New-York tribune., 1879-08-29
THE CANVASS IN MAINE.
NO DEMOCRATIC MEETINGS.

| DIsTRICT-THE sENATORsHGP.
IFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT oP THE TRTBUSEl
ELLSWORTH, Me-, Aug. 25.-I had intended when
describing the Republican and the Greenback can
vases In Maine to write letter the Democratic
canvass, but after traversing a large part OF the
State have not encountered q single Democratic
| speaker or seen any handbll or newspaper notice
announcing Democratic meeting. L hear thaV
Governor Garcelon aud L. f. Pillsbury have been
around to the county conventions to urge fusion
with the Greenbackers on county nominations ana
that while Garcelon addresses these meetings Pills
| bury helps the local politicians arrange the terms
of the trade. Besides Garcelon has made few
| evening speeches. There has not been thus
/ far however anything that could be called can
yass on the part of the Democrats. No Democrat
of reputation from outside the State is willing TO
compromise himself by taking the stump here to
| advocate the shameless bargain by which the DEM
ocrats Of Maine have sacrificed the principles OF haf
a century for few petty county offices and
chance TO control the Legislature. 1t Is said that
Mr. Pillsbury invited several prominent Democratic
| Congressman to come, but they all declined Civ
! ing him at the same time some advice on the
| folly Of fusons If his scheme should fall
they told him the party in Maine would be demor-
allied. and the party throughout the country con-
siderably damagedj if 1t shOuld.succeed 1t would
stimulate similar coalitions in other States, which
would be highly detrimental to the success of the
party as National organization Mr.. Pillsbury
pockets their advice and sticks TO his scheme,
which he knows affords the only possible chance
for him to get elected to the Senate.
! The absence of any effort to push the Democratic
state ticket and the fusons with the GreenbackeTs
| I'm nearly all the counties, have disgusted many
Stubborn old Democrats Everywhere | 90 hear
of Democrats who say they will not oountenance
the bargain to make Smith Governor, and will stay
! at home on election day. Democrat usually does
all his grumbiing before election and then votes the
straight ticket; but there Will be no straight Demo-
cratic ticket to vote in Maine outside OF
| the one County of Knox. Everywhere else
! Greenbackers are sandwiched in between
| Democrats for tho local offices. To regular
case-hardened Bourbon Democrat these speckled
tickets VIII not have an attractive look. How
many will reject them altogether cannot be fore
seen. But there will be unusually large stsy-at-
home Democratic vote, and great deal of scratch
! ing seems inevitable. According to report, Mr..
Pilsbury is alarmed at the signs of disaifection,
and means. If he can to muster force of Demo
| cratic orators and put them at work next week. 1t
will be too late. The campaign has got its set and
! the drift will not be changed by any amount of
| eleyenth-hour oratory. The bargain with the
Greenbackers will not be made any the less odious
! TO honest hard-money Democrats by any amount OF
! evcuses and explanations. Mr.. Piilsbury should
remember the advice of Don Quxote to Sancho
Panza and refrain from stirring up the matter any
| further.
This Is the district Eugene Hale represented for
ten years. He lives in Ellsworth I'm large white
house of old fashioned architecture, surrounded by
the elm trees, flowers and greensward, and flanked
by the big pile of corlwood seasoning for the Win
ters fires which are the adjuncts of every comfort
able villa Go home In Maine. Mr.. Hale's defeat last
wear was matter Of national interest. His loss was
serious one TO the Republican party in Congress
| He is one of the very few men who can
| carry the complicated business Of the House
| in their heads, who master Its rules
! and who are quick to sec where
| point can be made In favor OF their
| party or against their opponents by timely word
OF motion. good paramentarian, ready and
pointed speaker and a very ardent Republican, Mr..
Hale became, in his long experience, Invaluable to
his party and his colleagues were amazed that a
district so long faithful TO him should reject him
last wear for a Greenback agitatOr, Of no knowl-
| edge of pubc affairs aud of no ability to recon-
mend him to a constituency. have been interested
i'm learning the causes of his defeat Lack OF per-
sonal popularity had little If anything TO do with
IT, Most public men fail to keep the warmth and
glow of their early popularity as they grow more
and more engrOssed in the cares OF their positions,
and Mr. Hale was probably no exception TO the rulej
but he was still much the strongest man i'll the dis
trict and it was no lack of liking for him by the
people that caused his unexpected overthrow.
Neither did the ambition and mpatience of asplr-
ing men in his party have much effect The prod-
pious growth of the soft-money idea sufficient
cause for his defeat, and that was occasloned by
local circumstances. Times were much harder IN
this district than elsewhere in Maine The farms
are as a rule quite small, and not productive OF
much besides rocks aud the farmers exc out living
by numbering or fishing. Both these interests were
greatly depressed last year, and thousands of men
who had been accustomed 10 earning by one or the
other enough money to support their famlies,when
added TO the proceeds of their little crops of hay and
potatoes were seriously embarrassed. In their pow
| erty the soft-nOney theorists found them ready
| prey. In many towns the Grecnback notion be-
| came an epidemic, and seized upon three-fourths
| of the population Even stalwart Republicans who
| had never voted any other than a straight Repub-
! lican ticket since 1854, were swept away. The
| current has been checked and changed since then.
| Indeed il would nave checked itself without much
effort on the part OF the Republicans, for such fresh
cts of folly spend their force in a little time The
district has been thoroughly canya5Sed on the money
question this year, every village and hamlet having
| heard two or three strong speeches, and a small
! R.publican majority may be expected In place Of
| the Greenback majority of last year OF over 1000
| Next year, when the Grecnback fever shall have
fully run ITS course, the old Republican majority
/ will he nearly reganed.
| Mr. Hale will not, however, return TO tine House.
| He will be q candidate for the Senate before the
Legislature to be elected next year. and will not, OF
course, run for two offices. Senator Hamlin has
definitely announced his determination to retire
from public life tthe close of his present term, and
the field will be open for the ambitious young poil-