The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-30
CURRENT COMMENT.
TRIBUTES OF THE FOE.
IN. Y. Times.1


Mr., Reed of Maine is undoubtedly the
strongest man on the Republican side
of the House of Representatives In in
tellectual force, in training, in the COM
mand of his resources, and in the less
important but very telling capacity for
oratorical fencing, he is far beyond any
of his companions.
A GREAT SPEECH.
New York Tribune, Aug 29.]
Of the closing speeches in the House
on Saturday, that of Mr.. Reed was
decidedly the ablest and the most ele-
waited in character Others commanded
great applause by charms Of voice and
delivery; others appealed with great force
to Democratic platforms and interests;
but the speech of Mr.. Reed, wherever it
Is read, will illustrate anew the lofty
courage of conviction, the splendid
patriotism and the broad craftsmanship
which make the last Congress memora-
BILE in history. Many Democrats who
heard him doubtless realized for the first
time the tremendous power OF the
Republican position and of the cham
pions who defend it. Though as far as
possible from partisan speech, it set
forth magnifcently the principles by
which the Republicans have been gov
erned and which govern them now in
voting to repeal a measure that Demo-
Gratis and silver Senators made it a neces-
sity to ADOPT three years ago.
It was we'll that leader of the highest
rank and of rare popularity should utter
the plain truth about the present silver
law and the reasons for it's repeal. 1t
was passed because there was no other
way to stop the coinage under the Bland
bill, and to secure the provision that
the whole power Of the government
should be exerted to maintain the parity
of gold and silver in use. 1t was passed
because it was the only way to prevent
the passage, by combination of Demo-
Gratis and silver men, Of free-coinage
bill, which would have produced i'm
mediate disaster in business. No one
can say how great number of voters
have been convinced, by three years of
experience under the present law, that
their beliefs about silver coinage were
erroneous. Mr.. Wilson, the Democratic
leader in the House, himself bore testi-
mony to the great change in opinion
which this experience had produced.
This demonstration has made it possible
now to stop both the coinage and the
purchase of silver, so that other nations
may have to face their share of response
bility.
1t was especially fortunate that a leader
so widely honored as Mr.. Reed should
make the fact clear that the present
silver law has not been the main cause
of business troubles, and that it's repeal
will not be a sufficient remedy With
the courage to state the truth exactly as
it is the Republican leader showed that
q part of the existing trouble had been
caused by the failure of the act itself to
accomplish what the silver men expected
from it, and part by the partisan
anxiety of Democrats to make this
measure the scapegoat for disasters which
their own success was likely to cause
Some part of the trouble can therefore be
remedied by getting the act out of the
way, and that is reason enough for the
votes of Republicans. When it is out OF
the way, the party in power will have to
face and deal with other causes of dis
efar