Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-11

The Republican meeting In Institute
Hall, Saturday night, was attended by
about 800 men, two old colored women aud
six small boys An alarm OF FIRE drew
away nearly one third Of the audience
before tie meeting was half over, about
90 men left when the FIRST speaker fin
iEad, and 15 men were put TO sleep by
the oratory. The small boys left early.
but the two old ladies' stayed TO the end,
Hyatt'a Military Band furnished excel
/. lent music, and considerable enthusiasm
was displayed by those who remained to
the last.
! At SIG O'Clock the meeting was called
TO order by r. =. Bach, who named VIII.
liam II. Plerson for chairman, with the
following yice-preeidents and secretaries :
Eleazor Ainsworth, John G.. Baker,
George w. Bush, Jr., James II. Beggs,
Robert II. Barr, N. Il. henson, Jr.,
Frederick Il. Buolmaster, James d. Gar
a,sar, Francis u. Cotton, Dr. Peter Cooper,
msehn Il. Davis, Henry B. Duncan, seth
M. lster, Alfred Gswthrop, Charles Gouert,
s0hn J. Gallagher, Al. II. Griggs, Anthony
Higgins, Thomas Holt, William Hopes,
Edgar Il. Haints, James Morrow, James
McElven, William Lindsay, George
Mccall, j. IL lewis, Henry q. NcLear,
Joseph Phillips, ]. Eldridge Pierce,
Charles Robb, George Remington, John
Taylor, William P. Taylor, Ashton II.
/ Tatnall, W. Scott Vernon, j. Winfield
Scott, Walter @. Tatnall, Alfred d.
Warner, O. Wesley Weldin, Samuel
White, Reed Ferguson, Robert D. Griffin,
William d. Cunningham. Horace valen.
tine, August oadwalader, Harry Burger,
Walter Showers, George Appleton,
samuel Chambers, Francis 3. Bradley,
Isaac Roberts.
observation-disclosures II. Urippen, Warren
Harper, William b. Haddock, j. L. Pill
beam, William Sullivan, George Hartman.
Such formidable list Of officers for SO
small O meeting sounded rather Iidicu-
lcus, and II was quietly suggested that
they had better be scented in the hall than
on the stage, in order to swell tho pro-
portions OF the meeting. But few OF
them were present, however.
The first speaker to face the email
eudisnoe was Charles M. Curtis, Esq,
Republican candidate for representative.
Mr.. Curtis, with great deai of deliber-
alton, said that ''some men are born
great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrust upon them.n He
was enc OF the latter class, having had
greatness thrust upon HIM by being
nominated as the Republican candidate
for representative, This he considered
an honor which he was proud to accept.
Mr.. Curtis said that discussion Of the
tariff required preparation and expert
enoe. The Republican platform touk
issue with the Mills bill and the Repub-
liean Senate bad prepared o substitute
for II that would surely meet with the
approval Of the Republican party Mr..
Cleveland had violated all the pledges
made at the time OF his election and he
caused the tariff isaue to be brought for
ward so as to make 1t, and not his admin
istratiye record, the leading question Of
the campaign Cleveland was elected by
tho solid south and the solid south is
nothing but the old Southern Confed,
eracy. The south ia solid for FREQ trade
or ct least Is hostile to the principles OF
protection. The Mills bill Ia a southern
measure, backed up by the solid south.
The people should be cautious how they
take step in this direction. Il may moi
affect many Industries at first, but Il Is .
step in the direction of free trade, and
should be stopped at the outget.
As to the treasury surplus, Mr.. Curtis
said II should be reduced, and the Re-
publican senate had brought in bill to
reduc it, in safe and Satisfactory man.
ner. The entire revenue from import
duties ia about $3.50, 900 900 per annum,
OF which about $l3l 000, 900 are laid on
prot, oted articles. The Mills bill re-
ducss the duties on these protected
articles about 40 per cent, while the
Senate bill reduces them about IL per
cent. This is the diifert nee between the
two bills, between the north and the
aoutb, between the Republican and Dem.
ocratic parties. He hoped the people
would carefully study this great question,
in which event no had no doubt how they
would vote.
Turning to local issues, Mr.. Curtis first
alluded to the question of 0 constitu-
tionM convention. Just here the fire
alarm sounded and about one-third Of the
meagre audience precipitetely left the
hall. Mr.. Curtis held that convention
waa the only means OF securing the many
reforms needed in this State, including
an elective judiciary and revision Of the
tax laws. He cheerfuily pledged his ser
vices 10 secure convention in the event
Of his election. The Democratic party,
he feid, had lodged this question until
brought face to face with it, and then
walked away.
On the question Of increased represen-
tasion Mr. Curtis said the only thing the
Democratic had ever done in this diIec-
tion was to propose the abOrtive GIubb
amendment to the constitution, which
was an Insult to the intelligence OF the
people OF New CASTLE county.
Another thing TO which the Republic
can party stands pledged, is the entire
abolition Of the Ubiquitous assessment
laws. He said he never realized the
depth of degradation to which the DeIao-
cratic party OF Delaware had reached
until he saw the assessment farce at the
CITY Hall last January. The response
bility, however, was not upon the assss.
sors or the levy court, hut upon those
who resped the benefit OF the Infamous
work there done. He did not believe
that the time would ever come when q
Republican in Delaware could exercise
his full political rights with the Demo
cratic party ia power. II he had Inc
power he would sweep away this system
and establish good registration law.
On the question Of temperance reform
Mr.. Curtis said he stood upon the plat
form Of the Republican party Of Della
ware, and with this platform the p9ity
stands upon Arm and solid ground. There
fore, he was in favor of either high license
or local option. In conclusion, Mr. Curtis
urged all TO vote not only for profession
to American industries, but for the local
reforms to which the Republican party
stands pledged.
Mi. curtis spoke for about an hour,
when he closed more OF the audience left,
leaving less than 200 for Washington