Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-24
Daily Aennebet Journal.
Augusta, Monday MOrn'g, Feb. "a, 1879,
The March Elections.

call it by what name we please-has
taken the responsibility of initiating a red
hot political campaign to carry the town
and city elections that soon occur. They
have their speakers abroad in the State
some of them brought from other States
haranguing the people and urging them
to turn the annual town meetings, which
are peculiarly meetings for action upon
town affairs, into heated partizan assem-
blies big with the idea that their prime du-
ty is to vote up or down John Sherman or
the Rothschilds.
While it is true that general politics I'M
avoidably enter in some degree into the
general town and city elections, there has
never been since the existence of the State
such extraordinary preparations made to
turn them into purely political meetings
as are now witnessed on every hand. From
the array of speakers, the appeals of par
ty newspapers and the urgency with which
voters are invited to enlist under the
greenback democratic banner, we might
suppose that the choice of President of
the United States is to be decided by the
coming elections. rather than the simple
questions who shall be officers of the town
the ensuing year and what amount of
money shall be raised for the usual town
purposes.
The real object of the town meeting is
being perverted. Why is Leo Miller of
New York here at this time making politi-
cal speeches? Why is c. p. Brown of Ban
gor seen at Portland advising in regard to
the city election there? Why are Scion
Chase and other partizans of his stripe adj
dressing political meetings in various
places? Is it TO instruct the voters in re-
gard TO the management of their town and
city affairs? Is Leo Miller, as resident
of another State. Il fit person for that bust
ness? DO the citizens of Bangor know
better how to conduct the municipal con-
Germs of Portland than the citizens of the
latter do? 1t would be an insult of the
most aggravating character to the citizens
of Portland to assert such a thing. Every
town or city is justly jealous of its own
rights, none of which is dearer than the
right to manage its domestic affairs with
out the intrusion or interference of for
eigners. The object of all these move
ments is party!! 1t is political po,ccr
these men are seeking, not what shall be
the best for the communities where they
rant and picture in the darkest colors the
condition of the country.
Most remarkable of all is il that this
movement to turn the March elections in
to fiery political meetings is made in the
interest of that party which has tiercely
denounced in times past the slightest al
fusion to politics in the annual town meet
ings. 1t was an awful thing in their esti-
nation then for republicans to run party
ticket in the spring elections, though it
were done with moderation and due regard
to the interests of the town. Now all
that is changed, and foreigners are brought
into the State and paid for going up and
down il to fire the voters for a. hot po-
litical election in March as we usually
have in September. 1t is just what might
be expected of men who shodted for econ
omy and retrenchment in the last State
campaign, and in the legislature vote the
State printing to the highest bidder thus
showing that they have no scruples about
taking the peoples money from the treas
ury and squanderingi it upon political favor
ties.
Now we urge the republicans of every
town and city in the State to prepare with
confidence and courage to meet this polit-
zeal crusade of the opposition with full
ranks and every legitimate means neces-
sary to success. Organize at once. Work
with your committees. Voluntary effort
is our dependence. Every republican can
do something to aid the cause. Make the
best and strongest nominations possible.
While you put the good of yonr town or
city as the chief consideration, see to it
that the duty we all owe to the republican
party is given the just weight it should
have in all our action in this emergency.
Let us have harmony in whatever we do
Let fault-fnding cease The opposition
have forced political contest, let us not
shrink from making the test
During the debate in the House in re-
gard to approprlating money for the sup
port of the Soldiers Orphans asylums, a
greenback democrat suggested that the
poorhouses were fit places for these poor
children of our heroic soldiers to be taken
care of. What greater insult could be offer
ed to our soldiers dead or living than to de-
clare that the poorhouse is the proper
place for their orphaned children? Their
fathers sacrificed their lives to save the
country, and terribly mean would the
State be to refuse these children a decent
support until they are able to support
themselves. Out upon such niggardly,
unpatriotic, indecent economy