The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-13
Congressman Long Declares His
Adherence to the Scheme
Urged Upon the Senate by Han
ma and Frye.
BOUQUETS FOR MAINE.
He JoIIies the People Of the
Pine Tree State
In a Speech at Lincoln Clubs
Banquet at Portland.

Portland, Me, Feb. 1a.-The annual
banquet of the Lincoln club, Of Port
land. was attended by over 200 promin-
ent Republicans from all parts of the
state. President r. f. Moore introduced
the principal speaker Congressman
Chester ] Long, of Kansas, who was
given an enthusiastic reception. He
spoke in part as follows:
Tonight. for the first time, 1 speak to
a New England audience. / accepted
the invitation of the Lincoln club ex-
tended through your efficient and faith
fuI representative in congress, that
might discuss With you some questions
of interest to the people of this repub-
lie.
appreciate this kindly greeting in
the old home Of the greatest parliamen-
tartan of the first century Of the repub-
lie. He learned to count in Portland and
he did not forget 1t in Washington. He
made UP his mind what ought to be
DONE and then did It. He lived to see
finally retired to private life with no re-
Election ever having been made on his
personal integrity. and after a public
career that brought honor to his district
and state
But tonight we think of Lincoln. of
what he did, and the debt the nation
owes to him He found the nation with
the rights of the states alleged to be SUI
preme. He left it with the national au
thority undisputed everywhere beneath
the flag. To the question, Can a state
secede2" he answered, NO." but the
answer was not needed until slavery
was no more and all men were free. If
the south had left the north, the west
would have withdrawn from the east,
and we would not be together tonight.
IincOln'S leadership, his power to hold
discOrdant elements to him. his forbear-
ance made it possible for the Union to
survive and for Kansas and Maine TO
have the same flag.
Maine came into the Union free in the
midst of the first contest in congress on
no g az
later Kansas came in, free, when the
last struggle was over, and the question
was about to be transferred from con-
greSS to the battlefield, where some QueS-
lions only can be settled. Since these
two states have been in the Union they
have agreed on many things and have
differed on but few. They are now
united in the support of our splendid
president and his administration. In
the days of Blaine, Kansas always was
willing that Maine should furnish the
country with a president. We marched
under the banner Of the Plumed Knight
to successive defeats until from across
the sea he earnestly requested that it
should continue no longer. If some peO-
pie in Kansas have believed in fiat
money, SO have some in Maine. We have
had POpuliStS in Kansas, but you have
had Greenbackers in Maine We once
had dual houses IN our legislature. The
militia, was called out and Quartered IN
the state house Our supreme court de-
cided which was the legal house Of rep
decision OF the supreme court of Maine,
rendered under like conditions.
In 1896 the first battle Of the stan
dards was fought. The supreme ques-
ton was whether this country should
have good money or bad; whether we
should maintain a currency equal to the
best among the nations of the earth or
whether we should depreciate it. Maine
declared for good money. Kansas did
not. But in 1900, in the second battle,
Kansas, after full and careful consid-
Grafton, reversed her first decision, and
on tomorrow, in the capitol at Wash
ington, in the presence of the senate
and house of representatives, the ten
electoral votes of Kansas will be placed
in the same column with the six votes
of Maine.
For years the people of the west were
informed through free trade journals
that a protective tariff was good for
New England with her manufactures,
but that the states Of the Mississippi
valley, which were engaged in agricul-
ture, received no benefit from such a
tariff and should have free trade. For q
long time the people OF Kansas did not
indorse the free trade theory. But a
change came, and the year 1890 witness
ed the election to congress of an absolute
free trader from the district which
now represent The people Of Kansas
wanted to try free trade. They had the
chance. The Wilson, German tart law
was passed, and they had the opportun-
ity Of observing the effects of free trade
in this country They knew when they
had enough. The terrible depression
from 1888 to 1897 that existed all over
the country was especially severe IN
Kansas. So it was that Kansas Joyfully
welcomed the tariff act bearing the
name of the great and able Nelson
Dingley, of Maine. We learned by severe
experience that a protective tariff is
good for all the people of the United
States whether they are engaged in