The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-07-09

help of the Republicans that was done.
But that did not make the conditions
better.
Then as another Democratic measure
the Mckinley tariff aer was repealed and
another act for revenue, styled by the
President as one of infamy and dishonor
was substituted. An income tax bill
VAS also enacted but it VAS 50 crude
aud defective that the Supreme Court of
the United States, with its chief Justice
a Democrat and appointee of President
/ Cleveland declared the same unconstiju-
tonal
Every attempt of our Democratic
friends 10 legislate upon the great cues
tons before the country seems to have
been failure and it seems 10 me that it
i not strange that it i So. For a
generation that party has not been call
ed upon TO legislate AT all; its sole use
has been to object to what the Republic
can party proposed or attempted 10 do.
il has simply been party of obstruc-
ton.
do not accuse our Democratic friends
OF want of patriotism. [ Undoubtedly
they would have legi,lated we'll had
known how. Wise legislation is a lesson
/ this generation of Democrats ha. never
had the opportunity of learning. but
they certainly know how 10 object TO
Republican legislation, for the President
at the assembling of the last Congress in
a special message stated the urgent
needs Of the government and begged for
legislation to relieve the treasury from
the conditions surrounding il. and when
the Republicans of the House omitted
their usual holidays and proceeded inn
mediately and. worked necessarily to
draft IA bill to meet the emergency sug-
gested by the President, every Demo-
crat true to his instincts voted against il
and it was defeated in the Senate by
] Democratic votes. There would have
been some excuse for this perhaps, if the
/ Democrats had gone to the trouble to
i furnish a substitute. but they did not,
they simply said, notwithstanding the
i President who is of our political faith
has called upon US for help, we neither
will aid him nor will we allow you Re
publicans to do so.
] | was talking with venerable poiti-
cal friend of mine a short time ago.
man who has been Republican ever
since the organization of that party,
farmer who has splendid flock of sheep,
and he expressed a strong desire to live
until We could have an administration in
/ this country. under which one skunk's
/ hide would not be worth four sleeps
/ pelts; and believe it is Il fact that, not
withstanding the universal depression
i of prices, skunk skins have risen e.
Enormously in value, the reason is not
obvious unless the odOr is needed to
/ sweeten the air charged with Democratic
doctrine.
What the rallyiug cry of the Demo-
Gratis will be in the coming election, and
what reasons they will give why
they should remain longer in power in
view of the success, or want of success
/ in administering the government for the
past three years, had great curiosity
to know. Now if it is allowable to sug
gest the Democratic speakers in the
coming campaign might deplore the
universal stagnation in business, the fact
that the administration has been obliged
to borrow millions of dollars to pay the
expenses of government, issuing bonds
for the same bearing high rate of
interest, but they can point with pride
TO the fact that the hide of the skunk
has gone up in price clear out of sight,
and that the man who would vote the
Democratic ticket this fall, and who
owned a silver mine. could take fifty
cents in silver to the United States mint.
and without expense to himself, could
have that silver coined into money worth
dollar in gold. But if he did not own
silver mine he could take up the in
dustry of skunk farming, and then
everybody would be happy and pros
porous.
Gentlemen of the Convention, you
have assembled here today as represent
tatives of the Republican party of the
best county in the best State in this
| Mon, to nominate two Senators to :, rye
in the next State Senate, and also to
nominate county officers to be voted for
at the coming election. For forty years
and more. the Republican leaders of
Somerset county have gathered to-
/ gether: for thirty years annually, and
i for ten years bi-ennially, tor the same
! purpose. And To the credit of the Re-
/ publican organization. with a few cX-
eeptionS. such has been the high
! character, moral worth, and ability of
f the men who have been selected 10 hold
official positions in Somerset county.
! there has not been a year. month, a
week, a day, or an hour, but that some
of the official positions in our county
! have been held by Republicans during all
this time. The people have almost al
ways elected your nominees TO a man,
| but they have never failed TO elect some
Republican or Republicans on your
ticket. we'll remember one man, and
believe that there are many now in
this hall who also remember him with
the highest regard and affection; | refer
to Hon. Luther II. Webb who served us
so long, so faithfully, and so we'll as
Clerk of Courts. During the greenback
craze the county went against the Re
publcans on the general ticket by hun
| dreds OF votes, yet when the time for
election of Clerk of Courts came round.
Luther IL. Webb was always elected
until i'll health compelled him to resign
his position, and take up his residence on
the Pacific coast.
Gentlemen of the Convention. you
will do your whole duty today, as those
who have gone before you have done
theirs, and you will put in nomination,
for the various places to be filled, men
of whom you will be proud.