, 1888-08-11
BLAINE OF MAINE.
The Plumed Knights Arrival
in New York
After an Absence of Fourteen
Months.
He Meets With An Enthusiastic
Reception.

- 1'S' ASAh wac bOnluCu lfC LlllC
off Sandy Hook while at anchor waiting
for the high tide to cross the bar by rep
resentatives OF the press, who learned
that the voyage was a pleasant and une-
venttul one. Blaine said he was in ex-
cellent health and hat his trip renewed
his youth.
About 8 o'clock the steamer Starin,
with the Blaine committee on board, met
the City of New York outside the mar
rows. The Starin turned about and both
slowly steamed up the bay. Blaine's
form was made GU standing in a group of
friends IN the upper deck forward and as
cheer after cheer arose Blaine bowed re-
peatedly. He was neatly dressed in a
dark cutaway coat, light trousers and a
brown derby hat.
The band on the Starin PLAYED Home
Again and Home, Sweet Home" and
the Star Spangled Banner" while ad-
vancing up the quarantine. Then both
vessels came to anchor, and as the Star
ms ran over under the side of the City
of New York Blaine's face and form
were plainly visible to every one on board.
Cheer after cheer broke forth, ~handker-
chiefs and flags waved, cries of Blaine.
James G. Blaine mo Free Trade
arose, and the utmost enthusiasm pre-
vailed. At 9:l5 a. M. to the music of
Hail to the Chief" Blaine got on board
the Starin escorted by Whitelaw Reid and
Pool.
Fl ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Bartlett of the reception committee de-
livered the address of welcome, telling
Blaine of the great gathering of Republi-
cans from all parts of the country who
had awaited his coming several days and
paraded 0,000 strong last night. They
welcomed him him as an illustrious citi-
zen, not as an official or one upon whom
the mantle OF power was about to de-
sccnd.
BLAINE's REPLY.
Blaine said in reply:-"Mr. President,
and gentlemen of the Republican club and
fellow citizens-To enable you to appre-
ciate this welcome each and every one of
you should be absent from home and
country for a long period Of fourteen
months. l am sure you can have little
conception of the great qualification of
that instant when | saw the shore of the
great republic.
II cannot tell you h~owldeeply gratiied
| am to be remembered in this manner
by you and these assembled gentlemen.
1t is a scene | shall never forget. 1t is
an occasion which | assure you 1 appre-
ciate from the depths of my heart. 1t is
Swallowed only by the sad event which
news when we heard of the death of Gen.
Sheridan, a man who was above party
and stood for the unlon OF states. With
that exception my arrival upon my native
shore is unattended by anything but JOY
and happiness.
THE campaign on which you are about
to enter should be prefaced, if that were
possible, by every voter in the United
States seeing what | have seen and hear
ing what | have heard during the last
year. The progress of the campaign in
the United States is viewed from a Eulo-
pean standpoint with interest as profound
as it is in the United States. 1t is the
opportunity of England. 1t is the long
looked for occasion upon which cheaper
labor and cheaper fabrics of the old world
expect to invade the new world and lower
the wages of American workingmen to a
European standard. 1t is not a contest
Of capital against capital. 1t is not
a contest of partisan against par
tisan. 1t is much higher than
either of these. 1t transcends all
party motive whether the great mass of
the American citizens who earn their
bread by the sweat of their brow shall be
seriously reduced in their emolument from
day to day. That is the whole pith and
moment Of this question. Anything that
diverts the question from that single point
is a weakening of the campaign.
Il say here that the wages OF the
American laborer cannot be reduced ex-
cept with the consent and votes of the
American laborer himself. 1t lies with
him. 1t comes to his door and asks
him whether with the great power of
franchise and the great majority he pos
sessess in his own hands he is willing for
himself and his associates, his children
and his children's children to take that
fatal step at the bidding OF an American
congress and an American president and
who are governed by that element which
sought to destroy this nation. But, zen.
tlemen, it's not the time for a political
| speech. My heart is too full to enter at
this time on a heightened argument. In
| this moment of welcome and Joy, getting
home to old scenes and old friends, |
must be allowed to enjoy the pleasant
emotions of the occasion. | can only add
my fervent thanks to each and every
member of the club and to all my friends
for the generous and joyous welcome they
have extended to me in the harbor Of
New York"
While Blaine was speaking the greatest
enthusiasm prevailed. Every point made
was quickly seized and cheered. An out
burst of cheering followed the conclusion
OF his brief speech. Blaine was then es-
corted into the ladies' saloon where he re-
ceived a number of his friends. In a
little while he assembled to the saloon on
the upper deck where he received the con-
ordinations Of all, having a pleasant
word for all who greeted him. While
there he was handed an address by Fitz-
william of Boston from the Working
mems Protective Union Of Massachusetts,.
He was also presented with an address by
Murat Halstead, representing the Young
Mems Blaine club of Cincinnati.
To a reporter Blaine said that he did
not know whether he would go on to
Maine to night or not. He did not know
what arrangements had been made for
him. When told that the lrish-Ameri-
cans proposed to serenade him tonight
and present an address, he replied; That 8
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