The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-06
THE FIFTH DISTRICT.
The Congressional Nomination Captured
by the Communicative Honest Farm
err OuigeneraIeh and Ouivoted.

Full reports Of the Congressional Conven-
tlon IN the Fifth District show it to have been
gathering such as Citizen Schwab, the New
York Communists, would have felt proud to
head. With the exception of Editor Whd-
den OF the Calais Times there were no dele
| gates IN attendance but from Knox, Waldo and
Hancock counties, and these came very largely
from the towns where stonecutters and miners
are employed. Tue Belfast Age, whose editor
may be properly regarded as the father of the
Greenback movement 10 the Fifth District
admits that the Convention was controlled by
Trades unions. TIE result was victory for the
sentiments of the Camden Herald, which re-
Gently announced that the cry this fall in case
tne Nationals were defeated would be "ViUe la
Conanaune!' The Conservative wing led by
Editor Rust, was outvoted and outgeneraled.
The honest farmer was beaten By the commu-
nistic stonecutter, and went home disguised
and alarmed.
The very first speech in the Convention,
made by Mr.. Campbsll of Rockland, was
Violently communistic one. Bread or blood
was his watchword, and he bitterly denounced
the refusal of Congress to reduce the army as a
menace to the laboring man. Judge Knowlton
OF Liberty claimed the credit of being the first
man in Waldo county to advocate the breaking
OF the pledges of the Government, by taxing
the bonds which it was solemnly promised
should not be taxed. He described bankers as
being men raised upon a platform far above the
heads of the workers, to whom Government
says, I'VE will uphold you By bayonets,"
while to those in the dirt it says, "you must
support those men in their high positions"
We will have that platform down, said he.
This convention will do m 1ch for the laboripg
man. 1t will agitate the world.
The Toledo platform was endorsed. after
which E. D. Merriam of Camden offered re.
solve pledging the National Greenback party
OF the Fifth District to support no man for
once unless he be an active member of the
temperance cause. A scene of great confusion
Immediately ensued. The charm announced
the resolution carried when shouts of. doubled
coupled with such cries as ''that will kill u.s..
what will the farmer do who makes cider"
arose from every quarter of the room and were
not qaieted until the chairman reversed his
previous decision and declared that the resolu-
ton was not carried. Men who threaten to
raise the cry of "Vioe Ia Commune" must have
rum.
Then the CoDveation proceeded to nominate
a candidate. Three names were pro
posed, Thompson 81. Murch of Rock
land, w. NJ. Rust of Belfast and
W. W. Perry of Camden. The crowd yelled
"Lets have them out and shook up to see
what they are made Of" They came out d.
rectly and each made little speech. Mr.. Murch
said he had never spoken in public. He
came to the convention as workingman, not
as politician or speaker. "But' added he,
elf you do me the honor to nominate me you
will never regret it," Mr.. Wilder w. Perry
said his work was we'll known. he had been
about making speeches and working for
the Greenback cause His reputation as a
young man was too dear to him to have IL !
brought in question. He was guided in his acts
by the love OF humanity purely. '.If" said he
dramatically, we do nothing now for our rights
We shall be slaves, and this country will be a
monarchy" The effect of this fearful utter
ancs would have been greatly heightened by
suddenly displaying a red flag, but Mr.. Perry
forgot TO do SO. Mr.. Rust then fiourished his
record. He like Judge Knowlton had adyo-
Gated the taxation of the bonds. He had
always opposed resumption, favored the silver
Dill and was now an ardent supporter of the
Toledo and Lewiston platforms. He knew
what it was to labor. For the past ten years
he had labored fourtesn hours day on news
paper. Hs didn't want thu suffrages of the
Convention unless they came as free as water.
The first ballot showed SO votes for Murch.
Il for Rust, IL for Perry and for Knowlton.
Then the hostility of the rival Green back
editors, Rust and Perry, cropped out. Perry
perceived that he could, not get the nomination
for himself, but he also saw he could secure
an endorsement for his communistic sentiments
SO he handed over his eleven votes to Murcb.
with the remark, evidently aimed at Mr.. Rust,
that Murch sis man whom we can trust"
And Murch was declared nominated and the
capture of the Fifth District Greenbackers By
the Communists was complete. Mr.. Kust left
the hall in disgust before the ballot WAS an.
nounoed.
The result of the convention is an acknowl.
edged disappointment to every honest Green
hacker in the Fifth District. The nominee was
formerly a rabid Democrat and now is an
avowed communist. He has no qualifications
at all for the office for which he is nominated.
He boasted before the Convention of The fact
that he was without education and seemed to
consider this bis strongest recommendation and
the Convention seemed to think so too
The Belfast Age intimates pretty plainly that
it will not support him considering him an un-
suitable man. 1t looks as if the only advocate
be will have in the District will be the Camden
Herald. The Journal ironically bswails the
fate of Mr.. Bust aud says the "homs loving ele-
ment of the Greenbackers will scarcely care to
array themselves with the the crowd that
yelled and domineered the Conve1tio and be
dragged along to aid in its concealed purposes"