The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-22
HOME AGAIN.
State Of Maine Reed Club Arrived
Yesterday.

States Could Have Had Their Way They
Would Have Voted for Reed.
The Maine delegation to the National
Republican convention at St. Louis and
the Main Reed club arrived home yes
terday morning by special train. They
reached here about half past seven
O'Clock and while the Portland oontin-
gent betook themselves at once to th cir
homes, the Reed "rooters" W no live in
the Eastern parts of the state left for
their own haliwioks on the early morn
ing trains.
found Hon. George NJ. Soldiers, the presi
dent of the Maine Reed club, trying to
Keep cool at his pleasant home on
Thomas street, and from him learned
something about the ST. Louis trip and
the convention.
Mr.. Soldiers stated that at no time
during his absence from home had he en-
countered more depressing weather than
that which he found on his arrival here.
On the contrary the weather had been
almost perfect, the trip out and back one
of the pleasantest he had ever made, and
although of course the object of their
mission-the nomination of Mr.. Reed for
the Presidency-had not been attained,
yet none of the Maine men had any
reason to complain of their treatment in
st. Louis.
THE Maine party" said Mr.. Soldiers,
= was made up of some of the pleasantest
fellows have ever journeyed with, and
we enjoyed every minute of the time we
were away. On our arrival at ST. Johns
bury, VT, the Maine delegation were
given rousing reception with brass
band and vast concourse of people who
cheered loudly for Mr.. Reed. There it
was that We found that the Vermonters
were red hot for the Maine man, and
swearing vengeance on Proctor for selling
me that nine out of every ten men in
Vermont wished Reed nominated, and
this / was told by those who knew, was
the actual condition of things in the
Green Mountain State.
until our arrival at ST. Louis week
ago today, there had been no demonstra-
tions for Reed nor for any one else. We
marched up to the Southern hotel. headed
by band we had hired at ST. Louis, and
received great ovation. The Reed sen
timent was wide spread and popular, and
constantly growing. Men from Michigan,
Kansas, Montana and even Ohio told me
they believed Tom Reed sho uld be the
iyoa ~ tla hr1t {ho%
were pledged to Mckinley and much
against their in clination had to vote for
him. Many of these delegates told me
they actually had Mckinley rammed
down their throats, and had to swallow
him whether they liked it or not. All
over St. Louis the Maine men were
greeted with enthusiasm and would be
cheered and entertained where the sup
porters of oJher candidates passed un-
noticed. Yes, sir, Tom Reed is popular
n this country and had the delegates in
the con veution voted according to their
own inclinations. Mr.. Reed would have
been nominated over and over again.
"Mr. Manley had provided for the
Maine delegation excellent rooms and
fine headquarters at the Southern hotel.
In my opinion the Maine headquarters
| were more deliberately decorated than
were those of any other delegates. Our
male quartette from Bangor. pleasant
gentlemen and jolly good fellows too,
proved great attraction, and We enter
tanned more callers at our headquart ers
than all of the other states put together
Gas president of the Reed club I had
| appointed committee of seven or eight
men for every day Of the week, and these
gentlemen when their tour of duty came
round, remained in our parlors all day
and gave every caller at the Maine head
| quarters royal welcome. Mr.. John +.
Lamb Of Auburn in particular, covered
himself with glory and succeeded in
| getting more newspaper notices than any
one else in the party. Besidessthis recep-
stion committee at the headquarters, Mr..
Littlefield, who was the president Of the
Maine delegation, appointed committees
kIo call upon every state and everywhere
the Reed ''rooters'' as we were called,
were given hearty welcome and treated
| like nabobs. Yes, sir, am positive that
Tom Reed today is more popular than
Mr.. Mckinley, although the latter was
nominated. :"
Ibid you have any talk with Mr.. Man
| ley about his unfortunate statement
made just before the convention con-
Yened?"
''No, sir; replied MIR. Seiders ~ saw
Mr.. Manley and knew that he felt very
badly about his mistake, but had no talk
with him about the matter"
| Speaking of the trip home, MIR. Soldiers
said that it was most enjoyable trip.
Many of the Maine men dropped off on
the way. to stop over day or two at
some place, but all were well and in good
spirits. ''In fact while do not think
the convention this year WAS as executing
as that AZ Minneapolis in 1888, still it
was pretty lively gathering for the
Maine men, all of whom orked like
tigers Tor their candidate and kept the
boom on the move all the time.'