Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-11

more magnificent in its achievements.
| am impressed also with the fact that
l stand in the presence of the repre-
sentatives of one of the strongest and
most intelligent constituencies i'll New
England or in all the country-in the
presence of the representatives of the
historic old Third district of Maine.
| recall also, gentlemen, that for nearly
% years tnis great organiza ton has
controlled the fortunes of our own
State. L do not forget that for more
than 40 years this great aggregation of
talent and brains has formulated the
policies and controlled the destinies of
our magnificent country, with the sad
exception of four years-memorable
years-the last administration of Gro
Yer Cleveland. | do not forget-the
people of this country will never forget
that when it became certain that Gro
Yer Cleveland had been elected Presi-
dent of the United States. the stiffness
Of death lowered over our country, and
when Mr.. Cleveland marched to his in
auguration he marched over the slain
enterprise of his country-he marched
over the dying and dead industries of
his country. He saw labor turned to
idleness. He saw hundreds Of thousands
of the people of this country being fed
at the hand of charity He even saw
the fiocks and herds on the hillsides of
his country languishing and dying of
the murrain of despair.
He soon saw the daily balances in his
treasury growing less and less. and.
very soon he was forced into the mar
kets of the world to hire money to pay
the daily expenses of the government
Of the United States. Gentlemen. /
trust that in our day trust thatnever
again. such conditions shall recur.
Then. we do not forget that under
the lead of William Mckinley, the
grand old party resumed control of the
government and went on with its great
work, (applause) labor went to its
place. comfort and prosperity en-
tered all the homes of the land; great
issues We're settled; the 50-cent
silver issue was settled and settled for
ever. At that time the tyranny of
Spain in the West Indies where she had
crushed the people for centuries be-
came so harassng to our government
that it became necessary to send one
of our vessels down to Havana, and
You remember the Maine sailed into
that great harbOr to protect the inter-
estS of the United States; the vessel
named for the grand old north star;
the vessel named for the State that,
TRUE to her motto, has ever been in the
lead; and, in the language of one elo-
quent orator, Spain blew us up, but
down
everywhere" We were abroad in the
world, we were world power when the
Maine went down. William Mckinley
in his still, small voice, which was ever
potent. said to Spain: spain, once the
admiration and terror of the world, the
conditions have become intolerable and
you must surrender your sovereignty
and leave this continent" and when the
old tyranny declined that invitation,
so quietly, so pleasantly given, William
Mckinley told Admiral Dewey to sail
dowa to Manila bay and capture or de-
stroy the Spanish fleet. Admiral Dew
ny didn't know any better than to do
Just as he was ordered. He sailed into
Manila hay and destroyed the fleet
But Spain was not quite ready to sur
fpliutI, ana We were ODiLStd " Stlib
her great vessels to the bottom of the
sea at Santiago. Then she sailed away
forever. and the last vestige Of tyranny
was swept from the continent. And
then, gentlemen, pregnant with the
spirit of liberty and the love of justice.
we gave birth to Il new republic, which
has just been hurled into space to take
her course in the great constellation of
nations. | say to you that in all the
annals of history such a transaction
stands alone. Then William Mckinley
lay down his life at the dictate of red
handed murder. With a united and
grateful country behind him, with
more nearly unanimous endorsement
than ever came to any other Chief
Magistrate of nation, with the great
prospect laid out before him of the
wide world. we sometimes wonder why,
why? Why. gentlemen, the answer
that comes to me is the only one that
can come: GoG's ways are past finding
out Clouds and darkness are round
about His throne. We leave him to the
everlasting, eternal realities of immor-
tality. But, gentlemen, before William
Mckinley went away, this country had
become the most prosperous, the grand
est. the haDpieSt country in all the
world; and when delicate complications
arose in the far East. do you remember
how silent the world grew when it lis
tened to the voice of William Mckin-
ley? Do YOU remember that, today,
the great nations of the earth listen to
the voice of the American republic?|
Who ever listened to hear what Frank
lin Pierce had to say? Who ever lis
tened to hear what James Buchanan
had to say? Today, no nation on the
earth is so large, so important, and SO
tremendously powerful but that she
listens and waits to hear what the
American republic has to say. CAP
plaUse).
Gentlemen. in this tremendous ad-
vance, where has Maine stood? For 81
years since the inception of the great
Republican party Maine has stood to
the front. l doubt if any other State in
the Union has welded the influence,
has done so much in formulating the
political policies III controlling the for
tune and destiny of the country as the
State of Maine. And how has it hap
pened? How has it come about?
1t has come about by its wise policy
"a policy which you ought to pursue.
vii col