The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-09-08
The Contest Todav

II the contest In the First district today
we've purely local one, If there were moth
ing more to 1t than the selection of man to
represent the interests of the First district of
Maine In the halls of the national legislature
the weight OF argument would be vastly In
favor of the Republican candidate. the Hon.
Thomas b. Reed. For twelve years he has
represented the district In the House, and
each year has grown in influence and power
until now, when it is safe to say that he ex-
ceeds any member of that body In both re-
spects With him as their representative
the interests Of the people of the First dis
trict of Maine are always certain to COM
mand respectful attention whether the politi-
cal complexion Of the House. be Republican
or Democratic. Admitting for the sake of
argument. all the friends of Mr.. Frank claim
for that gentleman, he could not for many
years command much influence In the House
Of Representatives. That body now consists
OF 800 men and the new member or the mem
Der Of moderate talents stands very little
chance Of getting hearing. He can vote and
that is about the extent of his power III Mr..
Frank should be elected the First district of
Maine would Immediately drop into obscure
ty. 1t is tremendous advantage, looked at
from business standpoint merely, for dis
trict Of large and varied interests like
this one to have a representative in
Congress of influence and power. We have
one now second to none In the country. BY
the election Of Mr.. Frank this advantage
would be thrown away. to be regained again
only after many years. IL ever. Therefore
hot xha ole t.
trict were purely local affair, II its result
affected nobody but the citizens Of this dis
trict the substitution of Mr.. Frank for Mr..
Reed would be stupendous blunder.
But the contest Is not purely local in its
character. In the words Of Major McKin-
ley at City hall the fight here is "a fight for
the Republican party of the United States"
1t is fight for policy, as well as a candi-
date, q policy, the firm establishment of
which will greatly enhance every interest of
the people OF the United States. 1t is fight
for the rule Of the majority, of the right Of
the majority to enact into laws such meas
ures as 1t sees fit 1t is fight too for free
ballot and fair count, fight to establish
the right Of every man, rich or poor, high or
low who has had conferred upon him the
right OF citizenship by the constitution and
laws OF the county to cast one ballot and
have that ballot counted. This fight will net
be over with the triumphant election of Mr..
Reed, but 1t will have auspiciously begun.
BY reason Of the close Identification of Mr..
Reed with these two questions the verdict
here will be Interpreted all over the country
as an expression of opinion on these ques-
tions, more direct than the verdict
in any other district Republicans sho uld
take to heart these words of Major McKin-
ley, spoken to his audience at City hall on
Saturday night:
"You cannot give Mr.. Reed blow next
Monday without every one of his one hun
dred and seventy Republican associates In
the House of Representatives feeling 1t as
well as the great constituency that stands be-
hind them." They should see to it that
through no apathy Of theirs, no indifference,
no carelessness, harm comes to the Repub-
| lican party of the nation.
Give Mr.. Reed every Republican vote, and
the returns tonight will give renewed
strength and courage to the Republicans of
every State in the Union and nerve them for
the contest all along the line In November.