Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-05
POLITICAL NEWS.
Candidates for Office Beginning
to Hustle Around.
REED ON HIS OWN BATTLE FIELD.

An Address to the Citizens of Portland
Gen. Palmer Busy Keeping Up the In
terest in Iilinois-Mayor Peck Does n
Little Work at La Crosse. Wis.-The
Kansas Republicans Prohibition
St. Louis Reformers Discuss n Platform
Nominated for Congress.
PORTLAND, Me-, SepSb Hon. Thomas
B. Reed, speaker of International house of
representatives, arrived here last night
His trip from Boston was series of ova-
tions at every stopping point At Haver-
hill, Mass, there was a large crowd and
Reed and Henry Cabot Lodge addressed
il for twenty minutes. The speakers were
escorted TO the stand and back to the rail-
way by procession of Republican clubs,
and upon the train starting it was sent on
its way with round of cheers. Short
stops were made at Exeter Newmarket,
and Dover, and at each place the hearty
welcome was repeated and the distin-
guished travellers spoke for few min
utes. The same thing occurred at Salmon
Falls, North Berwick, kennebunk and
Saco.
The Speaking at Portland.
Three thousand people gathered at the
city hall here last night to hear the issues
discussed. Reed was accompanied to the
platform by the mayor. State Represen-
tative Fogg, who presided, presented the
speaker, who was received with pro-
longed burst of applause. He said that
until 1888 Republican house had not
been elected since lS14-not because there
was not enough votes, but because the
or. Il
they were cast, or intimidation had pre-
vented them from being cast. Twenty
five seats in the house had been wrested
from the Republicans under the open, de
liant declaration that the southern Demo-
cratic white man shall not only rule the
black man of the south, but the white
man of the north.
The Rule of the Filibuster.
Continuing he said that long before the
present congress hal assembled the air
had been resonant with the threats of the
minority with declarations that they were
to rule in utter disregard of the will OF
the people of the United States At the
very worst no measure should pass which
did not have the sanction of their high
approval If any man here thinks they
reckoned without their host, that they
threats, he knows little of the deep laid
schemes of many years to render the Re
publicans powerless whenever they should
get control. For years rule has been piled
upon rule and decision upon decision TO
render legislation dependent upon the
sufferance of the minority. Filibustering
lurked in every line. The power of OBJ
struction was without limit"
Keeping Platform Pledges.
He said that. a system that enabled
one-fifth of the members of the house &c
block legislation rendered elections use
less and called halt to civilization itself.
~When we cleared the decks for action
there was plenty of work to do, and we
have done il to the full measure of salts
faction. We have achieved all that the
Republican party promised, and more
Most platforms are but .glittering gener-
alities, good enough for the campaign
but our last platform has been treated
by the house of representatives like deed
of trust" In proof of this he cited the
passage of the tariff bills, and lard bill
| and declared that the former was the re-
suit of the belief of the whole people. He
| said that there was another promise to be
kept, and that was to enable every man in
| that pledge would also be redeemed.
Party Responsibility Begun.
He closed as follows: What the house
has shown the country that any house car
do is worth princes ransom. Hence
forth promise can not be excused except
by performance. Henceforth great meas
ures can not be lost and nobody know
what has become of them. Party respOn.
sibiity has begun, and with it also tn,
responsibility of the people; for they cal
| no longer elect Democratic house and
hope that the minority will neutralizt
their action, or a Republican house with
| out being sure that it will keep it.
pledges. If we have broken the pre- ce
| dents of an hundred years, we have Sc
the precedents of another hundred years
| nobler than the last, wherein responsible
| ity will wait on power, and wherein tn,
| people, with full knowledge that thei
| servants can act, will choose those who will
wOrthily carry out their will Mr. Reed
also paid a graceful tribute to the late
Representatives Kelly, Randall, and Cox.