The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-06-20
THE CONVENTION OPENED.
Eloquent Words by the Vice Chair
man, Thurston of Nebraska.

torium in Chicago at noon today, to call the
convention to order, he looked upon a scene
unparalleled in the history of public gather
ings in this country
Every face can be seen without effort, and
an audience of not less than 10000 appears
to be almost countless multitude. The
stage stretches from side to side of the hall,
and accommodates in addition to the presi-
dents platform several hundred newspaper
representatives. The decorations appear
rather bewildering at first The walls, cell
ing and every post, pillar and panel is COW
cred with flags, bunting and streamers, in
varied designs and colors.
The Boston Home Market Club has plant
ed magnificent banner five feet long, just
behind the stage, and it proudly floats, bear
ing in letters Of gold upon a field of blue, the
sentiments which appear to be uppermost in
the minds OF the delegates: American
wages for American workingmen, American
market for American people, protection for
American hom es." This banner Is marked
by delegates as they come into the galleries
and balconies. 1t is cheered time after
time.
The doors were not opened until all of the
interior arrangements were completed, and
the vast crowd was kept waiting until two
shield had been nailed upon the chairman's
desk, which bears in Greek letters this in
scripti0n, James A. Garfield was nominated
from this desk in 1880, and James G. Blaine
was nominated from this desk in 1884"
Then the great crowd poured in, and soon
the immense building was completely packed
As Chairman Jones raped the meeting to
order he was received with great applause
On opening the convention, Chair man
Jones introduced Rev. Mr.. Gonsaulus. In
hi H. go
Sheridan. which was greeted with burst of
applause, which evidently Jared upon the
preachers sense of propriety, as was evil
denced by the grave expression which stole
over his features
The call for the convention was read by
Secretary Fessenden and references to the
protection of American labor, to the accumu-
latlon of the surplus, to the demand for
free and honest BALLOT and fair count and the
question of admission of territories were all
loudly cheered especially that relating to the
tariff.
Chairman Jones Speaks.
Chairman Jones stepped to the front of
the platform and spoke as follows:
The Republican party may well be cengra-
tulated through its representatives here as
sembled upon the auspicious prospects that
lie before it. Wise and COURAGEOUS action by
this convention will surely lead to victory in
the campaign upon which we are about to
enter. There can be no doubt to which side
the great majority of votes will fall if each
party be tried by its record; If the grand
achievements of the Republican party be ap-
preciated and the ntter failure Of the Demo-
cratic party be understood The two parties
are Numerically opposite One favOrS
progress, the other retrogresson. One lifts
up, the other throws down. Thanks to Mr..
Cleveland and his Southern allies, the Demo-
cratic party has thrown OFF, the disguise in
which 1t has heretofore fought its battles in
the Western States, and has boldly declared
for British free trade and against American
protection. This avowal has caused much
adulation in certain sections Of this country
and in all of England, which has from the
beginning been hostile to the industrial
progress of the United States, but it has
fallen heavily upon the ears of the
patriotic portion of the Democratic party.
However,, we must not expect that
this is the end of dishonest pretences.
Deceit, fallacies and sophistry will again be
resorted to and practiced. Therefore we
should have platform based upon true Re
publican principles free from equivocation
or ambiguity, and should nominate eandi-
dates who are the embodiment of those
principles. The founders of this govern
ment saw that it was absolutely essential
for self-preservation that the original 10
States should become united for the purpose
OF protection and defence against alien acts
and influences, as well as for economical
and effective government. One of the first
acts of the Federal Government was to pro-
vide for revenue and for the protection of
the industrial interests of the country. All
our early Presidents, from Washington to
euue and for protection. All the great and
patriotic statesmen of those days concurred
in this policy. No man of note who was a
lover of his country, down to Jackson's first
a
the constitutionality or policy of projecting
the industries of the United States again st
foreign competition.
The tariff question was not considered as
one embracing solely or chiefly the manufac-
turerers' interests, but one which broadly
embraced the social condition of the labor
ing classes, the mutual interest of all home
producers in the home market, and of the
country's real independence. The British,
who now shout free trade, protected them
selves against all competition until they
were masters Of the commercial world, and
until they realized that the United States,
with its great natural advantages and by a
moderate use of the same means, was be-
coming a formidable rival. 1t was only
when Great Britain perceived something of
the future of her American rival that she at
tempted to regain that control over this
country by artifce which she was unable to
hold or reclaim by force of arms.
After relating the history of the alleged al
lance of the South with English manufac.
turers under the administrations Of Van Bu-
ren,sPolk, Pierce and Buchanan, Chairman
Jones continued.
The Republican party vanquished the
Democratic party. passed the homestead law,
|. destroyed slavery, elevated the mud sills, -
restored credit, redeemed the country and
started it anew on the lines contemplated by
the fathers. Today we occupy much high
er plane than any other people on the face
Of the globe. The Republican party believes
that 1t is not necessary or right that we
should be reduced to a common level with
other nations, but that we should have the
full benefit of all our natural advantages
and the full enjoyment of our glorious herit-
age; The logical consequences of the theories
| OF the Democratic party would have left this
country with but fringe of population on
the waterways. Many of the leading Bour-
bon Democrats of today look upon the mag
| nificent developments and the grand i'm
| proyements of the nation, which are simply
| labor, genius and management crystalized as
rank, unnatural and unwholesome growth
| and believe that we ought to 90 back to the
| days of Ignorance, sl0th and small things
| as quickly as possible.
| Through the criminal folly of certain pro-
| fessed Republicans, and by fraud and dupli-
| city on the part of the Democratic party, our
| honored and gallant standard-bearers in 1881
| were defeated. Fortunately for the country,
| we still have the benefit of the wise laws
| passed by the Republican party, and still
| have a majority in the Senate, which maiori.
| ty has prevented unwise legislation. We
| are again confronted with this same Demo.
| cratic party, the mother of all the evils
| from which this country has suffered, asking
| for the power to control and direct its future
| course, and we find that the same element
| which first led it astray by its malign influ-
| ence and dominated it down to the grievous
| days Of the rebellion is again in full control
| Of its affairs If a majority of the American
| voters favor the giving awayllOf the home
| market lncomparably the best in the world,
and the forcing of our people, now the most
| prosperous and happy on the face of the
| earth, into competition with and down to a
| level with the cheapest, poorest and most
miserable of our foreign rivals, then Demo.
| cratic reactionary doctrines will prevail. II
| not, the Republican party win resume its
authority and successfully lead this great
country, with its benefcent institutions.
| toward that sublime goal which all patriots
| believe to be its heaven-ordained destiny.
have no doubt of the result.
At this juncture Hon. John Thurston Of
Nebraska, who was yesterday chosen by the
National Committee as temporary chairman
had moved up to the right of Mr.. Jones, and
the latter lost no time in introducing his sue,
cessor. But no sooner had che spectators
seen Thurston bow in response to the cheer
of welcome than broad shouldered delegate
was on his feet in the Kansas section. He
announced that Kansas had candidate OF