Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-13
AT PORTLAND, ME.

Portland, Me-, Feb 12.-Concressman
amos l.. Allen of the LIST Maine dis
trict announced at the 18th annual
banquet tonight of the Lincoln Club in
observance of the 99th anniversary of
the birth Of Abraham Lincoln that he
would accept another nomination for
reelection to Congress if it should be
given him. Congressman Allen. who has
had five nominations by reclamation
and five successful elections, was given
a fine ovation. Before making this
declaration. he said
when March, 1909 comes and our
splendid, courageous Theodore Roose-
Welt retireS for another Republican
President to enter, our party will have
been in power II consecutive years in
the White House, the House uf Rep
resentatives and in the Senate in COM
plete control of national AFFAIRS then
he reviewed briefly the country's pros
perity in those years.
The ether speakers were Congress-
men David J. Foster of Burlington,
Vt, and Joseph H Gaines of Charles
ton, w. Va, also Mayor Adam p.
Leighton of this city.
Congressman Foster in his address
said President Roosevelt had been
criticized for bringing about the pres
ent financial conditions, but he has
the satisfaction of knowing that if
his administration has accomplished
nothing else it has awakened the pub
lie conscience and taught the people
their duty to their own states. The
danger Of Capitalization of power in
the federal government has been elm
mated by the awakened people who see
to it that the individual state govern
ment performs its functions properly.
After saying that Bryan probably
will be nominated by the Democrats,
he declared that TO man can predict to
certainty whom the Republican par
ty will nominate for President, but
that ne was convinced that the Re-
publican national committee will be
a delibcrative body. that it will Sc
lect its candidate only after due de-
liberation and that the candidate Sc
lected there will be elected
Congressman Gaines after paving a
tribute to Lincoln and speaking of tie
influential part he played in estab-
fishing West Virginia as an indepen-
dent community at the outbreak of the
Civil War devoted the balance of his
time to n discussion of political issues
in the course of which he said the
present financial depression is due to
the fact that American people could
not stand prosperity, that the small
manufacturer was envious of the large
manufacturer and the man without
wealth was enviouS of the man who
had wealth and that those forces com
bined with the large manufacturer and
great capitalists had precipitated the
panic.
This same spirit of selfishnesS on
the part of manufacturers he said may
force Congress to attempt a revision
of the tariff before the financial con-
dition of the country will warrant such |
a step being taken.
He particularly criticized the manu-
facturers of Massachusetts, and a large |
part of New England for their desire |
to have placed on the free list ma
terials such as are produced in the |
central and western states and said |
the people of Massachusetts believe |
they may get a tariff bill which will |
protect their manufacturers at the eX- |
penSe Of the remainder of the country. |
Although Massachusetts in influential |
in Congress she and the other New |
England states are out-vOted, said |
Congressman Gaines. and those peo-
pie who are agitating revision never |
will be able to get tariff which will |
accomplish what the selfish New Eng |
land manufacturers wants accomplish |
ed. but they may force a bill which |
will be detrimental to their interests |
and he advised that the matter OF
tariff revision be carefully considered. |
Thera was an attendance of 400, be-
sides many ladies in the galleries.