The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-14

fall. Mr. Baker began by teilcltously
referring to the fact that good dinner
would always bring a Kennebecker; and
he thought that some of the Portland
men now temporarily resident in Au-
gusta, were glad to be here too. LAp.
plausc. The banquet reminded him OF
county fair wherein one farmer was
particularly fortunate. He took first
premium for oxen, his boy first premium
for steers, his wife for a crazy quilt, his
eldest daughter for butter and his
mother-in-law lor knitting work. After
the fair was over, he loaded his family
and premiums onto his team and started
for home. On his way he met neigh
Dor.
"What sort of fair did you have?"
inquired the neighbor.
''Waal, the fact is." said the farmer,
there was never a fair in this county
tn / gave such ginral satisfaction"
Loud laughter.
Mr.. Baker complimented the club on
it's enthusiasm and memb rship. he
was delighted to be with the Republi-
cans of Portland, that city, which it did
not, it was true, furnish the capital, but
had furnished capital Governor. Loud
applause. He was delighted also to De
present. and greet Republicans in the
city which is the home of one OF the
great statesmen of Maine, man VINO
has always stood for the best
things in public life, that man
who introduced business methods into
the proceedings of the House of Repre-
sentatives, who believed that Kilgore
sho,.l Id not be allowed to run the bust
ness of the United States, that famous fell
low citizen and townsman of yours, that
fearless parliamentarian and statesman,
Thomas B. Reed. Loud cheers.
1t was well that this club should meet
on this anniversary to pay the tribute to
loyal affection to the memory of the
great, simple man. the man whose heart
beat in unison with the hearts of the
people, the Martyr Lincoln. Loud ap-
plause.
He had been closely followed by 9th
ers, especially by that revered man
whose memory will always be cher
ished possession of the American peo-.
pie, the greater than the Henry Clay OF
kentucky, the Incompatible leader OF
the Republican hosts, James Y. Blame.
loud applause and cheers.
Gentlemen. we stand shoulder to
shoulder with you in finding the way
back to the power which shall erve
best the interests of the American peo-
rle. It is because Republicans believe
| in America for the Americans, that they
have been mighty in the past and will be
! mighty in the future.
/ arh pleased to meet and greet the
men who do the political work in this
CITY. The Republicans of Kennebec
| stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
loud applause
Hon. Charles e. Littlefield
| Of Rockland was next received most cor
daily. After witty introduction he
said he wished to discuss the position OF
| of the great party for which the greaa'
| leader for whom this club was named,
gave his life, now founa
| itself. He wished to discuss some OF the
reasons which were at the bottom of the
disastrous defeat which overlook the
marty in the last election. What did the
| great hosts of the Republican party 10
at Minneapolis when they assembled,
| full of enthusiasm and courage for the
great battle? They cried out to be led
| into the conflict by its greatest and
mightiest leader; they longed to see his
plume go on before as it ALWAYS had.
| like the heart of Douglas. They be-
! lieved that with him they could send
hack in defeat the confident and insolent
hosts of Democracy. They asked only
| for the leader of their choice. And
where was he? He stood. moving no
hand to influence the result. He would
not even utter a word. ct. standing
there. even within the shadow OF the an
gel of death, he was ready to take up
| the standard and lead us on.
And what happened? The Republlca.n
hosts were not heard IN the Minneapolis
| convention. They were overpowered by
/ office-holding delegates from states that
i never contributed victory to encourage
| the Republican hosts.
The will of the masses Of the Repub-
/ lican party was not consulted, ana they
! had ticket thrust upou them, Whlch
was not the ticket of their choice.
Cold storage may be all right for the
keeping of meats and flesh; but 1t is not
a success in leading political campaign.
The country was then seething with dis
content. The Homestead riots had
stirred the public mind, and there was
strong tendency to lay the blame OF that
onto the Republican party And IN the
yery face and eyes of that, the Leader
ship of Chauncey M. Depew and his
coterie thrust onto the party for the sec
ond place the man who above all othei
men was in the forefront of the Toes OF
organized labor. It is useless to attri-
|
question. The Republican candidates
must be acceptable to the great masses
of the party. In his own town Whlte-
| law Reid ran one or two hundred votes
behind the state ticket. These are not
pleasant truths, but 1t is necessary to
state them. Never were thes auspices OF
the Republican party so propitlous, sc
far as the prosperity of the country was vas
concerned as during the campaign OF "
Why is it that Abraham Lincoln was
so mighty? Was it because he had beer
poor boy? Was is it because he hao
met the great Douglas in the famous de-
bate? Was it because he made the
greatest speech in the English language:
WAS it because he wrote that great
Charter of Liberty, the Emancipation
Proclamation? No. 1t was because he
was the greatest and grandest OF Ameri-
can citizens, because he had that devo,
tion to the eternal verities, that profound
sympathy with the people, that devotion
to principle, that Abraham Lincoln was
great Loud Applause].
MI. John D. Printable was next intro
duced to give the famous speech on the