We  were  all  of  us  most  concerned,  of  course,  about  the
working-man  and  his  dinner  pail,  —  whom  the  Democrats
had  wantonly  thrown  out  of  employment  for  the  sake  of  a
doctrinaire  theory.  They  had  put  him  in  competition  with
the  serf  of  Europe.  Such  was  the  subject-matter  of  my
own  modest  addresses  in  this,  my  maiden  campaign.  I  had
the  sense  to  see  myself  in  perspective ;  to  recognize  that  not
for  me,  a  dignified  and  substantial  lawyer  of  affairs,  were
the  rhetorical  flights  of  the  Hon.  Joseph  Mecklin.  I  spoke
with  a  certain  restraint.  Not  too  dryly,  I  hope.  But  I
sought  to  curb  my  sentiments,  my  indignation,  at  the  manner
in  which  the  working-man  had  been  treated;  to  appeal  to
the  common  sense  rather  than  to  the  passions  of  my  au-
diences. Here  were  the  statistics !  (drawn,  by  the  way,  from
the  Republican  Campaign  book).  Unscrupulous  dema-
gogues —  Democratic,  of  course  —  had  sought  to  twist  and
evade  them.  Let  this  terrible  record  of  lack  of  employment
and  misery  be  compared  with  the  prosperity  under  Republi-
can rule.
"One  of  the  most  effective  speakers  in  this  campaign  for  the
restoration  of  Prosperity,"  said  the  Rossiter  Banner,  "is
Mr.  Hugh  Paret,  of  the  firm  of  Watling,  Fowndes  and
Ripon.  Mr.  Paret's  speech  at  the  Opera-House  last  even-
ing made  a  most  favourable  impression.  Mr.  Paret  deals
with  facts.  And  his  thoughtful  analysis  of  the  situation
into  which  the  Democratic  party  has  brought  this  country
I  should  convince  any  sane-minded  voter  that  the  time  has
I  come  for  a  change."

I  began  to  keep  a  scrap-book,  though  I  locked  it  up  in
the  drawer  of  my  desk.  In  it  are  to  be  found  many  clip-
pings of  a  similarly  gratifying  tenor.  .  ..
