The Portland daily press., 1888-08-16

chiefs were waved and the audience was
frantic with delight. Finally Mr.. Blaine
succeeded in restoring silence and then said
MR.. BLAINE's SPEECH.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
should not have left my home, the very day
after my arrival, but for my desire to feel my
self once more in touch with those with
whom / have, in previous years
fought in many a good Republican con-
test (applause) once more to compare notes
with those whose wisdom the party has always
relied upon, namely, the Republican masses
as to what should be done at this crisis in the
history of the country and in the history Of
the party, which is its great defender.
When the President delivered his message,
he had something to say to the American
people about the danger Of trusts, and think
there has been no Democratic paper in the
country, whether they understood the meaning
of the word or not, that has not been ever since
warning the people as to the horrible danger of
trusts. Well, shall not discuss trusts this
afternoon. l shall not venture to say that
they are altogether advantageous, or that they
are disadvantageous. They are largely private
affairs, with which neither President Cleve-
land nor myself has any particular right to
interfere. But aside from that, the
point which | wish to impress upon you, is
that they are not the outgrowth, nor in any
way an incident Of the protective tariff policy.
which is the Presidents main charge against
them; and that a protective policy no more
breeds what he considers the pestilence Of
trusts than does the veriest free trade country
in the world, which is England for England is
literally plastered, under her own system OF
free trade, with trusts; and the very day be-
fore sailed for home, precisely fortnight ago
to-day, cut from London journal an an
nouncement that all the manufacturers Of
collins and all the undertakers
of the united kingdom had gone
into trust daughter and applause) that it
was to consist of two millions of capital which,
in the language of the English financial mar
ket was to have a large number
of preferential bonds and at the ordinary death
rate in the kingdom, they expected to divide
IL per cent semi annually, Qaughter.) Now
think, my friends, we may safely bury all the
Presidents free trade predictions in the COM
mon grave in which those English coffins are
made to go, and we might do this safely by
saying that SO far from protective policy gen.
Grating trusts, free trade policy has generated
them in far greater numbers; and there leave
the question.
was interested on the day of my arrival
or rather | should say by way Of preface,
that in Maine we have not wholly
to devote ourselves to the ma
tional election. but primarily to State
election. ! am glad that both parties have
personal character, standing high
in their communities, against whom, personally,
nothing can be said, or ought to be said. That
applies equally to Mr.. Putnam and Mr..
Burleigh, and am glad TO say so. That leaves
the contest where it should rest,-one of
principle. Mr.. Putnam, should judge, from
speech of his. which 1 hold in my
hand and which / read in the Portland Argus
of August 9th, is very uneasy in regard to the
charges that have been brought against him,
concerning the very Instantaneous treaty,
which he helped to make, giving away, as we
think, the rights of the American fishermen.
read his speech with great interest and l
found II to be mainly an answer to some
criticism that Senator Frye, of this state, had
made, on the President, the Secretary of State
and the Fishery Commission. Now l have
never yet seen Senator Frye in any contest or
controversy. in which he was not abundantly
able to take his own part (applause), and so
far as the controversy between himself
and Mr.. Putnam is concerned, il would be
sheer presumption on my part to offer anything
in behalf of Senator Frye. / assure you, from
what know Of him, that ne will be heard
from in due season Daughter and applause.)
But what interested me most in the speech
as l read it through. and will not endeavor
to follow the points between Mr.. Putnam and
Mr.. Frye, was these four lines, which occur,
somewhat parenthetically, in about the middle
of Mr.. Putnam's speech:
"At this point" says the Argus, "Mr. Put
nam discussed several features of the treaty,
showing the practical benefits which our
fishing fleet would derive from the treaty"
Well the Argus did not think it worth
while TO mention what those points of Mr..
Putnam's were daughter and applause). On
all the points of criticism Of Mr.. Frye's
speech, Mr.. Putnam was full to affiuence,
but lust in breathing spell,
or as Artemas Ward used to
say, "At this point, desiring to rest my voice,
will tell you little story" so about the. time
Mr.. Putnam got half way through his speech,
he seems to have needed little rest and told
of these advantages to the American fleet,
which he did not seem to include in his
regular speech, and which to the
Argus II did not seem worth while to report.
Now ifthere is anything in this question at all,
if there is anything in the world. about
which the American people are concerned to-
day, touching this fishery question, it is the
interest Of the fishing feet, and that
40 tAC fCiy pOlul On WHICH
the voters Of Maine, before whom Mr.. Putnam
appears as candidate, are desirous
to hear him explain, what we believe
to be a complete SELL out Of the whole fishing
interest Of the United States, and
may. myself, in connection with
Senator Frye, at some future
period of this campaign, take occasion to say
something to that effect (applause). promise
you that if do l will not leave it in a small,
three-line parenthesis in the middle of my
remarks.
A week ago last Monday as the ship on
which / was sailing,as rose from my breakfast
there was rumor of something unusual
and we found that we were in the midst
on to the banks of Newfoundland,
during the night, and as we rushed-at least
those of us who were not too sick to rush-on
to the deck we were surrounded
by some twelve or fifteen sail Of
fishermen, partly French, but more largely
American. The sea was very rough, so much
SO that many of the passengers were seriously
disturbed in a particular portion of their per-
son Qaughter) But those ofus who could gel
on deck, and honestly confess I,wasn't one Of
the swiftest myself beheld in this rough sea, the
fishermen il their little dories, not more thar
fifteen feet in length, out on those waves that
seemed TO those on the steamer to
be rolling half the height Of
this great room; and they were taking up
their travis as unconcernedly as a Maine
farmer would NOW his hay in July. And
there was universal burst OF
admiration, upon that steamer at the daring
the heroism and the splendor of the bravery
that would dare such elements. Applause }
l said to myself then, as say to you now.
that in my judgment, the United States
would dishonor itself for all time, if by any
faltering negotiations. it should surrender one
jot or title OF the rights of those gallant, gen.
erous and brave men. (Great applause9
Mr.. Blaine left the platform very soon
after he finished his speech and large
crowd followed him to the sidewalk. He
tarried few moments in front Of the City
Building until barouche drove up. He
then entered the carriage in company with
Col. Coppinger. Col. F. N. Dow and Clarence
Hale, Esq, and was driven off.
As soon as order was restored in the hal
the Hon. Henry B. Cleaves stepped forward
and appropriately introduced Hon. Warner
Miller, of Brooklyn, N. Y.
Ex-senator Miller was enthusiastically
received and greeted with long continued
applause. He is gentleman of tall, com
manding figure, and his voice easily reached
every part of the hall. He devoted his speech
entirely to the tariff question, saying:
MR.. MILLER's SPEECH.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: