The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-25
MIR. Blaine's Vast Wealth.
from the Kennebec Journal \

| eAS AASiii0OcC OOQrQal.l
Every now and then the Democratic nansp,
In Maine-and in other states copying from
those papers in Maine-bring against Speaker
Blaine the charge that he entered Conoress
"a poor man" in 1868 and is now a million.
| aire.
This is one of the stock stories of the PORT
land Argus and Bangor Commercial, repeated
very OFTEN during the present campaign. The
Argus, with that nice appreciation of details
which always distinguishes Mr. Adams, saws
that when he entered Congress "Mr. Blaine
lived in rented house and was not wor rth
three thousand dollars" We think the Argus
gives the precise amount of house rent paid BY
MIR. Blaine. The Commercial with still more
intimate knowledge of Mr.. Blaine's private
affairs, so naturally and emiueutly enjoyed by
Mr.. Emery, says that "Mr Blaine was COM
PEELED to borrow the money with which he
travelled to Washington when he entered
Congress in 1868
From 1854 to 1853 Mr. Blaine was one of the
proprIetors of this paper and for three years
one OF the State printers. For long period be
fore he was though tof for Congress. Adams and
Emery were in the habit of declaring that "Mr,
Blaine as State Printer had made fortune out
of the State of Maine"
One OF the most cynical wits in New Eng
land says that when a man has made up his
mind 10 deliberately lie. he is entitled to q
cnoice OF lies; but that he has no right to swear
to two lies on the same subject that contradict
each other. We commend this high-toned
maxim to Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Emery. 1t is
higher than they observe in their editorial
statements
In regard to the "rented house, of which Mr..
adams knows SO mueh,i may be proper to say
that when Mr.. Blaine entered Congress and
before he entered Congress, be owned and liy.
ed IN the same house that he now occupies. as
every one in Augusta well knows.
As very complete answer to all this sillv
groundless malicious twaddle of the papers
fe1erred to, we quote the subjoined paragraph
from the Pittsburg Commercial, one of the
most prominent and trustworthy journals in
pennsylvania. We quote it because of its
authoritative and conclusive knowledge, both
local and personal, in the premises. The Com
mercial says:
"Ope of the constant charges made by papers
OF certain class is that Speaker Blaine entered
Ooingress poor man in 1868, and is now
u
IS to be presumed the assertion is merely one of
tnose extravagant statements which belongs to
the literature of highly-spiced partisan Jour
nals But as to his being a poor man in 1862
every one familiar with the coal trade and the
value OF coal properties in our immediate vicin-
age on the Monongahela river, knows the as
sertlon to be completely at variance with the
iact; Long before 1868. indeed, as Jar back as
Me democratic administration of President B,t-
chdndh. 1t ,cas a1eU knoacn that Mr. Blaine
oaoned one Of the finest coal properties on the
Monongdheto, aoltich returned a much Lrruer
income than Congressional salary, mann years
6Jore ne eUer 1oGS candidate for Congress-
This fact the Alleghany County Registry Of
Deeds establishes in the most indlsputable
manner, and we refer to it simply to show how
wild and reckless certain papers have grown to
be in their charges against. conspicuous and in
huential Republicans.
1t should be stated, moreover, that the busi-
ness reputation of Mr. Blaine in trade circles,
where he is well known here stands very high.
Those who are familiar with his atten ion TO
details, his industry, his energy, his enterorise,
and HE integrity, fnt no cause for wonder in
the fact that he has become, not a millionaire.
but man of indepe' dent fortune destined
probably, in the development and advance of
bis property, ultimately to attain TO the posses
sion OF large wealth."