The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-08-20
Address of Judge Robinson.

Before The Young Mems Republican Club
of Belfast.
Hon. Reuel Robinson of Camden address
ed the Young Mems Republican Club of
Belfast last Friday evening, and despite the
| fact that there happened to be band con-
cert at the time appointed the attendance
was rather larger than usual. Judge Rob-
insOn is logical, able and interesting
speaker and held the close attention of his
| audience for more than an hour. He said
| he was at loss how to address Republi-
cans who were as well informed on the
| issues of the day as he was, but if there
| were Democrats present he felt as though
he could talk to them. He illustrated his
| position by a story of young Campbelllte
preacher in a southern town, VINO began
holding services in an unused warehouse
| and was soon drawing people away from
| the local church. The pastor of this
church, disturbed by the diminishing of
his flock, decided to ask the young man
the methods he used to attract an audience,
the question. The young man replied: ut
is this way. You begin Monday to make
notes for your sermon. Tuesday you look
up references. Wednesday you begin to
write it, and then you memorlze 1t, and all
the time the Devil is looking over your
shoulder and knows just what you are
going to say and can counteract it. Now
tl,o a,,6 bp lift
my hat to the ladies and make friends with
the boys, and when rise in the pulpit Sun
day the Devil himself don't know what l
am going to say.
Mr.. Robinson said there were Democrats
who were good citizens, good neighbors and
good friends, and he could understand how
the veterans who had imbibed Democracy
with their mothers milk might cling to and
take pride in their ancient faith. But he
could not understand how young men could
ally themselves with a party that had no
settled principles or policy, party OF OBJ
struction and it is an encouraging sign that
the intelligent young men of today are join
ing the Republican party, the party OF prog
ress, as upon them will devolve the respon-
sbility of conducting affairs in the future.
He then took up and contrasted the records
of the two parties. The Republican party
was born to be confronted in its infancy
with the storm and stress of the Civil war,
and the fate of the Union was in its hands.
1t put down the Rebellion and struck the
shackles from the limbs of 100000 colored
men in the South and then was confronted
by momentous financial problems. 1t re-
stored the credit of the country, resumed
specie payments and established the policy
of protection, under which the Industries OF
this country have grown and prospered as
those of no other country have done. At
every step the Democratic party was found
in opposition. While there were loyal, pa
triotic Democrats who went to the front and
fought shoulder to shoulder with their Re-
publican brothers the party itself was dis
loyal Its issue in the days of the rebellion
was State rights. At a national convention
held in Chicago at time when we had our
feet on the necks of the Southern traitors
the Democrats declared the war failure
and demanded the withdrawal of the troops
from the south. The war left the issue OF
State rights as dead as julius Caesar. when
the Republican party proposed to resume
specie payments the Democrats opposed !;
but the country did resume and its money
was placed on par with that of the other
great nations of the world. The Democrats
then took up Greenbackism and sought IN
that way to debase the currency, but failed
in that. With sound currency and pro-
lection for our industries the country be-
came so prosperous under Republican rule
that the people thought these conditions
would continue under any circumstances
and that change of administration could
do no harm. So they elected Grover Cleve-
land and Democratic House, and a free
trade message from the president was fol-
lowed by the inquitous Mills bill, which
passed the House but was defeated by the
Republican Senate, thus averting disaster
and calamity for the time. The people saw
their mistake and returned the Republican
party to power at the next election. In 1892
they were again led astray, and in 1898 the
Democrats were in possession of the PreSi-
dency and both Houses of Congress for the
first time since the Civil War. Then follow
ed lOur years oI ulSdSteI. oahhs anu ouoi-
ness firms failed, factories were shut down,
and thousands were thrown out of employ
ment. Soup kitchens were established in
the large cities 1--WE had one in Belfast. Ed. }
and there was privation and distress every
where. The work of that single Democratic
Congress cost the industries and people Of
the country many billions of dollars and in
r., 1oav,
party returned to power, the Dingley tariff
bill was enacted, and at once business re-
yived, again smoke poured from the Chin
neys of the factories, the anvils sounded
the grand chorus of industry, the soup
kitchens were turned into workshops and
the country has ever since continued to
grow and prosper.
In 1909 tho DamOcratic isSua was frpe sill