The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-19

The key CT The Faclnc mas sllppeu lrolu
nerveless hands. Foreign troops have
been landed in this hemisphere. Our
own boundaries have been threatened in
Alaska.
The Monroe doctrine has been defended
but is not yet indicated. The people OF
neighbor island fighting for freedom
look toward us with imploring eyes and
look in vain. The American policy
which would protect our industries at
home and our flag abroad has faded and
withered away.
Look then upon that picture and on
this"
Gould you Oh that fair mountain
leave to feed and batten on this 1noor.'
But four short years have GOMEZ and
gone and they have brought t his change.
What has happened? ! will tell you in a
word. The ms Democratic party has been in
power. That is the answer. Upon us
falls the heavy burden Of binding up
these wounds and bringing relief to all
this suffering. The Democrats deceived
the people by promising them the mil
lenium and the miserable results of
those lying promises are all about us to-
day. We have no promises to make. We
believe We can perform. We will do our
best. That is ali. And as in 1860 we
saved the Union ana abolished slavery.
SO now in 1886 We will deal with this
Democratic legacy OF blunders, hank
ruptoy and misfortune.
We are gathered here to choose the
next President of the United States.
That we will win in the election no
man doubts. But let US not deceive our
selves with the pleasant fancy that the
campaign is to be an easy one. 1t will
be q harda battle. cannot DO otherwise
when so much depends upon the result.
Against the Republican party represent
ing fixed Amer Jean policies strength,
progress and order, will be arrayed not
only that organized failure, the Demo
cratic party, but all the wandering forces
of political chaos and social disorder. 1t
is not merely the Presidency which is
set before US as the prize. The prosperity
of the country, the protection of our in
iustries, the soundness of our currency,
| and the national credit are all staked on
the great issu to be decid ed at the polls
next November. Upon US rests the duty
OF resoulng the country from the misery
into which it has been plunged by three
years.of Democratic misrule. 10 drive
the Dem ocrats from power is the first
stop and the highest duty, but we shall
| triumph in vain, and in our turn shall
| meet heavy punishment at the banda OF
| the people If we do not put our victory
to right uses. Such crisis as this can
not4be met and dealt with by shouts and
enthusiasm. We must face it as our
fathers faced slavery and disunion-with
a grim determination to win the battle
aud that done, to take up our RESPONSE
bilities in the sans spirit with which
| we won the fight. Now, as then, we can
| hope to succeed only by the most strenu
GUS endeavor; aud now, as then, every.
thing depends upon the administration
we place in office. We want a President
who will meet this situation rs Linoo In
met that OF 1861; with the chiefs of the
Republicans about him, and with party
| and people at his back, We want Presi.
dent who on the fifth day of next March
will summon Congress in extra session
and, refusing to make appointments or
to deal with patronage, will say that all
him tariff which shall put money in
the Treasury and wages in the pockets
of the American workingmen. We want
a President who will protect at all haz-
ards the gold reserves of the Treasury
who will see to it that no obligation of
the Government is presented which is
not paid in whatever coin the credi tor
chooses to demand, and who will never
forget that the nation which pays with
honor borrows with ease. We want a
| man who will guard the safety and dig
nifty of the nation at home and abroad
and who will always and constantly DO
firm in dealing with foreign nations, in
stead of suddenly varying long course
of weakness and Indifference with a con-
vulsive spssm of vigor and patriotism.
Above all, we want a man who will lead
his party and act with it and who will
not by senseless quarrels between the
White House and the Capitol reduce leg
islation and execution alike to i'm becility
and failure. Such is the man we want
for our great office in these bitter times
when Jhesforces of disorder are loosed and
the wreckers, with their false lights,
gather at the shore to lure the Ship of
State upon tho rocks.
= Such man tit,for such deeds I am
now to present to you. He needs no
praise from me, for he has proved his
own title to leadership. From what he Is
and what he has done We know what he
can do. For twenty years, in victory
jorities and of small minorities alike, he
has led his party in Congress with q
power which no man could dispute, and
with an ability which never failed.
have seen him with maddened opposi-
ton storming about him, carry through
that great reform which has made the
H ouse of Representatives. the rstrong and
efficient body it Is today, I have seen
him during the past winter guide great
majority so that they have met every de-
mand put upon them and made no errors
which could burden the Republican party
in the campaign before us.
Before the people and in the house he
has ever been the bold and brilliant
champion Of the great Republican poll
cies which, adopted, have made MS pros
porous, and, abandoned, have left ruin at
our doors. He Ia a thorough American
by birth, by descent, by breeding; one
who loves his country, and has served il
in youth and manhood, in war and peace.
His great ability, his originality of
thought, his power in debaJe, his strong
will, are known of all men, and are part
of the history of the last twenty years.
His public career is AS spotless as his
private character is pure and unblem.
ished. He is a trained statesman fit for
the heaviest task the country can impose
upon him.
He commands the confidence of his
party and his country. He IS leader of
men. We know it, because we have seen
him lead. To those who have followed
him he never said &C.," ut always
Come" He is entirely fearless. We
know it for we have seen his courage
tested on hundred fields.
He has been called to great places and
through great trials he has never failed
nor hinched. He is fit to stand at the
head of the Republican columns. He is
worthy to be an American President.
have the honor, the very great honor, to