The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-06-11
Speech of Hon. Llewellyn Powers
In Accepting the Republican Nomination for Gov
ernOr, N Bangor, June 2.

ernOr, nj Bangor, June 2.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF
THE CONVENTION: l accept with upfeign-
ed gratitude the nomination which you
have SO generously rendered me. And l
thank YOU, one and all, for this marked
expression of your confidence and esteem.
/ realize fully both the honor conferred
and the many duties and responsibilities
which must necessarily accompany the Of
flee of Chief Magistrate OF our State. Your
platform and the principles enunciated
therein have my hearty approval They
speak, in language not to be misunder-
stood, the sentiments of the Republicans
of Maine We are all justly proud of our
State,-of its past record,-its present
position and its future prospects. There
are none in which the standard of excel
lence is higher. True, we cannot boast SO
much of wealth and of numbers as some
of our sister States. but this is a second
airy consideration in republic. To pro-
duce men intelligent, virtuous, temperate
and patriotic is OF paramount importance,
and certainly we can point with just pride
and qualification to the eminent men and
brave soldiers who have in the past shed
lIlstre upon our State, whose names shine
brightly IN the national galaxy; while to-
day Maine stands conspicuously at the
front in the councils of the Nation and
offers to the Republican party It standard
bearer, whose conceded abilities and con-
sistent public acts and record are a better
guarantee of the Republican principles
than any platform that can be written.
The name of this distinguished statesman
and parliamentarian-this natural leader
of men, whose views are broad enough to
comprehend the wants of every section of
this great country of oErs,-i Thomas
Z. Reed. Maine has never faltered in a
presidential year. 1t has always cast its
electoral vote for the Republican candi-
date for President, commencing with the
"Pathfnder," John c. Fremont, in 1856;
and whoever may be chosen at st. Louis
to lead the Republican hosts we pledge
to him here and now and to the principles
of protection and honest money, a ma jor-
ity so large in November next that the
votes cast for other candidates may be
almost denominated-scat
There is no spot or place on Gods
green earth where the man of moderate
means-the freebooter and farmer-the
mechanic and laborer-the man who earns
bread by the honest sweat of his own
brow, has more of the comforts and the
pleasures of life than in the State of
Maine. We enjoy general diffusion of
education and knowledge, free to all
personal liberty and individual security,
under equal Just and wise laws. We
have a good sol, "a healthy and invgorat-
splendid scenery, beautiful lakes and
rivers, and magnificent forests. And in
the settled part of our State its hills and
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and villages, and with the contented and
comfortable home of an intelligent and
prosperous people. Taxation is not OPP
pressive, and it burdens are or should be
SO placed as to bear equally, equitably
and Justly upon all the property and resi-
dents of the State. | believe wise and
strict economy should characterize every
expenditure of the peoples money, and
that every dollar used should respond to a
well defined public need. Yat | would
not hesitate to appropriate willingly such
sums as are necessary to care for the I'M
fortunate, to relieve the suffering and to
educate the whole people. Our common
school system is of the highest import
ance to our general intelligence and vel
fare and should be fQstered with no grudg-
ing hand.
The Republican party of Maine through
long course OF Legislation and by re-
solutions in every platform for many
years is been and now is sQuarely com
mitted to the cause OF temperance and
prohibition. to use every reasonable effort
to diminish and Danish from our State the
bliehting curse of the liquor traffic. All
laws designed to accomplish this much
desired result, now upon our statutes,
have been enacted and kept there by the
Republican party; and they furnish a
splendid monument Of It's temperance
efforts and record, and a sufficient refuta-
ton OF all charges of bad faith which
may be made against us. In our ranks
are to be found large number of earnest,
Consistent and true workers for the cause
OF temperance: and our prohibitorv
statutes arc, to great extent, an en-
bodiment of their views and desires.
How to keep in check and finally eradi-
cate the evils of intemperance is a prob
lem that calls Tor the highest wisdom of
Legislators aud the noblest efforts of
philanthropists. Good men may honestly
dltier as to the best methods and meas
ureS Yet of one thing we may rest as
sured, that Maine, which was the pioneer
IN prohibitory legislation, will take no
steps backward, but will continue to be
prohibition State.
| recognize the fact that the war is
over, and that all its strife and bitterness
should be forever entombed in oblivion
and forgetfulness. But do earnestly in
sisr that the impossible gulf between 10y
atty and disloyalty, -between patriotism
and treason, should never be bridged
over or lost sight of, and that we should
never forget but even remember that our
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fendeHs, both the living and the dead,
who maintained the integrity of the
Union and the honor of the flag, IA debt
that it has not and can not fully repay
More than thirty years have elapsed since
the close of the most gi gigantic and cause
less rebellion against liberty and popular
government that history gives an account
OF. During that time Grant, Sherman,
Sheridan, Thomas, and vast host of Of
fceHs and privates all heroes, have pass
ed to the great majority beyond-have
gone TO that undiscovered country from
whose bourne no traveller returns And
as to those who still remain: most of
them have crossed the divide, and the
shadows of their lives have begun to fall
and lengthen on the other side | sub
nit then in all candor and fairness that it
is the imperative duty of both the State
and the Nation to adopt a liberal pension
policy so that no old soldier, and no per-
son Immediately dependent upon him,
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