The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-31
SENATOR r. p. PETTicREW
Entertained by the Portland c'uo
Last Night.
He States Dakota's Political Be-
lief.

| Last evening the Portland Club enter
| tanned Tinted States Senator Pettigrew OF
| south Dakata. by banquet at the club
/ rooms Col. Dow presided at the banquet,
opd at its conclusion introduced the speaker
| of the evening" saying that he regarded it as
a peculiarly fortunate circumstance for one
of the first Republican clubs formed in the
csmnaign which overthrow the Cleveland
administration to be the body which well
coined the first United States Senator from
the new State of South Dakota.
Mr.. Pettigrew commenced his speech by
expressing his pleasure at the welcome he
received.
He said he had been travelling constantly
for nearly week and had not therefore had
time to write out and carefully prepare an
extemporaneous speech for the occasion He
said that South Dakota where he lived was
not so far from Maine as some people
thought as it was only in the centre OF the
country. He then sketched briefly the vicis-
Louisiana purchase in 1903, when it became a
part of the United States. 1t was attached
to various States and Territories and tossed
about generally until 1t was finally ship
wrecked and lett without a government by
the admission of Minnesota to the Union in
1858. The people of Sioux Falls undertook
to establish territorial government, but In
1862 the Sioux Indians made a raid on the
territory and when they left there was not
much OF territory left After the terrific
the Dakotans were governed by the laws of
1887. which gave them officers imported from
other States, and usually they were not i'm
ported until they had outlived their useful
ness in their own States. This fact, the
speaker said, that their territorial officials
all npndnaafQd inaomnafopt 80
doubtful character accounts for the jubila
ti0n which followed the election of Presi-
dent Harrison. From that time on they had
chance to take charge of their own affairs.
l am. said Senator Pettigrew, forty. one
years of age, but 1 never voted
for President In my life because live in a
territory, and man who lives in a territory
has no rights that the government is bound
to respect. Mr.. Pettigrew then gave some
statistics of the population of the new State.
saying that at the last election out of 10000
votes cast $1,000 were Republicans. The last
campaign, he continued, did great deal for
Dakota, even as a territory. The Democrats
raised the issue of free trade, trying to make
less boom for them. Fortunately for us
wheat went up to $1.05 bushel, and the
farmers didn't see the point of the free
trade theory, and we licked the Democrats
out OF their boots. The Dakota people be-
lieve In high tariff except on those things
that cannot be produced in this country.
Ihey believe too that free trade and subsidy
should be arranged first with those countries
that furnish market for our manufactures
ana that have no export duty. | assure the
people OF New England, he said, that DakO-
ia is soundly Republican and will remain so.
Dakota believes In a free ballot and a fair
count. This is irrespective of party lines as
principle of American manhood. They al
SO believe in sound, honest currency and
plenty of it.
The speaker then pictured the attractions
Of Dakota in glowing colors, predicting
great things for the state and its sisters in
the future, and closing as he began by
expressing his thanks for the honor which
had been shown him, the reception by the
club.
AT the close of Senator Pettigrew's
remarks, Secretary Crockett read a letter
from Senator Hale, in which he expressed
his regret at not being able to be present to
meet Mr.. Pettigrew, who stood for the great
Northwest which must soon bear the brunt
OF the fight against republican principles.
The following gentlemen also attended the
banquet as the guests of the club:
Geo. c. Wing, Auburn; Mr.. Brown,
Minneapolis; DR.. Hussy, S. S. Andrews,
L. P. Andrews, G. A. Moody, Biddeford;
Q. b. W0odman, Westbrook; Dr. Osgood,
Yarmouth; g, 81. Baiy, T. Gerrish, j. s.
Winslow, y. NJ. Steadman, Portland; j. T.
johnson, Freeport; Cyrus Thompson, Deer
ing; Charles I. Goodwin, Someryille; Geo.
z. Clark, A. I'll. Bailey, c. D. Junkins,
Boston,