Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-05

Franklin County'S Fiscal Condition in
1860 Us. 1888.
Third Partys illogical Inferences.
FARMINoToN, Sept. 4.
The republican rally here this afternoon
was one of the most successful outdoor
meetings of the Maine campaign. 1t was
held at the W lIovs, very near the spot
where Mr.. Blaine, in 1860. made his frat
speech in this part of the State, and it was
attended by 1000 people, representing all
parts of the county. Candy stands had been
erected at the grounds by enterpri-ing sales
men, and hawkers cried campaign wares.
Mr.. Blaine, the chief speaker of the day,
arrived about 2 7. NJ. and he was taken un-
der escort by the Pennington, Liyermore
Falls, Strong and kingfield clubs the streets
being crowded at the time. The Farming
ton club members wore big straw hats with
wool plumes. and one of the banners carried
IN the column was inscribed with quotation
from "the sheepless shepherd" and was
10 orated with " ool. The very cordial re-
ception which was given to Mr.. Blaine as he
stepped from his special train at the depot
was renewed at the Willows when he was
presented by Hon. W. w. Norcross of New
Sharon, the chairman of the day, AS THAT
distinguished statesman, that invincible
champion of American principles, whose
very presence is an inspiration to the friends
of American progress and prosperity"
Behind him on the platform sat
members of clubs composed of men who had
voted for "Tippecanoe" in 1870. As Mr..
Blaine rose to address the assembly, the
cheers were renewed. He said:
W.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
The pending national election is one with
more direct influence upon the material in
terests of Maine than any that has occurred
within the last 2S years. | have been within
the last ten days over "A considerable portion
of the State and have come in contact with
many branches of our varied industries and
| have not met one on the coast, in the agri-
cultural section, or in the manufacturing
towns that was not struck at in deadly
manner by the free trade message of Presi-
dent Cleveland as il stands embodied in the
Mills Tariff Bill. Whether you GO to the
cotton industries, or the wool industries, or
the industries of the quarry, or the lumber
ing industries or the farming industries, or
the dairy interests. or any other indus
try in the State of Maine, you will find that
the Mills bill, with an ingenuity that grasped
the whole subject, has given us a direct shot.
Here in Franklin, with the adjacent county
OF Somerset, we find the headquarters of the
" ool growing industry in Maine and by the
Presidents policy you are to be stripped
of all possible protection on the
part of the general government. President
Cleveland, | think, when he wrote that mes
sage must have been fresh from reading the
life of John Randolph of Roanoke, daughter
and applause) who, in debate on the tariff
more than half century ago said he would
20 a mile any time to kick sheep, great
laughter) and the President has done his
best To kick every sheep in the United States
(renewed laughter and TO knock down every
wool grower. If you will read the demo-
cratic speeches made in defence of that part
of the Presidents policy, they tell you what
an immense outrageous addition there is TO
the coat on your back from this II cents
pound on wool. have never read a dem
ocratic speech yet that did not try to per-
.uade the people that the wool tariff doubled
the cost on every garment. and yet if you
lean citizen, YOU cannot show by any possi
BILE argument even allowing their own sta
tstics that it can add more than 60 cents TO
, dollar on the coat, even allowing
the democratic theory that the duty a Ids just
30 much TO the cost of the wool. The dem
ocratic exaggeration is on par with the man
" ho puts one dollar week extra on the
price of his board and did it on the ground
that the wood from which the toothplcks
were made had advanced 50 cents cord.
Lauphter1 And so the enormous en-
hancement of the clothing of the United
States, for which they make you believe
that double as much is paid as IN other
countries, is laid to this wool tariff. Now
gentlemen laying . lie the amusing part of
&, look at the queston seriously and see
what would happen, learn from the past
when we know hat has happened in ex-
actly similar efforts. If you should today
or in the approaching session of Congress
respond to President Cleveland's recommen-
dations and destroy the wool tariff,
think we could gather together here demo
crats and republicans alike, and agree upon
what would be the probable result. In the
first place. within three years or even within
two, a great many millions of sheep would
be sent TO the shambles and the amount of
wool produced in the United States would be
very much less. At present we grow more
wool in the United States than is grown in
any other country except Australia. The
moment the product at home began to de-
crease here. the demand for foreign wool at
first cheaper, would be so great on the part
of our people that the importers would be
enabled to raise the price of every pound of
wool they woud sell to our manufacturers,
g, of
wool the result would be paying higher her
for the Australian wool than we pay for our
own now. That would be the logical and
inevitable result. and then all the democratic
orators would have to assign some other
reason for the advance in the price of a coat.
They could not lay 1t to the wool tariff, but
they would find as they find now, that where
we have had the lowest tariff the people of
this country have paid the highest for their
clothing. and that there is less money paid
today for good oolen clothing'in this country
than ever was before in the history of the
United States Voices. that's fact.
that's true You will testify to that. Is
there any reason then, why Franklin county
should not protest against this change?
tini that the people on the coast who are
interested in fisheries and tutrries are
yery hostile to the Mills tariff bill | find
the people in the neighboring numbering
towns the same And. are you. the wool
growers of Franklin county, are you ready
10 have that interest struck down :
1Cries of mo" Are the democratic wool
growers of Franklin county ready for that:
1Slight cries of MOI If they are they
can be ,ommolated by voting for the re-
election of President Cleveland, Laughter
and applause.
If we're going to illustrate exactly what the
pr, teciive system has done for tnis country
in The last 2s years, would not want bet
ter example than the County of Franklin
It affords probably, in some respects, a oet'
ter test THAI almost any other community IN
M.;ne and certainly as good as any one in