The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-09-08
A Grand Meeting


The first Republican rally Of the CAM
paign held In Coburn Hall, Thursday
evening last, WAS grand one. The au-
dience was large for a rainy evening and
a very attentive one and the speakers
were first class.
Mr.. Charles z. Young for the town
committee called the meeting to order
and announced Hon. S. j. Walton as
chairman. Mr.. Walton spoke very
briefly upon State Issues, referring to
the building of the Eastern Maine hospit-
other hospitals and institutions, the
very large increase of appropriations for
the State University, academies, high
schools and common schools in the state
and the establishment Of schools In the
plantations and the islands along our
sea coast.
The speech of Hon. James Wilson Z.
S. secretary of agriculture, the first
speaker, was one of the best and most
candid speeches ever made In Coburn
Hall, and could have been heard with
profit by every citizen of our town. In
Maine or 10 his state Iowa, he said, the
election was only a question Of the size
of the Republican majority. In these
states we do not get an adequate idea of
the character of the Democratic party.
In the solid south and In Tammany Hall
Is where the genuine article is found.
Parties are judged by their records.
The Republic IN party has made record
known and read of all men for 80 years.
The Democratic party has record also.
Three million men were idle while we
were last trying on Democratic admin
istration.
He referred to the 16 to theory of
finance, the attempt Of the st. Louis
convention to get away from 1t and the
failure of the gold plank in committee
by vote of 80 to 10. Thus the Demo-
cratic party failed to declare for sound
finances. That platform calls protect
ton robbery, but 1t is a robbery that
causes people In the United States to sit
down to better tables, be better clothed
and housed than In any other country In
the world and their children have better
facilities for education.
He alluded to the move made by Pres-
dent Roosevelt upon the trusts, explain
ing the celebrated merger case. This
case has made him exceedingly popu-
lar with the west and he will sweep
every state from the Alleganies to the
Pacific In November. Parker's claim
that the common law is sufficient to
handle the trusts is laughed at by law
yers.
Referring to reciprocity with Canada
he said during the eleven years we had
such reciprocity the trade balance was
against US, whereas before that period
and since reciprocity was abolished the
balances were invariably In our favor.
James G. Blaine said that reciprocity
with Canada cost Maine, $50 1000, 900
during the II years 1t was In force.
Secretary Wilson explained the Phil-
pines situation from the standpoint of
knowledge at first hand because of bis
membership In McKinley's and Roose-
velt's cabinets. The Spanish navy In
the Pacific was menace to the Pacific
coast, Its cities and commerce. Its dis
truction was imperative. He saw the
President write the famous dispatch to
Admiral Dewey to capture or destroy
the Spanish fleet. Responsibility came
upon us when that feet was destroyed.
Despotism modified by assassination
would have been the character of the
native rule under Aguinaldo. Germany
would have been glad to have had our feet
sailed away, but the United States could