The Portland daily press., 1875-08-30
The Democratic Joey Ra. stock

To the Editor of the Press
notice that your paper has given the Hon.
Charles HI. Haskell some mighty fine notices
during the past few years. These 1 suppose
are in recognition of Mr.. Haskell, the business
man, and of Mr. Haskell, the social man, but
not in Acknowledgements of Mr. Haskell, the
politician. Whatever you have said Of him n
business and socially is all right, but Mr.. Has
kell is trickster in politics. Ever since be got
the taste of blood by being elected to the Legis-
lature in 1870 he has been the most uneasy Of
the ambitious politicians of his party. The
next year he ran for the Leg stature and sue
ceeded in leading his associates on the Demo-
cratict icket by having his name inserted 10
Republican ticket Now this isnt exactly ON
the square, certainly not statesmanlike.
The first year Mr. Haskell was a candidate
for Senator his name turned up in fac simile
of the Republican ticket in place of one and
another of the Republican candidates. OF
course Mr.. Haskell didn't intend to deceive any
unwary voter By this neat diversion. Last year
the same thing occurred again. Was it mere
chance? Is it straight manly thing to do?
Is it just decent thing for full grown man
to have done?
UT lew uayS Il nave Deeu lookup aILtr our
Senator Haskell. l find his tracks here and
there, and have learned of some of his tricks.
In a day or two the Argus will doubtless print
an article assaulting the character of Mr..
Merrill, the Republican candidate in the east
ern part Of the county. The Senator is behind
this and on election day there will be plenty
Of Republican votes iu that section not having
the name of th, Democratic candidate Of that
section inserted, but that of the Hon. Charles
Il. Haskell. Up in Mr. Tolman's section Re-
publican votes will be circulated with Mr..
Haskelrs name instead of Mr. Tomsns.
Doubtless the attempt will be made in this city,
but all the votes Mr.. Haskell gets OF James
Bailey will be by the questionable use of
fac-simile of the Republican vote with Mr..
H. name in place of Mr.. BIS This is worse
than bribery; it is stealing votes.
L am quite confident that quite a number of
Mr.. Haskelps political friends have been a little
jealous at his attempts to show that he is q
particular favorite by these tricss, which Joey
Bags ock would call ''de-vilish sly." Mr.
Haskelps political career has been quite a
checkered one. First Whig; then in that
uscertain period, which developed Whig ilto
Straight Whig or Republican, Mr. Haskell
is reported to have been o very enthusiastic
Know Nothing. From Straight Whig he
went to the Democratic fold, where be re-
manned through the war and now is
Mr.. Haskell is very eager to parade the
alleged faults of his Republican opponents and
magnify them into crimes. OF course he
assumes that he is not living in glass house.
But if you are model Senator, Charles, why
did you attempt to have the Cumberland dele.
CATION il the last Legislature ask that body to
authorize the County Commissioners to hire
tocenty.fre thousand dollars to build the Jail
workshop, when Mr.. Townsend OF the Com
missioners said that t,oenty thousand was all
that was required? Is this the sort Of gushing
legislation that you think the taxpayers OF
Cumberland desire? Will your constituents
than you for offericg the Commissioners more
than they asked for? Wouldn't this little
exhibition of generosity be considered quite
crime in Republican?
And 1 hear, Mr.. Haskell, that you are play
ing fast and loose on the liquor law question
that you tell temperance men that you and
others of the Portland celegat;od were instru-
mental in keeping license plank out OF the
party platform, aud at the same time are saying
to those who believe in license that you are
with them. Are you trying to ride both OF
these horses, Charles? 1t is risky. But more
hereafter. ANrtbAGsrocK.