The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-08-20
FOR HONEST ELECTIONS.
Mr.. Lodges Eloquent Speech On the
Bill Before Congress.
Hon. Serene Il. Payne's Words of
Praise for Mr.. Reed.
Rain Did Not Dampen Republican
ArdOr Last Evening,
Mi. Reed and the Speakers Applauded
to the Echo.

The first gun of the state campaign was
fired by the Republicans in an enthusiastic
style at City Hall last evening. The rally
called out a large number of citizens (and
many ladies as welD, not of Portland alone,
but from all parts of the county, for many of
the delegates to the county convention en-
braced the opportunity of listening to the
mastery exposition of the live political is
sues of the day with which the people of
Portland were favored.
Chandler's Band discoursed lively music
as the crowd gathered. The hall was very
we'll filled. and around the doors men stood
throughout the speeches. On the platform
a number of prominent Portland men were
seated.
The remarks of both the speakers often
evoked hearty applause. any reference to
Speaker Reed always arousing great enthu-
siasm. OF course the disappointment was
keen that Mr.. Reed could not himself be
present, but he certainly sent able and elo-
quent representatives.
Hon. Wilbur F. Lunt, chairman of the Re-
publican city committee, called the meeting
to order and introduced Gen. Selden Connor
as chairman of the meeting.
Gen. Connor was greeted with applause.
and in few pleasant words introduced Hon.
Serene E. Payne of New York, who spoke as
follows:
Hon. Serene E. Payne's Speech.
Mr.. Chairman and Fellop Citizens:
No man in the United States regrets more
your disappointment tonight, save one, and
that is the Honorable Thomas Bracket
Reed. [Vociferous applausel AS left him
in Washington could see that it was with
feelings of the sincerest regret that he was
obliged, from the Importance of his position
there, to disappoint you.
Fellow citizens, i have felt in coming here
it is like carrying Goals, to Newcastle. be-
cause to us in New York the State of Maine
has long been regarded as the fountain head
of Republicanism. [Applausel We have a
way of measuring constituencies by the man
who represents them in the national coun-
ellis. When we see Springer in the House
minds to the section in the State of Illinois
which they denominate Egypt" but when
we see the sturdy form, and come in contact
with the giant intellect of Thomas B. Reed,
[applausel we believe that behind him stands
constituency stalwart in Republicanism
ready ever to stand up for the defence Of
principle, and holding their country the
highest in their esteem, in their hearts and
In their love.
Mr.. Payne then spoke of the boasts of
Democratic leaders that the Republican ma
jority in the House was too small to do busi-
ness against the wishes of the minority, and
in. elaborate detail described the measures
that had been passed by the present Con-
gress, and how faithfully the pledges of the
Republican platform had been kept. In
conclusion, Mr.. Payne said:
Thanks to the First District of Maine and
its able Representative the majority may
and does do the business of the people, and
we propose to fight it out on that line all
summer-and all winter if need be. And /
am in hopes the other branch of Congress
will come to it one of these days. Their
body is getting large; there will soon be So
members, and 1t takes long time to call the
roll: and if every man is allowed to speak as
long as he wants to, good deal of precious
time will be wasted. But think they will
come to the previous question" before long
and then the two houses of Congress will
meet in a business-like manner, do the busi-
ness of the session, then adjourn and go home
where their constituents will be sure
they are not in any more mischief. This
revolution in the methods of the House has
largely been brought about by the decision
ana LdCI OIL YOUR representative anu IL yUu
do not give to Thomas B. Reed the biggest
majority he ever had on September next, l
shall lie almost ashamed of the people of the
First District of Maine lApplause.l
Following Mr.. Payne the chairman intro.
duced Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge of Massa-
chusetts. as the next speaker, referring te
him as the author of the national election
bill now before Congress, and whose name
is the synonyme of,genuine, straightforward,
fearless Republicanism, and whose career is
worthy exemplification of true manhood
and of the scholar in politics.
Hon. Henry Cabot Lodges Speech.
Mr.. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t is quite consoling to me on my first ap-
pearance before an audience since the COM
ing together of the Fifty-frst Congress, to
meet with such reception as this, for l
have been assured that there are parts of the
country where should not meet with a re-
ception of the same kind of warmth. ZAP
plausel have been told, in fact, that there
were some places where there was a preju-
dice against me owing to the fact that l had
been concerned with the national election
bill which has passed the House of Repre-.
sentatives.
suppose you all recall very we'll the story
of the old hunter, the plainsman who
dropped into frontier town one day, and
there was very lively fight going on at the
time between two parties of cowboys in the
town. They were shooting revolyers in all
directions, and. as he was naturally peace
able man, he kept out of the way for time
but they seemed tC be shooting very
near HIM, and at last he got
restless, pulled out his revolver and
dropped one man on one side and another
man on the other, and said There seems
| to be a prejudice on me in this town, but
will learn you not to track on me like was
a swamp before l get through" Laughter.
Mr. Chairman and ladies and gentlemen,
| the national election law about which sc
much has been said in the newspapers, has
| been the best misrepresented law that have
| ever known. | have yet to see an argument
| against it, / have seen it styled by a good
| many hard names; 1t has been called all
sorts of names, as you are well aware, but a
fair argument meeting the argument on
which we rest.our support of that law,
have not vet seen. The Republican party
for the last Is years and more has pledged
| itself in its national conventions and in its
| state conventions, that whenever 1t had pow
| 9r it would pass law to protect the ballot
| everywhere. The very first plank in the
| Republican platform in 1888 | am going to
| read. l think perhaps it is we'll to refresh
| our memories with the language which we
| used when we were entering upon a cam.
| paign for the control of the national govern
| ment. 1t was adopted as the first resolution
| by an unanimous standing vote;
| We reafIirm our answering devotion especial
| ly to the supreme and sovereign right of every
| lawful citizen, rich or poor native or foreign
| born black or white. TO cast one free ballot in
| public elections, and to have that ballot duly
| counted, We hold the free, honest, popular
inst and equal representation of all the people tC
| be the foundation of our Republican government
| and demand effective legislation to secure the in
| tegrlty and purity of elections, which are the
| fountain OF our public authority. We charge tha
| the present administration, and the Democratic
| majority In Congress, owe their existence TO tht
| suppression OF the ballot by criminal nulliGca
tion of the Constitution and laws of the IJnite1
/ States.
This was resolution of the Republicar
convention in 1888. for one, and / believt
the Republican party at large throughout tht
| country, accepted the declaration of prinei
| pie in good faith. When we said it we meant
| it, and when we found ourselves in contr0
| and in power, we felt, your representative,
| in Congress, that it was our first duty to car
nv out the pledge that we had made in oul
| platform of 1888. [Applause.l To that enc
| the Republicans in caucus agreed upon bill
the committee of which have the honor t,