Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-31
Congressman Dingley Before the Port
land Club.

Congressman Dingley Before the Port
land Club.
One Of the most distinguished companies
that ever graced the rooms of the Portland
Club, assembled in that city on Monday
evening last, the occasion being the recep-
ton rendered to Hon. Nelson Dingley Jr-,,he
able representative in Congress from this
district. The spread was one of the best
ever given by the club. and the meeting was
eminenfly marked by hearty good feeling
and the sanguine hopes of all for result to
the National election next Tuesday in har-
money with the vie VS. and beliefs of the Re-
publican party. Besides the members of the
club present to the number of about sixty,
there were several gentlemen present from
out of the city and the State. Hon. Fred n.
Dow, president of the club, presided, and
introduced the guest of the evening in a
brief, but graceful and complimentary
speech In response, after few words Of
thanks and congratulation, followed by the
abundant and genuine Republican applause,
Mr.. Dingley said;
was in hopes when We entered upon this
campaign that We should at least have a
square issue with reference to the great prin-
| ciple which had been presented so forcibly
| by the President of the United States in his
message and il seemed to me discussed SO
thoroughly in the halls of Congress.
There is one thing satisfactory in this cam
paign and that is that there has been no
Democratic orator, or SO far as have heard,
a Democratic organ that has had the hardi-
hood to refer to the fact that four years ago
the Democratic party came into power de-
claring from one end of the country to the
other that the Republican party had been
profiigate in its expenditures, corrupt in its
administration, that it had created useless
officials in every direction and if the Demo-
cratic party could only be given power We
should see at once a change in all these
things.
| But there is no desire now to refer to their
promises of four years ago and TO the pecu-
liar manner in which they have failed to keep
them in every direction. The expenditures
have been enormously increased and during
the four years of Democratic rule will ex-
coed by ninety million dollars the e1pendi-
lures of the administration of Garfield and
Arthur.
Not single official position has been done
away with not salary has been reduced
but hundreds of new offices created and hun
dreds of salaries increased in every direc
| ton.
You remember that when the administra
ton came in the first thing that was done
was to set on foot an investigation of every
department of government to find what
frauds had been perpetrated by the Republi
cans. But up to this hour not single fraud
not single dollar of money has been dis
covered to have been stolen.
Another thing, my friends, you will re
member that one of the stock charges mad,
III that campaign was that the Republican,
had accumulated over four hundred millions
of idle money, and that if the new admins
tration should be put in power this idl,
money would all be taken from the treasur,
and used in the redemption and payment o
, the interest bearing debt But at the hou
the new ADMINISTRATION came in, it was foun,
that there were but eight millions of idle
money except that held for the redemption
of greenbacks, and within six months afte
the administration of President Clevelan,
began. this eight millions of so-called idl
money in the treasury had been increased t,
500, 900 600, notwithstanding the three pc
cent bonds were redeemabe at call. An,
this so called idle money has gone on in
creasing, until at this hour it is larger b,
more than one hundred millions than it wa
when the administration of President Arthu
ceased. And all this has been done simpl
TO bear upon the country to carry out tn
project of the Southern wing of the Demo
cratic party, break protection and in;roduc
free trade.
,,,.ilt ,t,nr hat h.,
. who undertook 10 destroy the Union frame,
the Confederate constitution, they inserted
in it clause providing that the Congress o
the Confederate States should have no powe
r to impose duties for the protection of indus
, tries hourishing in this country. That is tn
central idea of the free trade theory An,
when those men had assumed control of thei
party they began to plot to commit the Dem
r ocratic party to the same theory RESPECTING
/. tariff legislation that the Southern Confeder
acy had had. 1t commenced when Samue
J. Randall was defeated in the 4Sth Con
gress and John G. Carlisle made speaker o
, the House of Representatives. 1t was neces
sary that they should deceive the people il
order that they might get control of the ad
ministration So my friends was elected
the President of the United States withou
intimating in his letter of acceptance, or il
any public declaration that he was in accorC
with the free trade ideas which had put Mr.
Carlisle in the speakership.
The next step in this conspiracy in the di
rectiOn of free trade was to commit him t
the programme. You will remember that il
/ his first message he lodged the question also
, but in his message last December at tn
opening of the 50th Congress Presiden
Cleveland was thoroughly committed to tn
free trade conspiracy which has eliminate
, in the Mills bill.
Mr.. Dingley then dissected and argued tn
inconsistency and danger of the Mills bill
Later in his address the speaker said Onl,
one week more and in my judgment indus
trially speaking most important election i
; to be decided, and am happy to say to yo,
to- night that, although it is utterly impossi
l BILE to speak with perfect confidence abou
r matters of this kind still all the indication
l that can get from the National Commute,
and from personal visits to ten States an,
j.. from conversation with leading members o
the party, my belief is that Harrison ant
Morton are to be elected week from mex
: Tuesday. Applause. Now | think it ma,
be regarded as settled that not single Stat,
r that gave its vote for James G.. Blaine il
1884 will depart from the Republican ranks
Michigan and Minnesota are called doubt
full, but | have had letter within the las
twenty-four hours from Michigan which
says that we are going to increase our ma
jority and gain two members of Congress
Now as to Minnesota. Mr.. Nelson, who
declared for the Mills bill in the last Con
gress, has come out for Harrison and Nor
ton. Minnesota will give 10000 majority
for Harrison.
From California, have had letter from
} Congressman Morrow, in which he saws
I'VE are going to give very large MAORI
for Harrison" Now the question comes witt
reference to the four pivotal States from
which we must obtain 10 electoral votes.
! have spoken twice in Connecticut and fine
that the Republicans, and the Democrats too
privately, admit that it may be set down al
sure for Harrison. That would give us siI
of the necessary 10. Indiana would give u.
two to spare, and our friends there expires,
the utmost confidence that we will carry the
State. | was in New York last week, ant
Mr.. John C. New of Indiana told me tina
there could not be any question but what i
would go for Harrison. We are going tc
have New York. We are coming down tc
Harlem river with 80 600 RepuhIican major