The Portland daily press., 1893-10-26
QUESTION or THE HOUR.
1t Is the Right Of the Majority to
Garry Out Its Purposes.
MIR. REED TO REPUBLICANS OF
THE OLD BAY STATE.

| enthusiastically Received at the Banquet
of the Massachusetts, CIub-The situa-
ton in Congress Discussed-ThelPeople
Their Voice Will Be Heeded-The Duty
! of Massachusetts Republicans.
| Boston, October 25.-The third annual
dinner of the Republican club of Massa-
chusetts was held at Music hall this eve
ming and was the most largely attended
of any in the history Of the club. Nearly
500 plates were laid The balconies were
| packed with enthusiastic spectators.
Hon. John Simpkins, president of the
club, occupied the chair Among those
present were ex-Spcaker Thomas B. Reed
of Maine, Hon. Frederick T. .Greenhalge,
candidate for Governor; Attorney Cen
eral Pillsbury, Hon. Hosea M. Knowlton,
candidate for Attorney General; VIM. E.
Barrett, Congressman G has. S. Randall of
Massachusetts,, DR.. E. E. Hale, Hon.
William NJ Olin, Secretary of the Com
monwealth; Congressman John Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, Hon. Roger Wolcott,
candidate for Lieut.. Governor, and ex-
Cow. @. A. Brackett. The hall was
plentifully decorated with flags and
bunting. Shortly after Z, the chairman
opened the speaking with the sentiment:
Massachusetts, Republicans are in
earnest; earnestness means success" He
| then presented Candidate Greenhalge,
who made short address. The next
speaker was Hon. Roger Wolcott, who
discussed the recent silver legislation. A
letter from Senator Lodge was read
| fho
the silver question and the Democratic
pension policy. The last speaker of the
evening was m
Hon, Thomas b. Reed.
He was received with an ovation, the
entire audience rising and giving three
times three cheers, shouting itself
hoarse. Mr.. Reed spoke as follows:
1t is my purpose to make not partisan
speech, but an unbiased address, and to
| start right, I commence with .citation
from the only unbiased newspaper
| know, a headline "The President
| Victorious" Over what? The Demo-
cratic party. 1t is a singular fact that
the only praise which can be given to a
| Democratic President is to intimate that
he is victorious over his party. Called
| together in extraordinary session to re-
4 peal law which was frightening the
people, Republican Congressman stepped
forward to help execute the will of the
people. Their steadfast attitude in the
| House caused that repeal to pass by an
overwhelming vote Since that time, the
| bill has remained in the bosom of the
Democratic Senate. There never has
been moment since that bill reached
the Senate when under the Constitution
of the United States the will of the
people could not have been obeyed, and
/ l. Ii Il, IL. l.
| suited from that bill might not have
| been swept away. Most precious time
| has been lost and when that bill is re-
| pealed the people will be astonished at
the small help it will give them now.
am amazed at their patience. Let us
give the President credit for his firm
ness, but there lies at the foundation
of our governmental system no worship
of man, but an honest belief in the
intelligence and good sense of the people
The members of the majority party de-
termined there should be a disgraceful
compromise. When the men who ar
ranged it came to the Republican side,
they found us as solid as rock, backed
by the universal judgment of the people,
and after that came the demolition of
the compromise.
/ People
So trust it will always be, for the
| difficulty lies deeper than one act. 1t
lies in the uncertainty of future legisla-
ton, and distrust of the Democratic
party. Parties move in one direction,
determined by the trend of the mass
| There is not one line of belief running
through the ranks of the Democratic
party. They have been opposed to the
| hot
when they occupied the low plane of
criticism but now their position is con-
structive. They have forgotten it and,
persisting in maintaining their old atti-
| tudes, they are today upon the stump
blaming the Republican party. They
have the Senate, and for the first time in
the history of this country, the Senate is
sitting under the approbrium of the
American people. For the first time in
the history of this land that august body
is the subject of the fiouts and jeers of
ali mankind. Is that situation of
things which the American people can
afford to have? But Josiah Quincy
| lately brought into this state from Wash
1ngton, tells you that you are powerless,
that the verdict was recorded last year,
that there it stands ineffacable, i'm
movable, unassailable by any band of
storming soldiers. That is the way these
men would have you understand the in
| SGiUuGlOnS Ol GHlS COUNTRY. But, thank
heaven, it is not SO. 1t is not true that
the people are rulers only on election
day. There is never time when their
magnificent power cannot reach out to
buttress the President against re-
bellious Senate or teach the party in
power that its days of power are num-
bered. unless the edicts of the people are
obeyed. These men who are dressed in a
little brief authority conceive great ideas
of themselves as the repositories of the
potentiality of ruling you and me. 1t is
not SO; the power of the people is
bounded by 10 day or hour. An official
understands nothing so well as the great
Tidal Swell of Popular Feeling
and opinion. If the lesson of the last few
months has not been learned thorough
ly, it is not for our advantage as a
partisan organization to be successful
throughout now. A few MONTHS have
brought us the most tremendous teach
ings that ever occurred in the history of
this nation, except the moments which
| followed the firing upon Fort Sumpter.
Don't you remember what confusion and
uncertainty we were in in the days that
/ C.. y I