The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-11
Lewiston Journal
The Greenback War.
The Two Wings Calling Each other Hard
Names.

The Greenback war grows sharper The
anti-fusion wing of the Greenback party led
by Fogg, Leo Miller, Blood, Hull & Co., who
favor paper money based ON ''faith," and the
issue of enough greenbacks to pay off the
bonds and 'set the wheels of business in mo-
tion;" and the fusion wing led now by Solon
Chase (who was swung into line), Treasurer
White Il Co., who favor gold and silver with
a supplement of greenbacks and the payment
of the bonds in 'coin according to existing
contract" are getting to tell stories about each
other that must sound unpleasantly to we'll
meaning Greenbackers who imagined they had
fallen into reform party.
"Uncle Solon' has taken off his coat, and is
publishing articles over his signature, denoun-
cling the anti-fusion wing, styling them "mis-
guided men," defending the idea of putting
gold and silver ahead of greenbacks, and in
sisting (see his Boston speech) that the bonds
must be paid according to the existing [coin]
contracts.
This assault has led the Fogg to ''skin''
Solon, for Inconsistency in this weeks
Chronicle. In the first place, the Chronicle
makes it public that Solon himself was at
first as much opposed to the Portland surren-
der as any one until something was brought to
bear upon him to make him see it in differ
ent light. What that "inducement' was the
Chronicle informs us as follows:-
1T is perfectly ridiculous for the Maine Rag
Baby to let its father go naked-of ofice-so long.
This must be attended to right off. The party has
only put him on the track for representative twice.
but he didn't come in on the home stretch in first
class style. 1t will be too bad if he don't get
that Senatorship promised for sacrificing himself
candidate Tor governor at Portland"
Passing from the defensive, the Chronicle
gives the following political sketch of Uncle
Solon:
Mr. Chase first Wing; then Democrat;
afterwards a Republican. During Johnsons ad-
ministration he was strong ,Johnsonte and was
appointed Collector of Internal revenue for this dis
trict, but was not confirmed He then became
Republican, and lastly Greenbacker. What he is
now the Portland platform will tell those who
interpret it,
The Chronicle thus exposes the movements
OF the leaders of the Greenback party:
I'VE had been at the Capital during the assem-
bling and inauguration of the Legislature and had
there witnessed the disgraceful methods by which
offices Were bought and sold. There we had wit
messed the growth of ring whose purpose was to
take, take the management of the new party into its
and worked. 1t was impossible for any one no
matter how fitted or what his services had been, to
secure an appointment unless he gave in his adhe-
sion to the plans of this power. The platform of
the Portland convention is the first visible step
accomplish indirectly what was intended by the Ma
tional Democratic party movement earlier.''
IO SHON ttldI ilc 10 DdCktu ny llC uOlleSl
Greenbackers, Mr.. Fogg prints in the Chroni-
Gle large number of letters to the people. A
Paris Greenbacker writes Fogg that three
fourths of the Greenbackers of Oxford are with
him. Horace B. Williamson of Starks tells him
that his denunciation of the Greenback ''ring''
sells the Chronicle. A Gardiner Greenbacker
writes him that Treasurer White has been laid
out by the Kennebec Greenbackers, and that
next winter he will be kicked out of office. S.
Gee, Orono, writes that he is opposed to the
Portland platform idea of paying the bonds in
coin. NJ. Kingman, Mariaville, don't go for a
Greenback platform that has anything to do
with gold. Geo. l.. Snow, Rockland, is op-
posed to the Portland sale. Sewall Golf of
Mexico, shows up Solon's inconsistency. and
says the Chronicle now has more friends than
ever.
NEARLY every Greenbacker who got an office is
now anxious to trade again to keep it. These Office
holders controlled the Portland convention and Sc
cured platform that will satisfy the Democrats
whether they believe in soft money not. If there
is no election by the people this fall, Uncle Solon
and c. A. White will sell the party again at public
auction, when the Legislature meets. By that time
the party will be traded out. Our convention will
be called and Bill Rust some other auctioneer
will be nominated for Governor. A mongrel plat
form will be adopted and the party called the Ma
tional Democracy. Uncle Solon will say it is radi-
cal practical and invunerable and them steers will