Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-26


your farms and diary interests in value by
the growth of manufacturing centres, how
do you like it: Fishermen from the coast
shorn of your rights by Bayard's surrender
to the demands of Canada, will You be 8
party to policy that seeks to make thi:
country the dumping ground for Eugland''
Surplus products?
He closed with fine tribute to Mr.. Blaine
and the republican party of Maine.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Heath's remarks
L. L. Walton, Esq, of Skowhegan was
chosen temporary secretary of the conven-
ton. Messrs Connor of Fairfield, Board
man of Belfast, Haley of Gardiner and
Whiting of Ellsworth were appointed a COM
mittee on credentials and reported that forty
six towns were represented and that 2l7 del
egates were in attendance. The temporary
organization was made permanent
The following letter was read from Hon.
Seth L. Milliken:
WASHINGTON, d. c. April %, 1888.
Hon l.. L. WALTON. Chairman of the Re-
publican District Committee for the Third
District of Maine.
Dear Sp:-In reply to your recent kind
letter. suggesting the propriety of my being
present and addressing our District Convention
to be held at Waterville, on the 25th inst.
have to say that il would be a great pleasure
TO me to do as you advise.
| | fully appreciate the right of the voters TO
have an opportunity to look upon and listen
to the man whom they have honored by
choosing him to represent them; and know
! the value to Congressman of meeting per-
sonally his constituents and hearing directly
from them, their views upon questions affec-
! ting themselves and the country.
1t is certainly good to get out of the atmo-
| sphere of the Capital and feel the unbiased
and untainred sentiment of the Country where
business is done and values are produced,
and where the effects of good or bad legisla-
ton are felt.
But just now feel it my duty to remain
at my post.
There are pending before the House, and
being discussed measures which are as i'm
portant to the people of the Nation, and es-
pecally to the people of Maine as have ever,
perhaps, hung in the balance of success or
defeat
The yer and Harbor bill is now in the
course of its passage in the House. There
is in it. | believe some chaff that should be
winnowed out of it, and there is some good
wheat that should be inserted by way of
amendment.
For instance, it makes 10 appropriation for
much needed breakwater at Bar Harbor,
none for Belfast harbor and only $40, 900
for the improvement of the Kennebec river,
where the appropriation should be at least
900 to begin Improvements from
Augusta to Bath These faults we shall try
to remedy by amendment of the bill
But of far more importance is the Mills
Tariff bill now under discussion in the House.
There is hardly an industry in Maine which
it will not destroy or harm If it had been
a sentence pronounced against the people of
our State for some great crime they had com
mtted it could have hardly been better for
mulated for that purpose or been more severe
1t puts on the free list and strips entirely
of protection the great lumber industry of
Maine in all its forms of manufacture.
1t will leave farmers along our boarders to
open competition with their Canadian
neighbors where now our farmers have 20
per cent. protection on their cattle and sheep,
Is cents per bushel on their potatoes, from
10 to 30 per cent. on their vegetables of all
kinds and two cents per pound on their po-
tato starch.
1t would destroy the wood pulp industry, of
WnlcD One-Sl4t1 OF all III tue L Hlttu Siaits Is
in Maine 1t would strike deadly blow to
our great stone industry so valuable to our
State and more than nnety-five per cent. of
the product of which is for labor
The wool-growers of Maine are shown no
mercy in the Mills bill they are also con-
signed to the free list when we know the
facts that small reduction in the duty upon
wool in 1888 was followed by reduction of
our American focks to the number of six
millions of sheep, no one need fail to see
that to take the entire duty of ten to twelve
cents per pound from wool will end wool
growing in this country, except perhaps, for
a while in Texas and the Territories where
land and labor are cheap.
This industry, which includes seven hun
dred thousand sheep owners, who employ five
hundred thousand men, the Mills bill pro-
poses TO transfer from our own people 10
South America and Australia. 1t also attacks
our most important manufactures
And what does ii promise us in return for
all this? Nothing that is tangible or valu
able. Sugar, an article of prime necessity.
and the largest food charge in every family,
is left to be protected by duty of at least
sixty per cent. The duty on rice is really
raised by change in its classification, though
it is pretended to be decreased, and it is
hundred per cent. Indeed, the bill is entire
" sectional in its character and no less sec
tional than political.
1t seeks not to do justice but to do injury
to the Northern and Republican States, open
ing our home markets for their products to
free access by foreign producers, with their
pauper made goods while taking good care
of the great staples of the south and some
politically doubtful states.
1t is fraud. too, for its professed purpose
is to reduce the surplus in the treasury. 1t
cannot be expected to do anything of the
kind. For the increase in importati0ns of
goods on which the duties are to be reduced.
will increase the revenues of the Government
quite as much as the free list will curtail them.
The effort to pass this hi | through the
House is to be herculean. The foreign man
ufacturers the free trade Democrats and the
Mugwumps all of whom are free traders car
rying false colors have made a stronger COM
bination and are working with more energy
aud determination to ruin our industries IN
the interests of foreigners and home non-pro-
ducers than ever before
In consideration of these facts deem it to
be demanded of every patriotic man to be
where he can do the most good. and that is,
of course. at his post of duty wherever that
may be-
! | shall, therefore be unable to give myself
the pleasure of meeting somany of those
who have honored me with their confidence
and their votes to fill the seat | occupy, as
will be gathered in Convention at Waterville
on the 25th inst.
/ But NAV be allowed to congratulate the
Convention upon meeting under SO favorable
auspices. Every where in the country the
Republican party has harmonized its differ
ences, and gives evidence of being inspired
with new energy and confident purpose of
success.
1t sees, and the Nation sees, that its place
has not been filled by those who have tempo
rarily succeeded it, either in skill TO admins
ter the Government or in patriotism.
1t is the party which saved the Nation
life. and it both loves and knows how to lead
in the march of progress; the country it
saved better than those who SO recently at
tempted to destroy it.
1t is American in its feelings and purposes
and | believe that notwithstanding, his
declination of the position, it will nominate
for its leader and march TO victory under the
banner of the greatest of all living Ameri'