The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-04-23


CATION In Congress has reason to feel that he
has been exceptionally honored by the con.
hdence reposed in him and the trust which
has been contided to him by his State With
few exceptions this has been true from the
days of Evans, Hamlin and Fessenden tc
the present time.
And think it is fair to say, leaving nv.
self out of the case of course, that Maine has
been held in the highest esteem for the DO.
sition which she has held in the council
halls OF the nation, as well as for the genius
Intelligence and enterprise of her sons
shown upon fields of private industry and
enterprise, whether here in our own State
or where they have established their homes
in other communities, t. SOW the seeds of an
advanced civilization, and be the leaders IN
great benefactions. In this respect no State,
great or small has excelled her In nearly
every avocation, both public and private,
she has stood at the front.
And in all this the third Congressional
district has held a most honorable position.
A district which has given to the country,
Evans, Williams, Severance, the Morrills,
and that wise and most brilliant of Ameri-
can statesmen, with mind whose prescience
and forecast has been surpassed by no pub
lie man of our time, the protector of the con-
ventlon OF the American nations, the author
of reciprocity so beneficial to the country
until a Democratic President and Congress
destroyed it; the prince of parliamentary
lomatist, James G. Blaine, has placed the
nation under high obligations TO it, and it IS
one<whlch the greatest and best of us should
be proud to represent OF to be citizen OF.
(Applause) To thank you cordially and
earnestly for making me again the standard
bearer, in such district. of the great Repub-
llcan party OF whose grand record and pres
ent attitude We are ali so proud, is to make
you but small return for your generosity
and kind consideration.
To serve you, the State and the country
faithfully and to the full extent of my ability
is, perhaps, a better return and the best that
l can make.
To the Republican party the third district
of Maine has never proved recreant. In
being true to it our people have been true
to the soundest political doctrines, the
wisest policies and the highest interests as
we'll as the honor and glory of the republic.
The Republican party has been the party
of construction, while the Democratic party,
since it fell entirely into the control of the
South in 1861 has been the party of reaction,
destruction and disaster.
Progress and prosperity have been the
fruits which Republican legislation and ad-
ministration have borne. Civil war, OBJ
struction to Improvements, and waste, have
been the gifts of the Democratic party to the
country
The Republican party, born of the desire
and out of the struggle to extend the domain
of freedom in our land, has been true to the
nation in every emergency. Patriotism and
love of liberty have been the breath of its
life. 1t has carried but one flag, the flag
which it carries to-day-the flag of the
American Union. (Applause.) Indeed the
Union of to-day is the saved child of its
gigantic endeavor.
Whatever there is of advantage to US,
whatever of benefcence, of greatness and
glory there may be in this consolidated and
all prfu1 bljo ia dine Tn
the wisdom, faithfulness and energetic ef-
fort of the Republican party.
1t is always unsatisfactory to argue to
people conceded facts. What can tell you,
what can any one say to the people upon the
political and business situation which you
do not already know You know what
was the condition of our people under the
effects of Republican policy. You know
what it is now.
You know that at the close of the war,
and | will not go back of that lest hurt the
feelings of our opponents, we had a war
debt of s., ,756 100000. Y ou know that when
the present administration assumed control
of the government, that debt had been re-
duced under Republican financial and
economic policy to S5S5,OOO, 900. | refer to
the interest bearing debt, You know that
the annual interest upon our public debt,
which the tax payers OF our country had to
meet, was III 1866, S151 100000, and we re-
duced that annual interest to about S25 900.
Y Ou know that in 1860 the interest paid
upon government securities was at the rate
OF II per cent, and yet, notwithstanding a
great civil war with all lts great outlay, its
destruction of property, and its disturbance
OF values, we reduced the rate of interest to
three per cent, and the greatest of English
statesman then said the financial policy of
the United States challenged the admiration
of mankind.
You know that during thirty years of the
Nh,
OF our country quadrupled, its foreign, inter-
state and domestic commerce doubled, that
its population vastly increased, that 1t built
the most of 10000 miles of railroad, thus
opening up vast amount of our resources
for development, that it reconstructed our
shattered country, gave to us the best cur
rency that we ever had, and that our prog
ress and improvement We're unparalleled in
nearly everything which goes to make a
great and prosperous nation.
Manufacturers hourished, trade was ac-
tive, the farmers thrived and labor found
full and remunerative employment. No
people since history has been written and
preserved, has been so prosperous and had
such assurance of prosperity in the future as
the Americans had the day before the last
Democratic President and Congress were
elected.
But the people grew dissatisfied. They
listened to the delusive sophlstry of our op-
ponents. False statements and false prom
ises deceived them. 1ngeniously their lot was
compared with that OF their employers, or
their more fortunate neighbors. The Repub-
lican party had been giving them the good
beefsteak of sound prosperity, but our Dem
ocratlc friends promised them humming-
bird on toast. They threw away what they
had and reached for what had been fallaci-
ously promised them They found it like
the tabled apes on the Dead Sea shore,
tempting to the eye but ashes to the touch
The Democratic party came into complete
control OF the government for the first time
in 30 years upon the old Calhoun and con
federate platform of free trade and bad
banking system. The once defeated con-
federacy and its allies have been in the sad
die and have been struggling, are struggling
to-day, to adjust the narrow sectional, un-
patriotlc Confederate theory to this great en-
terprising, progressive republic.
But the garment does not fit. Cut out and
made up for a dwarfed lave-holding con
federacy, it cannot be drawn upon the stal.
wart body of Uncle Sam. The seams have
ripped and the cloth has burst into fearful
tatters in the endeavor, and you will see
Uncle Sam kick them off in disgust on the
| fourth day of next March and possibly, in
| deed | hope surely, he will get suit OF
| broader proportions and more sterling ma
| terial from the sturdy stuff of the State OF
| Maine. Enthusiastic demonstrations
| What do we find to-day in contrast with
| the conditions under Republican r lie? We
| find debt making instead of a debt paying
party in power. Instead of a reduction OF
| the public debt, we find it increased to the
#