The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-27

WtIt Still SLduulnB on Tic pldtIOrll OI many
years ago, which was tariff for revenue
only, but that even then they had not dared
to state the matter in plain and clearly un-
derst0od terms in contrast with the action OF
the Republicans in saying precisely what
they meant and standing by 1t.
The speech was eloquent and worthy a
better showing than the lateness Of the hour
permits.
1.-THE close of Mr.. Littleield's remarks
letters aud kilograms of regret were read
from Hon. Z. g. Burleigh, Hon. Hannibal
Hamlin, bon. John d. Long, Colonel Fred
erick N. Dow, Hon. William p. Frye, Speak
er Reed, Senator Hale, Consressmen Bou-
telle and Dingley. George S. Rowell and
Hon. j. j. Perry.
JUDGE sYMoNDs's SPEECH.
Judge Symonds was the next speaker and
said:
1t is with great pleasure. Mr.. President,
that find myself among those present at
this first anniversary. banquet OF the Young
Mems Republican Club of Portland. AL
though the Club itself Is young, as well as
its members-one OF the youngest institu-
tions OF the city-it already has the record
of efficient aud distinguished service In one
of the closest and most exciting Of our great
presidential campaigns, and 1t seems now to
be resting upon its laurels, sharing in the
victory which it has helped TO win, not un-
mindfal Of the duties Of the present hour,
and not fprgetful of the time when the old
contest must be renewed upon advanced
lines.
1t may be true that the Republican party
has met graver issues than those which
seem TO be before us now, but 1t may be
doubted whether the questions of the pres
ent hour are not Of as subtle and far-reach-
ing Importance, and perhaps of more difficult
g0lufi0n than the alaar and cbarnlU dQ6nad
issues of the anti-slavery period.
That labor and capital, each Of them, in
our own times, has its own tendency to ex-
cess, seems to me to be proposition that
the balance Of its good judgment has been
lost. in the blindness OF impulse, may deal
blows which are destructive Of its own in
terests as well as Of those of society at large,
That there are, on the. other hand, in our
which, when viewed in the light
Of the public interest or
the good of all, must be condemned as de-
trimental and dangerous, seems to me TO be
proposition that that Is equally Incapable Of
seen In this light, appear to tremble far out
upon the verge Of criminal conspiracies; and
yet these two great forces should not divide
society into hostile camps, as embittered as
any that ever faced each other upon the
battlefield, but should work harmoniorsly
together for the development Of the vast re-
sources Of this continent; and legislation can
do something, IL il does not attempt too
much, to accomplish this result.
AS compared with the early periods Of the
republic, 1t seems to me that In our time
there Is tendency to withdraw from public
affairs. The new fields for intellectual en-
ergy and for business enterprise are so vast,
the prizes Of private life In new attachments
and discoveries and in the accumulation Of
wealth are so great as to tend somewhat to
obscure or eclipse the attractions Of public
life and even to shut men off from that at
tentiOn to public affairs which in a republic
every citizen ought to give; but there Is no
man who does not have civil duties to per-
form and civil rights to demand and defend
There is also another thing against which
this club seems to me to be continuing pro-
test and valuable one, and that is the de-
parture OF so many young men from our ma
tive state to seek their homes and fortunes In
the west, There are fair opportunities, as it
seems to me, for good work in Maine. and
for fair rewards Of labor, and this Is better
than the search for distant fortunes. IL our
young men will remain at home aud put
their enthusiasm aud energy into en-
terprises here, the result will be, as it seems
to me, that more OF our capital will find in.
vestment here and less of 1t will go to the
great lottery of Louisiana or to the still
greater lottery OF western booms.
l have detained you, Mr.. President, longer
than ought. Let me close by wishing all
Republican Club of Portland. While its
present members still are young may it flour
ish, and when they have all received their
honorary degrees and passed on, may it still
flourish in perpetual youth.
MIR. HEATH's SPEECH.
Hon. Herbert M. Heath of Augusta, fol-
lowed. Mr.. Heath was most heartily re-
ceived and made very candid and brilliant
speech. He said he was an independent Re-
publican. Down in the Kennebec valley they
raise among other products potatoes, pump
kins and p0liticianS-the potatoes and pump
kins are valuable. His experience in poll
tics, he said, had been exceedingly brief, but
Il had served the good purpose OF increasing
years past he had been in the habit of COM
mittipg political suicide at least once a year
and he now found he could not enjoy life
without periodical death. His last exit
from earth had been on account OF the Aus
tIalian ballot, but he was glad TO hear the
voice in which other states spoke upon that
matter.
He believed as stated in Col. Dow's let
ter, that man should stick to his party,
right or wrong. when right because it is
right, and when wrong to put it right. lie
defined in terse language the difference be-
tween an Independent and an independent
Republican. The former was jelly-fsh as
unstable as the water it lived in. the latter
" III
is his birth-right not to be bartered for a
mess OF pottage. He said an independent
Republican might be called crank, but his
definition OF crank was a man who would be
right tomorrow. He predicted the nomina-
tion Of Gen. CleayeS for Governor in 1892, Of
whom he spoke as q modest soldier and
a brilliant lawyer.
MIR. LBBY's SPEECH.
Hon. Charles f. Libby was the next speak
er, and said;
The Republican party looks largely to the
young men for its inspiration and guidance
in the future. 1t needs their enthusiasm
and zeal, their love Of clean politics and fair
play. to keep it on the lines on which it was
first organized as a party, that represented
whatever was highest and best in American
politics and American statesmanship. IL
has history which may well ire the blood
Of youth, and which | need not attempt to
rehearse tonight. But no party can live
simply on the past. We, all OF US, have a
duty to perform, to see to 1t that the Repub-
lican party, as an organization, keeps
abreast of the times in all that ministers to
a pure and enlightened administration OF
public affairs. There are so many problems
| of a political, social, moral, commercial and
industrial character, bound up In the evolu-
tion of this great republic, that their solution
may we'll tax the wisdom and statesmanship
of the race. The best we can do Is TO meet
them hopefully, manfully, and courageOusly
as they arise.
As a political organization we have In
meet the practical questions of the day and
In some OF these our position as members of
the Republican party Is not doubtful. The
right OF the majority to rule, whether in
UOnstess o1d OF out OF Congress, is no longer an
open question. SO far as Congress Il con.
cerned, Maine has furnished Speaker who
mas had the ability and courage to settle the
question that the majority are entitled to 10
the business OF the country. notwithstand-
ing the protests Of minority who claim to
IL Is honor enough for the first district tina L
u has furnished such Speaker to the ma
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