The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-07-09
Mr.. Milliken's Speech.

Following we give comprehensive re-
sumo of the speech of Hon. Seth l..
Milllken, delivered in Coburn Hall,
Tuesday afternoon, of last week:
cannot too warmly thank you for the oppor
tunity Of once more addressing the stalwart
Republicans of Somerset county and for your
very generous reception. Maine boast Of
no coal in her hills, gold in her valleys nor
diamonds in her rivers, but she produces every
year the grandest and most valuable crop in the
world. It IS crop of sturdy, intelligent, self
reliant, enterprisng men, who love their
homes, their State and their country, and
hesitate not TO counsel, work or fight for them,
whenever their services are required. Wher-
ever they are they generally come to right con-
illusions and proceed to enforce them.
We shall soon have upon US Presidential
campaign. These four year periods seem to
occur very often. Maine will have, as hereto
fore, TO strike the keynote Of the contest. That
viii come when she shall elect her Republican
candidate for Governor in September
hen be assured she will speak with no
hesitatlng voice. She will render such a YER
Dict shall carry courage to the hearts Of
Republicans IN every corner Of the land, and
advise her to loyalty to Republican principles
would be a sarcasm upon her history and an in
suit to her people. Surely we should have
been glad and proud if her own great son could
have received a well earned nomination for the
high Office Of chief magistrate of the Nation
But in more cases than one has she presented
for consideration in our Republican National
Conventions as brilliant and gallant leader
ever msrshalled political clans to a contest, and
though defeated III her earnest desire, she has
not failed to march to the attack Of the com
mon enemy, with an earnestness and yigor that
could not have been greater, had her wishes
been grdtited in the nominating convention.
This she will do now, and when the ides Of
September shall have passed, the country will
be greeted with emphatic verdict for Re-
publican principles, as the brave soldier states
man who heads our national ticket can wish.
Maine Republicans never sulked in their tent
and they viii not. | hesitate not to predict
that Maine, with an old fashioned Republican
majority, will, at her State election, begin the
work that shall end in November, in the trium-
plant election Of Mex inley and Hobart.
And why should she not. Her leaders both in
the State and Nation have been tried and true
soldiers in the Republican ranks for many
years. They were never dslOyal. They never
shrank from any duty. Their services have
been an honor to their country we'll a
credit to themselves and the pride OF their
friends and their party.
Lleweyn Powers was born in Somerset
county, you know him. His early struggles,
his industry his energy and his success | know
you have looked upon with gratitude They
deserve, as they will receive, your earnest en-
dorsement at the polls.
need not speak at length Of William Nc
kinley. You know him too. The nation
knows him as brave soldier even in boyhood,
serving during the entire war, participating in
many Of its seyerest battles, often promoted for
hrau II, 9TH Yiu MAJ
then Distinguishing himself by his services in
Congress and as Governor Of his State. Al
ways faithful and true and equal to every
emergency.
Best Of all, he represents and will enforce,
when elected, policy which gave to our
country unparalleled progress and prosperity
for thirty years. And that is what the people
will this year vote for. They are not again to
be deluded by any untried theory of finance as
they were by the promised beauties OF free trade
in 1892.
They have had enough of Democratic rule.
They want no more of it. They have seen it,
tasted it, felt it in their empty pockets and at
their bare tables. Nobody has fattened on it.
The Democratic party came into power with
profusion OF promises; it is about to leave its
place OF public trust with almost the universal
condemnation OF great, generous conhding
people whom it has deceived and impoverished.
What is the situation to-day? 1t seems
which are before your eyes and in your mem
cries are more convincing argument for the
return Of the Republican party to power than
can be formulated in words.
For thirty years the nation lived under Re-
publican policy. In that time the rate of
wages increased go per cent. The population
doubled The wealth per capita doubled.
The entire wealth of the nation increased from
Is to Ga thousand millions Of dollars. Our
domestic interstate and foreign commerce
doubled. We built the most of l70,0 900 miles Of
railroad, crossing mountains, piercing forests,
tunnelng hills, bridging rivers and dotting our
prairies, valleys and western coast with towns,
villages and cities, where more than 40
millions Of people were in 1899, living in greater
prosperity, with greater opportunities Of
acquiring intelligence and making more rapid
progress than any people since the dawn OF
history. Factories were running on full time
mines were worked to their full capacity fires
were burning in all the blast furnaces: trade Of
all kinds was fourishing; the farmers were
getting good price for their products, the
wool grower and cattle raiser were fourishing
and employment was seeking labor everywhere
and offering it a fair remuneration.
The Republican party had successfully closed
great for the salvation of the country and
found that the nation owed an immense debt
BY its economic and financial policy it reduced
that debt 81 903, OO0, 900, being a reduction of
SOS, 0O0, 900 per year It reduced the annual
interest on the public debt l2J,OOO,OOO in round
numbers. 1t had raised the public credit from
paying II per cent to the payment OF only 3
per cent. on its securities.
We have had nearly four years of Demo-
cratic rule and mark the change. Within that
period our debt has been increased 1892 ,000,-
900, being and average increase of SS7 600 900
per year, our annual interest upon the public
debt has been Increased nearly Sl2, O00, 900
Worse than this, Democratic policy has starved
the treasury by impoverishing the people.
When it raised its hand of free trade to strike
down American industries in the interest OF
foreigners, it struck fatal blow at our reyen-
ues, and the present administration has been
borrowing money to pay the expenses of the
government.
1t was easy to see that il we hosted the gates
of free trade, or cut our import duties down be-
low the protecting point, foreign goods would
flow into our country, as they did in the free
trade days Of the Confederation, stop our in
dustries, drive our working men into dleness
curtail the market for our farmers, send our
money abroad to buy goods which ought to be
made and paid for here, and deplete our reve-
nues.
The people were deceived by false promises.
They took the word Of the Democratic party,
and the result has been disaster in every
direction. Do we want the disaster continued
and made worse If not what is the most
sensible course to pursue Why, surely it is to
revert to that policy and put in power that
party which gave US unparalleled prosperity.
We must consider that the earning power Of
the people is of first consequence. The Demo-
Gratis never even discuss it. They talk alone of
cheapness What does any one care for the