The Portland daily press., 1901-02-13

| evening.
President Moore then introduced the
distinguished speaker OF the evening,
whom he said had voted with our Repre-
sentatives in Congress for the Burleigh
bill, which saved Maine one representa-
| tive.
Mr. Long was given hearty well
come, with cheers and generous applause.
Mr.. Long who ha journeyed so Tar to
address this gathering was born In
Pennsylvania; spent his boyhood In Mis-
souri,; was educated and admitted to the
bar in Kansas. His entrance into pub
lilo life was as state senator In 1889.
He was nominated for Congress, first, In
| 1899. but defeated. He has been renomi-
mated four times by aoclamation. His
district oomprises So counties, more than
one-third OF the state, ana In area equals
the State of Maine. In 1883 It went Re-
publican by 10000. The Fa rmers' ALI
ance-Popuiist craze that swept over Kan
sas the following years resulted In the
election OF Jerry Simpson from that dis
trict by 1900. In 1892 this majority was
reduced to ZOO Long aud Simpson
were opposing candidates again in 1894,
1896 and 1898 MIR. Long WAS elected In
1894; defeated in 1896; elected in 1895, AN d
reelected In 1900.
MIR. Long attracted the attention and
won the friendship OF Speaker Reed and
other Republican leaders In the bath Con-
gress by earnest Intelligent work and the
force and logic OF the one speech he de-
livered. In tbs 1896 campaign the Kan.
sas Republicans repeatedly solicited
Speaker Reed to make spsech in To-
| peka on his way to California. Finally
he replied that he would make one speech
In kansas provided he could make 1t in
to an immense audience.
At the opening of the present Congress
Speaker Henderson selected MIR. Long
to fill one OF the two vacancies on the
committee on ways and means. The
speech that he delivared last year on
the Porto Rico tariff bill attracted wide
spread attention and made him an envi-
able reputation. 1t was the only speech
delivered at this Congress In the House
that was reproduced in full in the ma
tionAl committees campaign text book
of 1900.
MIR. Longs public speaking has neces-
earily been confined mostly to the bar
and the hustings. His opponent has al
ways been the fusion nominee of both
the Populists and Democrats. The dis
trict has been in the doubtful list. He
regularly makes about l25 spe 'ches In a
canvass of his district. He has won and
made the district safely Republican
largely by means OF HIS organizing abili-
ties, which are OF very high order. On
all national questions MIR. Long has al
ways been sound to the core and in per-
feet accord with the national admins
tration.
MIR. Long was often INTERRUPTED by
enthusiastic applause. His facetious
references to Carrie Nation. who is
townswomAn of the speaker, created much
laughter but the eloquent tributes which
he paid to Speaker Reed, to Blaine, to
Nelson DingIey ana to Senator Frye
brought out cheers and great applause.
Mr. Long has powerful and far-reaoh.
ing voice and u magnificent presence. and
he held the closest attention OF his audi
encs from the beginning to the end. He
spoke as follows:
, Tonight, for the first time, speak to a
New England audience. l accepted the
Invitation OF the Lincoln club extended
through your efficient and faithful Repre-
} sentative in Congress, that might dis
ouss with you some questions OF interest
| TO the people of this republic.
1 appreciats this kindly greeting In the
old home of the greatest parliamentarian
of the fiTst century OF the republic. He
learned 60 count In Portland, and he did
not forget 1t IN Washington. He made
up his mind what ought 60 be done. and
then did It. he lived TO ges his oppon-
ents count quorum, and finally retired
TO private life with no reflection ever
having been made ON his personal integ.
brity, and after public career that
brouAht honor to his district and State.