Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-14

The Fifth District.

racy Will hnd MIR. r. "A. PIke heavy load
to carry. They we're warned of this by the
Belfast Journal, their party organ, before
the convention, which advised them and
strenuouslv urged that such nomination
was not polite.
The principal dissatisfaction which APP
peared at the republican convention that
nominated Mr.. Hale was with a portion
of the Waldo county delegation, who
claimed that the nomination belonged to
Waldo on the score of locality. The con-
vention manitesting itself against admit
ting their claim, they withdrew aud took
no part in the proceedings. Nowif these
Waldo republicans had been presented
with liberal republican candidate for
Congress in their own county, the bait
might have been tempting; but when
asked to support a man in Calais, at the
extreme eastern end of the district, the
argument of locality is in favor of Mr..
Hale over Pike about as Ellsworth is
nearer to Belfast than Calais is. We do not
know that any republican in Waldo would
support Mr.. Pike nominated as he is by
the democrats, under any circumstances,
but we do know that the argument of To-
cality will not serve them rs an apology
should any of them be inclined tc support
him. II the argument is worth anything
Hale has the advantage.
| But the contest between Hale and Pike
is not to be over that OF any other local
question 1t is to be on the broad ground
of national politics. Mr. Hale represents
the principles of the republican party.
ic party, represents its principles and
would carry them out in Congress if he
were elected. Mr.. Hale looks to the re-
publican party alone for his support. Mr..
Pike leans upon the democratic party. All
republican papers in the State support Mr..
Hale as the regular republican candidate.
All democratic papers support Mr.. Pike
as the democratic candidate Mr.. Hale is
fairly and honorably entitled by party
usage as we'll as by faithful and honorable
service to the vote of every republican in
the district. And we venture to say that
every true republican will support him.
II there is any republican who will not
support him it will be from personal
pique, or from infidelity to the republican
cause
1t is said, we believe, that Mr.. Hale has
not given satisfaction in some of his APP
pointments. What member of Congress
ever did satisfy all applicants for office?
Mr.. Pike came as far from it as any body.
With his experience in the difficulty Of
making appointments he ought to be char
table to others who do not give perfect
satisfaction in filing the custom houses
and post offices but we learn that one of
his principal grievances is that the offices
in Calais have not been filled to his liking.
Is this sufficient reason for a man chang
ing political parties, especially one who
has been honored with its greatest IA
vors? Mr.. Pike should be ashamed to give
such miserable apology for turning his
coat.
We always regarded Mr. Pike as an able
man, but Mr.. Hale is his equal in ability,
and has manifested much sounder udg-
ment in his political course and accom-
plished far more for the Fifth district than
Mr.. Pike ever did Mr. Pike made
great mistake in advocating the payment
of the five-twenty bonds in greenbacks.
1t was long step towards placing him
where he is now in the democratic par
| ty. OF the same character was the plan
he brought forward for taxing United
States bonds indirectly by levying spe-
cial tax on the interest Both of these
measures We're anti-republican and essen
TALLY democratic. Mr.. Pixies district was
against him on both. They We're too hon
est to endorse anything that looked like
an attempt to dishonor the national credit
In regard to shipping, Mr.. Pike spoke
well and ably for relief to that interest,
while member of Congress- but his let
ters from England in 1869, arguing that
the days of wooden ships and sails were
over, made an impression in Congress
and out that was decidedly untavorable to
those who We're struggling to restore ship
building. 1t was serious blow at u crit
ical juncture. Every shipbuilding town
in the Fifth district felt it. The Maine
delegation in Congress found the battle
going against them. But they clung to
the ship, and at the last session they car
ried their measures triumphantly. gaining
the relief for the ship building interest
which will put it on its feet again and send
our flag into all parts of the world as in
the days of our greatest national prosper
ity.
The passage of the measures for the re-
let of the shipping interest was a hundred
fold more important for the Fifth district
than all which Mr.. Pike did for his con-