The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-14
REEDOF MAINE
Plain Talk to Men of
Business.
NEED OF THE TIME.
Certainty Will Restore
Confidence.
MURPHY AND HIS STAND.
Why He Drew the Line at Collars
and Cuffs.
DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN TRIED
And Has Been Found Wanting in
All That Constitutes Good
Government.

! there been ratification meeting of such
magnitude in New York as that which
assembled in Cooper Union this evening
TO hear the speech OF ex-Speaker Thomas
! B. Reed. The demonstration was under
| the auspices of the regular Republican or
ganiZation of the city and county of New
| York. Every corridor and aisle of the
hall was crowded by 1880 o'clock. and the
square in front of Cooper Union was
| filled with people, who were treated to
campaign speeches by local orators. Mr..
Reed spoke as follows:
| i confess to sense of unwilngness to come
before this great audience here to- night. That
unwillinguess does not arise from any lack OF
| interest In the cause which concerns Us all, for
never felt deeper interest than now. Nor
does it arise from my doubt Of success, for that
seems to be assured Ii Is because The pres.
entation OF any argument by any speaker seems
almost entirely unnecessary. The case has
| argued and Is arguing itself so thoroughly la
| the course OF events now taking place and
which have taken place that the eloquence OF
an orator, II had II, would surely seem to fall
| far short OF that conviction which has already
| taken possession OF the public mind.
Mr.. Evarts. In one of those brilliant sa wings
which have so often lighted up life OF dignity
! an d honor, eclares that the wisdom of man
kind after six thousand years has discovered
| no better method OF adminis sering justice than
to set up two men on opposite sides, each
| charg ged with the duty OF exaggerating the
merits Of his side and perhaps abusing The
| other. Hardly any better method has ever
been discovered Tor governing the world than
by political parties who set up political speak
ers to chant the merits of their own side and
! denounce the vices Of their enemies. The po-
sition. therefore, Of political speaker in ordi-
nary times seems to be simuie and easy. On
the other side to-day the task still appea rs as
easy as OF yore. All they have TO do is TO for
get that they are in power, that they have
themselves the responsibility, and then 60 at
US In the od-fashioned way, charging all dis
aster to the past and promising everything for
the future. Even the senior Senator from New
| York, who has been out OF the party for some
months, signazes his return by joining in the
old chorus just as II he had never lost a step
In the procession. Our task on this side was
never more difficult. To recur to Mr. Evarts'
suggestion, what would be the state OF mind
OF any counsel for the plaintiff called upon to
address the jury when the defendants attor-
ney had fully confessed his clients guilt and
had overwhelmed him with all the reproaches
ana epithets and denunciations to which the
| language was capable. His occupation would
| be absolutely gone. and even Joseph Choate or
Rollins or Root or Carter could only founder
back into silence as best he might There Is
no way In which he can improve on the dr.
fendanrs confession.
1 have been in the habit for some years of
| speaking of the Democratic party IN terms
which seemed to be JUS. but which the men,
bers OF II have not found entirely satisfa ctory,
and vet / never dreamed OF using words about
| the party or its chiefs which have bren shouted
in speeches by great Democrats, from Maine
| TO Texas. and italicized i'll much letter writing
| by every exalted public fuuctionary. / should
| never have dreamed OF charging the Senate
| OF the United States, though of another potI-
cal party, with perfidy and dtshonor, and yet
that is only portion of the epithets which were
chosen by the chief magistrate OF their own
| selection. When saw the Senator from Mary
land in the Senate hamber, with uplifted right
hand, successfully call witness after witness to
prove that their party chief had beguiled them
In the passing OF the very bill be so bitterly de-
| nounce0 l thought bow far short in the last
| campaign had fallen Of describing the actions
liable TO result from the supremacy of the party
| TO which was opposed l have, therefore, no
| epithet to bestow tonight My weapons have
been taken from me and my occupation as
| political speaker for this campaign seems to be
gone.
| Yet In some ways / do not regret it. If we
can no longer talk politics we can perhaps do
| hetter. Surely there was never finer oppOr-
tunity for little business sense. for little OF
that wholesome wisdom which we put into the
affairs of ordinary life. Let us then commence
! with frank admission that the action OF the
| Democratic party and Its complete failure In
| the art OF governing this country was perfectly
| natural and that as individuals the Democrats
| are not responsible therefor. Nor can we VEN
ture to say that we were prophets. whose pre-.
| dictions were being fulfilled. for am persuaded
| that no man on our side dared TO foresbadow
one-half OF what has happened, most of US not
1.-THE. Naturally enough, If We who were
| their enemies did not prophesy this measure OF
calamity the ordinary Democratic voter could
| not have dreamed of it, and therefore did not
| have IL in his heart.
| 1t is because l am sure, from outward aud
visible signs. not drawn from the elections OF
Vermont and Maine. that men are laying aside
| their partisanship anc are willing TO DO their
share toward saving the country that 1 am
| willing to lay aside mine and discuss on reason
| able terms what is best to d. here aud now, for
| the common interest. Whenever the principals
In Mr.. Evart's lawsuit lay aside their grudges
the lawyers can lay down their weapons. So,
when In politics great mistake has been made,
so great that all men can see ii. partisanship
can be laid aside and the truth be stated, with.
out exaggeration OF the merits of your own
side or abuse of the other. or course, man
ever falls to be perfectly fair this size OF the
river OF death. tor preferences and life assocIa-
tons can never be entirely overcome. but there
are times when men who have never before
acted together can think alike. These times
are shown by the actions of men, and not by
their speech.
Maine IS State where Democracy is rock
| ribbed and ancient as the sun, and yet in Maine
the Democrats so expressed themselves that
the tidal majority OF 27.000-given years ago
| when the dee pest depression. the result of the
war. rested on the Democratic party-was ex.
ceeded by 1000 do not think you realize
| what that majority means II New York State
srar IN Uiv IN lv n.
$4,000 would represent only the increase.