The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-30
BIG TARIFF BANQUET
Given at Canton, Ohio, Last
Evening.
NOTABLE LETTER FROM SHERMAN
AND SPEECH BY M'KINLEY.

Letters from Ex-President Harrison, TX
Speaker Reed and Others-A Glowing
Tribute to the Republican Party and
Its Presidents.
CANTON, o., March 2S.-The Repabli-
can tariff banquet here tonight was at
tended by four hundred guests from
spread in the tabernacle, mammoth
structure dedicated to political pur-
poses in 1884 with speech by James G..
Blaine. The interior of tho building
was handsomely decorated, the walls be-
ipg covered with banners inscribed with
protective tariff maxine. Hon. Thomas
Turner of this city presided. Governor
Mckinley occupied the post of honor at
the first table. Letters of regret from
ex-President Harrison, Senator John
Sherman, ex-Speaker Reed and others
were read. With the exception of SEN
ator Sherman, the letters contained no
significant utterances.
Senator Sherman said what was need
ed was honest currency. His expert
ence had shown him that the notes of
national banks secured by an equal or
greater amount of United States bonds
form the best currency yet devised. The
chief fear, he declared. is that these
notes may not be safely restricted by
law, and their credit may be impaired
and destroyed by carrying out wild and
visionary notions regarding the coinage
of silver. He expressed the hope that
the silver coinage delusion had passed
away, and said the real solution of the
silver problem is to put into our silver
dollar enough silver at market value to
be equal to the gold dollar, and maintain
all forms of money of equal and inter
changeable value.
Governor Mckinley responded to the
toast, Republican Presidents. He said
the Presidents of the United States since
the beginning had been citizens of lofty
character, chosen because of some dis
tinguished service in civil or military life.
All the Presidents chosen by. the people
had fairly reflected the best sentiment of
the country at the time. All of them
guarded with jealous care the interests
and well being of the people and the in
tegrity and honor of the country.
Governor Mckinley reviewed the life
and services of the Republican Presis'
OCauo. PoylAS, OlOddChI oiiOuoO W AD4ft
ham Lincoln. Speaking of Benjamin
Harrison, he said his administration was
pure, vigorous, patriotic, and his own
contemp poraries will give him his true
place in history. His administration
taught the nations of the world that no
country can with safety molest American
seamen or insult the American flag. The
speaker said it was notable all the Re-
publican Presidents elected by the peo-
pie had been soldiers. The country
needs the Republican party; for its prin-
ciples, purposes, underlie every Ameri-
can interest and are allied with its true
growth and advancement.
Speeches were made by ex-State At
torney General Watson, W. J. Squire, ex-
President of Ohio League, State Senator
Green (colored), James A. Garfield, At
torney Richards, Marion Chance and
others.
Mr.. Chance said the result of the cleo
ton last November was not the defeat of
the tariff. 1t was campaign of decep-
tion He declared the Republican party
proposed to maintain it's high position in
defence of protection.
The significant feature of the event
was the reference made by almost every
speaker to Governor Mckinley as the one
and only Republican nominee for Presi-
dent in 1896