The Portland daily press., 1888-08-17
CUMBERLAND MILLS REPUBLICANS.
The Tariff Issue Discussed Before
Them by Congressman Reed.
A harrison and Morton Flag Un-
furled.
Large Meeting OF Earnest and Inter
ested Citizens.

ested Citizens.
The Republicans Of Cumberland Mills
opened their campaign last evening by rails
Ing large Harrison and Morton and Bur
leigh and Reed flag over the street by War
rem Hall, and by listening to a very clear
and forclble presentation Of the tariff issue
by Hon. 7. b. Reed. The Westbrook Band
and the Westbrook Campaign Company, un-
der Capt. III. G. Starr. two organizations that
attracted much favorable notice In Wednes-
days big procession In Portland. assisted at
the raising Of the flag. and later attended the
meeting, where the band discoursed some ex-
cellent music.
Inc exercises began between seven and
eight o'clock, when the campaign companys
sixty strong and headed by the band. march
ed upthe street 10 the hall, where the flag
hung ready to be unrolled. The campaign
eoapaHy were uniformed m their blue heI-
NETS, red wide-awake capes and white
buskins, and carried torches. They made an
excellent display.
The flag, unrolled under the superintend-
ence of j. F. Chute, Esq, was greeted with
three hearty cheers from the torch-bearers
the hall where Mr.. Reed was to speak, and
by music from the band. The flag Is large,
bright and new, just the sort OF flag 10 float
over 50 large and bright an example Of the
dement's OF the protective system as Is the
village Of Cumberland Mills. -
About 8 o'clock Mr. Reed, who was ac-
companied by George M. Seiders, Esq, Of
Portland, entered the hall and was cordially
ana ana enthusiastically greeted by the audience.
The hall, which Is large as well as very neat.
was hlled, aisles and all, by the audience
and large number Of people stood In the
ante-rooms and in the entry, hearing what
they coulu OF pit. Reed speech thorugh the
doorways. 1t was noticeable that Tor the
| whole hour which Mr.. Reed spoke this por-
| tiOn OF the audience maintained their yery
uncomfortable positions with scarcely any
| noticeable changes. Mr.. Reed did not at
tempt TO amuse them, but made a clear and
| careful discussion Of the tariff issues that
| compelled their attention from first 10 last
and often excited expressions Of warm ap-
probation.
John Warren, Esq, was the presiding Of
ficer Of the evening, and had general charge
Il OF the meeting In introducing Mr. Reed,
l to whom, as he declared, an audience OF
Cumberland Mills needed no introduction,
| Mr.. Warren took occasion TO make a few
i very appropriate remarks c0ncering the is
sues Of the present campaign and the pleas
ure with which he should support the party
| In its battle for the Industries of the coun-
try. He recalled the fact that four years
II d6u uC udu lCAb upon 10 kiHb his Itd-
| sons why he should vote the Republican
ticket. Certain reasons why himself and
4 some others might not have voted the Re
1 publican ticket that year, which then ex-
| isted had now passed away. And as he had
been Republican then. he was one today.
He believed that the Republican party con-
tanned the larger part of the most intelligent
people OF the country, the people best able
70 carry on the government correctly. Mr..
Warren said that the main reason why he
Il and thOeQ hQf0rQ him chouId vsota fba RQpnh..
lican ticket was because they we're believers
In the policy Of protection. And while they
might be willing TO admit, perhaps, that the
tarin should be modified OF amended, they
1 believed that these notifications and amend
| ments should be made by the friends Of the
system, by the statesmen who have helped
| form and build 1t up.
Concluding his remarks, Mr.. Warren in
loud applause and cheers. Addressing
the chair and his audience, Mr..
i Reed said that they had not met to discuss
4 old issues, but to consider business ques-
| De interesting to know why the two parties
take the sides which they do take. The
question was not new one 10 this country.
There had always been struggle between
the two ideas, and the dividing line Of that
struggle was largely geographical. There
was time when cotton was king. The cot
| ton raiser had an idea that the best thing for
the country and for himself was to raise cot
ton, export it 70 England and
| did not take in the best part Of the country.
the part that contained the most enterprising
| part OF the American nation. That part OF
1 the nation began to feel from the first. that
we should have diversified industry. And
1 accordingly the first Congress passed an act
4 establishing system Of protection. Wheth-
| er that system was wise or not was on trial
today.
l Mr. Reed said that the Democratic party
II had alUavQ drawn ffa efrQpOfh from the
South, the free trade part OF the country.
That free trade wing had now come forward
and taken control Of the whole party.
1 With so much introduction Mr.. Reed pro-
ceeded to consider the falslty Of the Demo
| cratic party's position on the tariff Issue,
position in which they claimed not to be for
1 free trade while their every progress was
along free trade lines, dwelling at some
1 length and with several original and har-
L monious turns on the Inconsistencies Of the
4 author Of the Mills bill and on the deceitful
juggling by which the Democrats are trying
L to palm of a bill which places great staples
portant articles are kept on unusually high
rate OF duty, as very moderate measure Oh
! tariff reduction.
Another point which Mr.. Reed brought
out very happily and which was much appre-
ciated by his audience was that cheap free
trade prices would avail little for the Amer
lean laborer II he could not have occupation
/ whereby TO obtain the money TO pay for the
cheap goods. In the history OF the Cumber-
land Paper Mills Mr.. Reed found a striking
l refutatiOn Of the free traders claim that
that price Of protected article at home Is
| larger than the price Of a similar article
abroad by just so much as the duty. Paper
today is actually cheaper in America than
/ in England.
Mr.. Reed spoke a little over an hour.
Every word he said was listened to with the
greatest attention; and, after the meeting
had adjourned with loud cheers for the
/ speaker. the points Of the argument were re-
\ called with approval by groups Of men, on
their way TO their homes. The temper OF
the meeting was another Of those signs, now
becoming so common, that the people Of
Maine are ready 10 grapple with the tariff
1 question, and disposed TO settle 1t In favor OF
the policy OF actual facts instead Of the