The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-08-22
Hon. Forrest Goodwin

hon. FOffeSI SOOlWIl
In his Speech at Searsport Defines his Posi-
tion on Reciprocity and as to Taft and
Roosevelt.
During the meeting at Searsport last Friday
evening, when the Republicans held a very
large rally. and while MIR. Goodwin was dis
cussing the tariff ISSUE gentleman arose nj
the audience and asked, ''1f he might ask a
question" Mr.. Goodwin replied certainly. Do
| you stand for reciprocity with canada as pro-
posed by President Taft? AS quick as flash
| Mr. Goodwin replied II do not stand for it.
believe it is great danger to the State of Maine.
| (Applause.) 1t was mistake to advocate it, but
Mr.. Taft is not entirely responsible. Every
/ Democratic Congressman from Maine voted
/ for it, and the two Republican Congressman.
Mr.. Kinds and Mr.. Guernsey, voted against it.
My opponent, MIR. Gould, voted for it. It is
now written upon our statute books; it is still
burning issue in Canada, and while the Ca
nadans rejected it last year at their election,
! the two provincial elections held this year
have been carried by the Liberals upon this
issue. If the Liberals should return to power
at any time, and accept this agreement-there
is a very great possibility that they will and
that too at once--reciprocity would go into
effect at once. 1t would diminish the value of
every farm in the State of Maine. 1t is
dark shadow over our Maine HAmes 1t is
menace to the agricultural industry. 1t is
mortgage upon every farm.
CONGRESSMAN Gould and Senator Gardner
have been down here in Waldo County during
the last week. They have not said word
about Reciprocity. While they were here. two
attempts have been made in Congress to re-
peal Reciprocity. They were defeated by the
Democratic House. Congressman Gould was
paired in favor OF Reciprocity; Senator Card
ner the same Instead of being in Washing
ton looking after the interests of their con-
stituents, they are down here trying to explain
to you the Free Trade Doctrine of Democra-
cy, and why they, being in favor of Prohibi-
ton, are running on Rum Platform. Let
them define their attitude on Reciprocity to
the farmers of Maine. l say to you if | am
elected, shall vote and work against it to the
best of my ability. (Applause.)
"This leads me to another proposition. Sena-
->tor Hanson, Editor of the Waldo County Her.
aid, in yesterdays paper had an editorial in
which he states in substance that next week
he should publish an article showing that there
was grave possibility that there may be no
election of President by the people in this
campaign and showing how the constitution
provides for such an exigency. He states that
the present House of Representatives, of
which Mr.. Gould is a member, may be
exactly tied, inasmuch as the vote is cast
by States. and the matter would 60 to the
Senate, but that the Vice-President of the
Senate would act as President only until such
time as Congress might be able to fill
the vacancy, and therefore there might
be possibility of the election of president
coming into the sixty third Congress- and that
inasmuch as Mr.. Goodwin was likely to be q
member of that Congress, he ought to inform
the people whether he would vote for Taft or
Roosevelt if the question should come up to
him member of that Congress. l wish to
thank Mr.. Hanson for his kindness in assn m
ing that may be a member of the sixty third
Congress. l shall certainly try nay best to be
elected. (Applause.)
"Of course it is none of Mr.. Hanson s'business
as to how shall vote between Mr.. Taft and
Mr.. Roosevelt. Hei a Democrat and not in
terested. Lis sole purpose in asking the ques-
tion is to endeavor to stir up strife in the Re-
publican party between the Taft Republicans
and the Roosevelt Republicans. The Demo-
Gratis would like to get US into row before the
State election, but want to say to Mr.. Hanson
and his Democratic friends that he cannot do
this. Today we are all Republicans in the
State of Maine and we going to redeem
the State with united party and defeat Gov
ernor Paisted. (Applause):
at is of course, evident that there is only one
chance in ten thousand of any such PROPOSE
tion Mr.. Hanson puts up to me as ever COM
ing before me. 1t is almost absurd to suppose e
that the people will not elect somebody Presi-
dent, that the House will be tie, that the
Vice President will not serve or that some
legal luminary from nowhere in particular
would be able to change the constitution or
add to the constitution that the sixty
third Congress would ever have to act in the
matter,
"5ut Mr.. Hanson thinks it would be cowardly
on the part of Mr.. Goodwin not to inform the
Republicans of his district how he will vote as
member of that Congress and | am very glad
to answer him, although his language is more
forcible than polite in making his request; and
l say to Mr.. Hanson and his Democratic
friends that when l take my seat as a member
of the sixty-third Congress, as I expect to,
the Republicans of this district will have
voted in November for President. majority
of them will have voted for either Mr.. Taft or
Mr.. Roosevelt. Of course, l should not vote
for Wilson, as he is a Democrat and l would
rather have Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Rooseve than a
thousand Free Trade Wilson's (Applause. J
And l say that if majority of the Republi-
cans of this District vote for MIR. Taft for Pres
ident, l shall vote for him for President if the
question aises; and if the majority of the
Republicans of this District in November vote
for Theodore Roosevelt shall vote for Theo-
dore Roosevelt in Congress, if have a chance.
(Great Applause, cries of That's Good -
That's Fair')
'In other words. shall vote as my Republi-
can constituents instruct me to vote in No
vember. l shall leave it to the people to
decide. (Applause.) l was nominated by
Taft and Roosevelt Republicans in a square
fight in the Primaries and believe am going
to be elected by the solid support of the Re-
publicans throughout the State of Maine
(Applause.)
Again l wish to say to Mr.. Hanson that if ]
am elected Congressman, | shall support the
policies of Mr.. Roosevelt or Mr.. Taft whoever
may be President, earnestly, cordially and en-.
Enthusiastically, but only SO far as they are con.
sistent with my judgment and my conscience