The Republican journal., 1896-09-17
The Republican Rally Saturday Night.
Brilliant speeches by GOV. Cieaves and Col. Pit
kin. Music by the Belfast Band.


It is not usual to report the closing rallies
of campaign, when the battle has been
won or lost and the election returns tell the
story But the Republican rally last Satur-
day evening was one Of such interest that it
merits a place in local political history Ar
rangements had been made for an open air
meeting, with Peirce's Parlor Theatre to
fail back upon n case OF storm. Fortunate
ly the evening was mild, and though rain
threatened it did not tall until near the close
Vi the meeting, when there We're light show
ers The band stand was arranged for the
speakers, with canvas canopy under which
was all arc light. with gasoleue lights az the
sides The band was stationed near by. In
front Of the stand were chairs aud settees
with seating capacity of 500, and these
We're filled long before the meeting opened,
The common was covered, the streets on
three sides packed with vehicles, and the
sidewalk in front Of the Frye block and adj
jacent grounds were black with people.
There must have been fully Two thousand
people present. About 80 the Belfast Band
gave a selection in front of the Mckinley u
Hobart club room on Church street, and
then with the club carrying torches and
bearing an appropriate transparency march
ed to the common, where they gave a num-
Der of selections before the arrival of the
speakers, to the great acceptance of the large
audience.
At s P. NJ. Governor Henry B. Cleaves and
Hon. j. E g. Pitkin of Louisiana. the speak
, ers of the evening, arrived and We're escort
ed to the stand by Representative W. L. Lit
tletield, and a number of leading citizens,
including Col. G. P. Lombard, of the Gov
ernors staff Hon. W. C. Marshall, Messrs.
S. H. Mathews, G.. w. Burkett A. A. Howes,
C. E. Knowlton and others. DR.. j NJ. Fletch-
er, chairman of the city committee, an
nounced that Representative w. L. Little
field would preside Mr.. Littleteld accepted
the honor in a neat speech, in which he said
it was the first opportunity he had had to
thank the people of Belfast for his nomina-
ton and election two years ago as their Rep
resentative in the Legislature, and he assur-
ed them that the honor was appreciated, as
was also his second nomination. He then
presented to the audience the first speak
er Hon. Henry B. Cleaves, a Governor who
had the confidence and respect of all parties
/ The Governor had hearty reception. He
| truly said that the time for argument had
| gone by, but he made some telling points on
! both the silver and tariff questions, and paid
| a warm tribute to the women of the country,
saying that without their aid and co-opera-
tion the men at the front could not have put
| down the rebellion. Recognizing many
Grand Army men in the audience he ad-
| dressed some of his remarks to them, and he
appealed generally to the patriotism of his
| hearers to avert the dangers by which the
country is threatened. He told some capi-
| tai illustrative stories, spoke OF the dlstln-
guished men Belfast has produced, and high
| ly compimented our Representative in Con-
gress, Hon. S. L. Milliken, and our Repre-
sentative in the Legislature, W. l.. Little
field.
| After selection by the band Mr. Little
| field introduced Hon. j. r. G. Pitkin of
| Louisiana. Mr.. Ptkin is not accustomed to
outdoor speaking, and was thus heard some
what at a disadvantage, but notwithstanding
he succeeded in captivating his audience.
|
larv, and is master of phraseology. His
statements concerning reciprocity under the
Mckinley act were most interesting. He
gave statistics of the large trade built up
under these treaties and told how they were
bringing all the South American countries
into closer relations with the United States
| These markets were now lost to us by the
repeal Of the Mckinley bill, and we had to
20 to Liverpool in order to reach South
| America and pay tribute to British mer-
| chants. His illustrations of the silver ques-
| ton were apt and forcibe and his criticisms
of the Chicago platform searching and severe.
| He recognized the fact that there we're
| Democrats who stand by the principles of