Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-30
WORDS OF WISDOM.
WUKUS UF W1SUUm.
Speaker Reed Addresses York
County Convention.
Touches on Political Questions of Hour
and Is Loudly App|auded.
York Republicans Nominate Candidates that
Will Sweep Whole County.

of Alfred was crowded to overlooking.
today. by Republicans who came to
! attend the York countw Republican
convention and to hear Congressman
Reeds great speech.
1t was the speech for which the
whole country has been Waiting
Reeds first public utterancc since the
Republican national convention
And it was magnificent speech, full
OF Reed philosophy and Reed humor,
discussing the situation at the bottom.
the movements of the deep waters. 1t
was Reed at his best.
And it is needless to add that the
crowd cheered and applauded and
laughed, was delighted ana inspired by
their great Congressman's eloquent
Sententiousness and happy turns of
thought.
The county convention was held in
the forenoon, Hon. T. F. Hamilton Of
l.iddeford. presided. and nominated:
For sheriff, Usher Il. Thompson of
New field.
For county attorney, Willis T. En-
mons Of Saco..
For treasurer, Charles II. Adams Of
Limerick.
For judge of probate, Nathaniel
Hobbs Of North Berwick
For county commissioner. stephen
l.. Purinton Of Limington.
For senators. Leroy f. Pike of Cor
nish, Frank H. Hargraves of Buxton,
Daniel A. Hurd of North Berwick
Iii, az
dinner. the speakers being Hon. r. b.
Reed of Maine. and Curtis Guild. Jr..
of Boston.
Mr.. Reed was received with tumultu-
Gus applause and shouts. and spoke
as follows:
If | was going to give good advice to
the people of the whole United States
should take this time to do it.
Just now there is IA great deal of
froth and foam in the air, and some
time is really needful to disclose clearly
to every eye how much of it is the result
Of the temporary breeze which stills at
nightfall. and how little there is of that
heavy ground swell which shows that
great elementary forces are at work.
How very suddenly all this rush and
stir has set itself into action Two
months ago no man of any standing
would have risked his reputation as a
prophet by limiting the slightest doubt
of Republican success. Four years of
actual trial of the opposition. under the
guidance of its best and twice trusted
leader. had left no shadow of question
as to public duty. However far the
Republican party might have fallen
of .t.f.... Ia, .,1l
men felt that it was the best party.
just now. to draw nigh to for whatever
is to be left to us of sound government
commercial success and business pros
perity.
On that we were all agreed. some of
us who were Democrats, regretfully
for we all hate to be claSsed with the
unsuccessful. whose condemnation is at
hand even if we gain by the change;
others of us who We're Republicans
cheerfully, but without eXhultation: for
we know how hard the task must be
to rebuild out of the ruins of the last
tour years the stately mansions of ma
ticnal happiness, prosperity and self
respect, wherein our people lived until
that unfortunate election of 1892
Two months have slipped away
hardly time to rinen a strawberry |
much less a system of finance--and |
there are those who tell us that all |
things have changed, that those very |
men who We're being arrayed for decent |
burial had burst the crementS of the |
grave. and TRANSPORTED by some new
arrangement of crowns of thorns and |
crosses of gold were to lead us to new
happiness, and even repair all the dam
age they themselves had wrought
Now this may be So but to me it
ioes not seem probable. Human eX-
oerience in every walk Of life teaches
is that those who have Numbered will
olunder again. and that the wisest
course is not to employ a ship captain
Who has not yet emerged from his last
'hipwreck, but the safe sailor who has
never lost ship, a passenger or a
etter, but who has sailed safe through
very sea.
He may have lost masts and sails.
una even been rudderless for hours, but
he has every time come safe to shore.
'etter have him than all the landsmen
Who are forever shouting what they
an do. and never dare to tell of what
hey have done. Boosters are worth
'othing. Deeds are facts and are for
Yer ana ever. Talk dies on the empty
llr. Better pound of performance
nan shipload of language.
But is it wise or just to class all !
democrats together, and to declare
mem all wrong, then announce they ,
aust be beaten because they are Demo- (
rats? That would be very unwise, very /.
Unjust and senseless altogether. 1t
you'd flout all history and especially .
ur own Parties are one thing, their :
ndlvidual members may be another /
'aftles seldom follow their best men. {
'hey follow their average sense.
In real action there can never basbut
wo parties, the creating party and the
etarding party. The progressive 8
arty may be unwise in its progress. {,
nd the retarding party may be unwise i ,
4 its conservatism, but both serve n :,
God purpose, and between them both I
he world slowly and safely moves Il
head. Dreadfully slowly sometimes. !,
ut 1t does always move ahead a