The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-09
Has Good Word For
Bryan However.
Mr.. Davis of Wateryille Takes
Rosy View OF Situation.

Democracy was we'll repressntsd at the
second annual banquet OF the Maine State
Democratic club which was held In
wattss hall this evening. Every county
In Maine was represented ana over 100
en- joyed the repast and the speeches from
prominent men in the party as well as
Robert Treat Paine, Jr., Of Boston, who
made the principal address. During the
banquet Meservys quintet rendered a
number of pleasing selections. The
table OF honor, placed at the head of the
hall. was occupied by the speakers OF the
evening and presided over by Judge
Lavensaler, who welcomed the guests and
presented the different speakers MIR.
Alferd W. Lavensaler, who had been ex-
pected to make the principal address OF
welcome, was unable to be present. MIR.
Paine, upon being introduced was re-
ceived with round of applause and ao-
dressed the club as follows;
SPEECH or ROBERT TREAT
PAINE, JR.
Fellow Democratic in
Arms in q righteous canse, / sal ate you,
Though beaten, we are not vanquished
Democrats in other states may well take
pattern after the loyalty you men OF
Maine have exhibited In Victory and de-
feat. Faithful to principle, you do not
blow hot ana blow cold as the weather
vane indicates that the wind ID shifting.
Your reward should be the richer whensat
last the scales tnrn our way; and SC
Kaleidoscope are the changes in our
politics that the day OF victory may not
be far distant. The administration and
Senator Hanna have been given "rope
enough, and the indications point to their
making most satisfactory use OF 1t for
their own hanging.
"A lesser evil has won the day, but
month by month that lesser evil grows
more unbarsble. President Harrison
thupders forth with all the power of his
presidential dignity, ana Wayns Nc
Neagh, attorney general of the preceding
Republican President, Gen. Garfield,
joined In the condemnation which old
school Republicans SO generally pro.
nounce.
We were handicapped by the prosperity
enjoyed By the country, for magnificent
crops, rising prices and booming trade
presented a tremendous contrast to the
economic nightmare OF the preceding ad
mlnistration. This drawback we could
not avoid. But We were infinitely more
handinaped By our plank on free silver.
This we voluntarily assumed, and we IN
New England must bear our full share
Of the responsibility. In the committee
OF resolutions wa threw four votes In
favor OF that plank. by those votes II
carried the day. Those men did not cor
rectly renresent their states. Not only
in New England, but In the convention
itself four-tifths OF the delegates were
opposed TO renewal OF the fight ON this
question, at this time Let us DO more
democratic in this respect. and permit the
rank and file to have their opinions
properly represented. For myself, l op.
posed that plank at Kansas City, and
visited delegation after delegation for the
purpose, but after 1t was adopted /
worked for Democratic Wet DRY inspits OF
this mistake, for weightier Issues i'm
peratiVely demanded the success OF our
cause.
Our chances for victory, which had
been good, were effectually killed by that
untimely plank. As in '96, we forced to
the front the money question and made
1t dominant issue, though Republicans
tried to talk tariff, SO last autumn the
Republicans retaliated.
In this respect cur leader erred as did
Gen. Grant when he stood so immova-
bly, by his political friends who were 40
oused OF wrong doing. Fidelity and
are praiseworthy qualities,
but when carried to an unreasonable ex-
treme, even such virtue becomes a vice.
Since election, appeal and even threats
have been made ( or the reorganization OF
the party. Let these men possess their
souls in patiencs. There W ill be no reor-
ganization of such nature as to entrust
its leadership to those who voted and
lauored to defeat 1t. Never in our gener-
alton has the party more truly been the
party of the people. Long may 1t re-
main SO. Recently an ex-president has
bewailed the present condit ion OF the
party, and reminisces in self-congratu-
latory mood OF 1893, when "Democratio
success was SO decisive ana overwhelming
that long continuance OF our party
su premacy Was generally anticipated
But then the party wandered after
strange banners held alort In unfamiliar
hands, he complains, and was defeated.
As remedy, he urges that "the rank
and file be given ehance.n How hap
PLY Is he constituted thus to forget or
ignore that the great disaster came, not
in SO, but In '04, by which time the peo-
pie were so disgustsd that they adminis-
tered to his party O most crushing defeat.
"Give the rank and file a chance"
That's just what happened In '05, when,
indeed, they were not given chance,
but seized it; when they oyertthrew