | am glad that both parties have
gentlemen of unexceptionable
character and responsibility, standing
high in their community. against whom
personally nothing can be said That |
leaves the contest where il should rest |
on principle. Mr.. Putnam, | Judge from
a speech Of his which hold in my hand. |
which read in the Portland Argus. is |
very uneasy in regard to the charges that |
have been brought against him concern.
ing the very disadvantageous treaty he
aided in making. giving away. as think,
IN large degree, the rights of American
ishermen. have read bis speech with
great interest. and found il to be mainly
an answer to the same criticism that
senator Frye had made on the President,
Secretary Of State and Fisheries Com
mission in connection with the treaty.
What interested me most in his speech
was three or four lines that occur some
what parcnthically about the middle Of
ais remarks. "At this point" says the
Argus, MIR. Putnam discussed several
eatures of the treaty, showing the prac-
ical benefits which our fishing fleet W ould
derive from the treaty" But the Argus
iOn't think it worth while to mention
what these points of Mr. Putnam were.
On all the points Of his criticism Of Fryes
speech. Mr.. Putnam was full to afiiuence,
)ut just in breathing spell, or as Arte.
nus " ard would say, lat this point.
desiring 10 rest my voice, will tell you
/ little story so about the time that
Putnam got about half way in his speech
ne seems to have needed little rest and
ne told all these advantages 10 the Ameri-
IAN fishing feet, which he did not seem TO
include in his regular speech and which
he Argus did not seem 10 deem worth
while reporting. II there is anything in
he world about which the American peo-
pie are concerned to-day touching this
fishery question, il is the interest of the
ishing fleet, and that is the very point
WHICH the voters OF Mdlnc-DelOre WlOm
Putnam's paper is a candidate-are trying
o have him explain. For we believe
BY we mean those opposed to the treaty
that it is a complete abandonment OF
he fishing interests of the United States:
md may myself, following the example
If Senator Frye, at some future period of
he campaign, take occasion TO show the
grounds Of my charge.
One morning rs the passengers on the
steamer on which | was crossing the At.
antic, rose from breakfast there was a
umor that we were in the midst of
ishing fleet We had come to the coast
If Newfoundland during the night and as
We rushed TO the deck, we were surround
d by some twelve TO fifteen sail of fish
'rmen. partly French, partly Canadian
md more largely Americans; the sea was
Tery rough. so much so that at least half
IF the passengers were very seriously in
disposed with the most unpleasant SEN
alton known TO human nature But
hose who could get on deck beheld in
his rough sea the fishermen in their little
tories, that were not more that fifteen
eet long out on those waves, that seemed
o those on the steamer to be rolling half
he length OF this great room, and they
we're taking up their travis with as little
ne a Main 20 o,,lJ ,,,o,x, 4 &. |