The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-18
Boston Journal)
The Democratic Spider in Maine.


Those who sustain the relation of auditors
and spectators are usually in a position to
judge better of the merits of performance and
are able to get a clearer insight into the de-
signs of the actors than are those who are in
any way connected with the spectacle. 1t is
barely possible, therefore, that the Democratic
and Greenback leaders in Maine who are now
engaged in what they advertise as "The Great
Political Reform Movement" will be judged
by the impartial spectator to be performing
charade derived from that well-known fable
entitled "The Spider and the Fly" the part of
the fly, which was of the most consequence,
so long as it was story, being represented by
the Greenbackers, while the Democratic plot
ters, who eventually victimized the fly, will
ably support the character of the spider.
Just now the Democratic organs and managers
in Maine are whispering all manner Of sweet
things into the ear of the Greenbacker. Both
tell the latter how, altogether, perfect being
he is, and almost sadly sigh that it is because
of their own imperfections that they are not
believers in the creed of that party which pro-
poses by an act of Congress and printing ma
thine to give everybody everything. Many of
llSSC OOIEOCIdtlC Ill N1alue arc SO uc-
lighted with the Greenbacker that they declare
that the Greenback candidate for Governor
shall have half the votes given last Fall for the
Democratic candidate. In the gush of their
affection-but in nothing else-they remind
one of the old lady parishioner of the Rev. Dr.
Payson, with whom he took tea, and who in
sisted on adding numberless spoonfulls of mo-
lasses to the tea of that excellent and devoted
man, against which he demonstrated, but
which she insisted on, with the remark: "Why,
Doctor Payson, the tea wouldn't be too good
for you if it was all molasses." Just now, and
until after election, or until the services of the
Greenback voter can be dispensed with, he
will be treated with the most effusive demon
strations Of regard by the Democratic spider.
There may be many men in Maine who hold
to Republican views on most national issues,
but who have been taken with this fiat money
heresy, and so taken up with it that they have
not been able to see the purpose of the Demo
cratic leaders. The fact that the Democrats
and those coming from that party secured
every office but one in the gift of the last Legs-
lature that was of any consequence, and that
the best offices in the gift of the Governor,
with single exception, have been given to
men WHO u year ago were democrats, ana VINO
will be as much Democrats as ever in 1880, has
doubtless opened the eyes of many. The Re-
may not be aware of all
the trading and manipulations that have taken
place since last winter. 1t may doubtless sur
prise him to know that his party platform was
seen and approved by certain Democratic man.
ayers before it was submitted to the Conven-
ton at Portland. If he is of an inquiring turn
of mind, he may ask himself why it was that
the State Committee of his party and that of
10 ha1d In, airI,
boring rooms at Portland and a meeting in one
room in Augusta later. If these Democrats
are hard money men, why are they in confer
ence with the leaders of a party whose only
principle is hostile to q currency based upon
metal? If they are really Greenbackers, why
do they make separate nomination for Gov
ernor, and why does the Chairman of that
Democratic State Committee declare in a re-
cent letter that the only issue in this campaign
is that which the differences between the
Democratic Congress and tire Republican Presi-
dent involves?
Let him seek an answer in the indications
thus far developed. The Greenbackers have
made Senatorial nominations in three counties
In Kenuebec, Democrat and trading Re-
publican were nominated, and two real Green
hackers who run last year were laid aside. In
Washington, two out-and-out Democrats were
nominated. In York, two of the candidates
were from the Democratic party and one was
Greenback Republican The Democratic Con-
vention, which was held the next week, in
dorsed the two candidates of Democratic ante
cedents or tendencies, but rejected the other.
Now let the Republican Greenbacker, who
has politically no confidence in or sympathy
with the Bourbon leaders in Maine-the Pills
burys, the Sanborns, the Andersons-watch the
action of all the Senatorial conventions and
nominations for Representatives and we ven
ture to predict that he will find that no out
and-out Greenbacker will be nominated unless
the combination managers are satisfied that
he will obey their orders.
And what does all this mean, he may ask.
Simply this, the Legislature elected in 1880
will choose United States Senator. Just now
the honest Greenbacker is being led to believe
that Solon Chase will be selected for that posi-
tion if the Democratic-Gre combination
controls majority of the Legislature. If such
men are selected by union of the Greenback-
ers and Democrats as have been nominated in
the counties referred to, Mr.. Chase will stand
no more chance of being made United States
Senator than of being proclaimed King of the
Cannibal Isles or Tycoon of China. Mr.. E. f.
Pillsbury, who has so lately distinguished him
self by malicious attempt to defame the mill
tary record of Mr.. Davis, the Republican can
didate for Governor, and who during the war
reviled Abraham Lincoln and bitterly assailed
the war policy will probably be chosen United
States Senator. If he should fail then the
choice would fall upon General Anderson of
Portland or some man who has been all his
days the bitterest of Democratic leaders and
the fercest denouncer of the war for the Union
and who, in the Senate would be to Maine
what Voorhees, is to Indiana. Further than
this, the adroit Democratic managers and
very few of the Greenback leaders expect with
such Legislature this year, to organize the
several Congressional Districts so as to ensure
the nomination of candidates in 1880 who, like
DR.. Ladd, if elected, will sustain all the meas
ures devised and dictated by the Democratic
Congressional caucus.
Our advices from Maine, public and private,
lead us to believe that several thousand Reprb-
licans who voted the Greenback ticket last year
either because they conceived that there was
some virtue in the Greenback theory or for
other cause, will not consent this year to play
the part OF the vain and foolish fly to the Dem
ocratic spider.