Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-08-14
IFfum Ihr Bost1n Journal
THE MAINE CAN IGN
JOSEPH l.. SMITH.
1sis On~r so Sac ertAe~ sh~ Esstv~ Gr~eA
Of sh~ ssr~eshseL Party aass wis.
ser a. sh- Bs~pssiiss. WssId
make sOtns Governor.
COPIES OF MS OWN NEROEINDi
AND AGREEMENT.


BANGOR, Ne, Aug. !. 1879.
4 few days spent lu Msine in special
examination ot the present situation par
ticularly relating to old coalitions al
tempted and new ones perfected. enable
ulc to present chapter OF political history
thai " Ill have some IateresI for all parties
I Ia the Pine Tree state.
Atter the election OF Las. year In Main. IL
became evldcal that the Republican senate
would have the power to determine ulti-
nately who shoald be Governor uI the
STATE. The Democrats and Grrenbsckers
uniting their forces had u majority OF The
House OF Representatives, though the Re
pgbllcans had a plurality. Under the con
sti,ution OF Maine when there Is no choice
Of Governor by the people IL becomes the
duty OF the House 70 select two candidates
from the four highest voted for. and send
their names to the Senate. aud from these
,wo il Is the imperative constitutional duty
oi the Scuate TO select the one who shall
be Governor OF the State.
IL became at once apparent when the
election was well over aad there ~as time
10 view the situation ;hal the d-mocrats
and greeubackers r. would unite in The II ouse
aud send the names of Garceloa snd Smith
10 the Senate. The Senate Is composed OF
81 members, and ~ OF those were republi-
cans and the minority Of III divided be-
tween the democrats and greenbAckers.
these twenty Republican Senators were
ti,o- 10 have the duty devolved on them Of
selecting The Governor for the political
year 1873.
AT once Joseph l.. Smith began to court
his old political associates. He was eager
- assure them that he WAS still q repuoli-
can 10 heart-,hst heWidered slightly but
not =, all lrreconcilably from his old party
on the tinancial Question-but that he MAS
heartily with them on the Southern Ques-
ton, expressing great indignation At the
bulldoZlBg practices in the Southern States
In the elections Just concluded. He WAS so
eager TO conciliate Republicans ard gain
favor with the Republican Seuate that he
had an interview with . most Trustworthy
reporter Of the Lewiston Journal, one OF
the most careful, correct and painstaking
papers in Maine. The editors Of tina, paper
vouch for the character OF the reporter
who interview I'd MIR. Smith. Mr.. Thomas
II. B. Pierce Of Dexter, And Mr. Pierce
vouches for the truth Of every word he
quotes from Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Pierce Ia q
democrat, having voted last year for Gar.
celoD. and 10 credited this year with an In
teution Of voting for Smith. Mr.. Pierce
says with great confidence that Joseph L.
Smith never has made IN authentic denial
Of his remarks In the ''intervieW" and new
er will.
To show the extent to which Smith was
willing TO 20 on the money question. l give
part Of the ''interview." The words must
be read. not as the expression OF Q sound
financial faith in all respects, bot - indi-
eating the readiness with which Smith
would throw overheard his Fiat money
creed II the republicans would agree to
make him Governor. Here are some Of
the expressions used BY Smith 10 the inter-
view:
'Do you think Al increase OF paper money
necessaTyr' we asked.
"I am Of the opinion that the volume OF cur
rency has been contracted too fHst," replied
| Mr.. Smith. more time should have been
taken to bring II sll about. 1t is with the Gov
eminent ~ with . man Of business. He pay
have large amount Of debts outstanding and
abundant means whefeWith 10 TO pay, but IL
he make immediate payment he must sacrifice
his property BY forced sales and ruin his busi-
ness by applying everything 70 the payment OF
his debts. Every business man realizes this.
But now that we have fealized oil the dissd-
vantages Of contraction" continued Mr.. Smith,
.'now that our property has shrunk in value.
| l. for one, am not In favor Of retracing our
steps in order to endure all the misery over
again. II has az got to come to tie GOLD
rdiae at last. II zoe Hor get dcay from Il,
| NHSh Oc N1VcJ1Ss TcuC1Sb ~ tSc Ss0<S h0o< 70
come back 70 il again sooner or later.
THINK WE HAD BETTER STAY"
|
Then there Il fat money" said we, san il.
sue, Of Government stamps which nobody viii
redeem. How do you regard that schener
Mr.. smith replied that - . man with some
property at stake, o well - the ss0e Eenera
Interest In the public welfare which sll eoet
citizens have, be WAS epposedto any scheme o
. currency which could aOt hQpe q COLL
sdlSe soneieAsre behind Il.
As soon - these words were publlshe.
they created stir In the State among sl
pArtiss. 1he Fiat Gesohackers bsesn {,
tsel that they were cheated In their caudi