The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-09
TURNED AWAY
Reed Meeting At Bridgeport. Conn.,,
Last Night.
GREATEST POLITICAL GATHERING
INTHE CITY'S HISTORY.

Maine Man Greeted With Tremendous
Ovation-He Devoted His Address En-
tirely to the Financial Aspect of the
Campaign.
Bridgeport Conn.,, October 8.-The
greatest political demonstration ever Wit
neasea in the city was the reception
accorded Thomas B. Heed tonight. Five
thousand men crowded into the state
armory to hear the man from Maine.
Over 1000 more attended the overflow
meeting in Sailors hall. Speaker Reed
was the guest of VIM. ID. Bishop, life
long Democrat and ex- Congressman from
this district. Mr.. Bishop was one of
the speakers of the great sound money
meeting. While Speaker Reed was ad-
dressing the armory meeting, Senators
Joseph R. Hawley and Orville II. Platt
were enthusing the crowd in Sailors
hall. The platform In the armory was
crowded with prominent Republicans
from all over the state. The demnnstrn-
ion when Mr.. Reed mounted the plat
form was wildly enthusiastic and after
his Introduction. it was many minutes
before he could get chance to begin.
His address was devoted entirely to the
money question. not reference being
made to either protection or the Re-
publican Presidential candidate. 1t was
a logical, clear and powerful appeal to
the wage earners not to be deceived by
the silver shouters of the West. After
endorsing the candidacy of e. j. Hill
for representative from the fourth CON-
gressiOnal district, Mr.. Reed continued: !:
The Republican party moves az the
earth moves. 1t gets more sense day
by day. No one knows all about thu. cur
reDcy question. When Adam was alone
on the earth, there was not much COM
plication to society. Things were SIM
pie. II there had been railroads he
iHnumerable speeches and came homo
unanimous Oh the subject.
when Eve was presented, there was
complication at once and from that
time to the present. the affairs Of So
ciety lifs have become more and more
complicated. 1t is not necessary to imply
that nobody knows anything about this
about the ocean, but men Of good sense
keep out OF the middle of it. So we
may have something to do with the cur
rency in this country. Some orators
are 80 wrapped up in the duties of coun-
tries that they don't live In, that they
entirely ignore the history and expert
ence of their own.
"These men would initiate the high
ly civilized and ancient nation of Mexi-
GO. AS for me prefr to look at home
and judge the American people BY facts
in American history. If there Is any
thing in this silver question, 1t is a
disaster on the whole world. If
it is disease 1t Is a world disease
defy any one to present an argument
upon it that applies to the United
States, that does not also apply to every
other nation.
They say we are big country and
should go 1t alone. We are great, but
not boasting people. A boasting nation
is like man whistling in graveyard
in the dead of night. 1t is not because
he is cheerful, but scared. These orators
appeal to pride; they don't want to take
lessons from anybody. I have but con-
tempt for such, for want to take lessons
from everybody who can teach me any
thing.
This proposition to shoulder it alone
they make, because they say they believe
it we should undertake the free and un-
limited coinage of silver it would lift all
and there would not be ripple. They
do not say what foundation there ID for
those words 1--WE believe" These words
are a good thing in theology because no
one can dispute them, but not in the point
at issue. These orators ask us to initiate
the civilized nation Of Mexico, where
silver dollars are bigger than ours, and
worth half as much.
We say the pine owner is going to
produce silver and receive dollar for
what is worth fifty cents. Then when it
gets into the lRboring mans pocket, it's
value will be- but half dollar. 1t il the
particular form of grief where. should
1t ever come, the silver mine owners
will be the gamer in the beginning and
all of US losers in the end.
"Whether it would be successful. T.
the whole world banded together in BIZ
metallism is great question for future
settlement.
SIN 1873 there was not a dollar of silver
in the United States, except as ouriosi-
ty or hoard. Since then We have coined
or stored for coinage 10000, 900 dollars,
and yet that tremendous purchase has
not lifted it up. 1t went down. It is
like everything else. Increased demand
means increased quantity and lower
prices. II webuy all the rest of the
silver of the world will we do any better
"You are simply fooling with your
own profits. Men may tamper with and
waste the profits Of others, but 1 do
not dare to use the descriptive expression
which belongs to him who would ruin
his own profits. What we want Is low
prices never SO low az to be inconsistent
with fair profit and wage which will
increase. to keep pace with our reason
able requirements. never saw ques-
tion discussed In politics during twenty
Year that seemed to have less found alton
than the main proposition on which this
election turns, proposition to substituted
fiuctuating currency which will lessen
the wages Of 10 per cent OF the people. for |
thatSproportion is salary or wage earners.
The truth is wo are SO blended together
that it is impo ossible to injure one set
without iDjuring all. Frankly I say do |
not believe there is any balsam or medi-
cine that is sure cure. Men get in hard |
times and the first thought ia to discover
a remedy that will cure at once. These
are not the only hard times We have had. |
There has been a series of depressions
and elevations, and in each We pass to a
higher plane. We are better off today
than in 1873. The human race will 20
marching on in an endless procession Of
progress and civilization,