The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-30
He Will Neither Put Up Nor Shut

The appearance OF George Il. Gcuid, esq,
carelessly ''picking his teeth'' and asking
with unblushing effrontery that the editor
of the Calais Times should furnish evidence
Of the truth of the charges of bribery brought
by him against the Republ leans of Wash
ington county, appears to have created
strange doubt and surmise in that newspaper
office. 1t was feared this newspaper man
wanted the story for publication. The story
of the interview between the representative
of the Portland Advertiser and the editor of
the Calais Times has been told. The Times,
in its latest issue, explains to us why it did
not furnish Mr. Gould more information, and
even expresses regret because it told him
anything.
In describing the interview the Times
says: 'sUpon Mr.. Gould's assurance that
Mr.. Richardson was acting in good faith,
united to his prQtestations that it was hard
to come SO long distance on a vain errand,
we consented to give him the documentary
evidence then in our possession relating to
two cases Of bribery. He took notes of the
first while we were procuring the papers re-
lating to the second. But at this point a
casual remark which he dropped revealed a
purpose to publish whatever evidence he
received. Upon being questioned he would
not deny this, and we thereupon perempto-
rily declined to give him the facts in the
second case"
That is it exactly "We'' decline to give
the ''facts" in the case for fear they may
be published. ''We'' have so much doubt
of the allegations that ''we' do not care to
repeat them. ''We" cannot substantiate
them 'sWe'' dare not prefer these accusa-
tions against people of Washington county
because "we" fear that "we" shall be
made to suffer for slandering our reighbors,
for bringing charges Of dishonesty against
honest men, ''We" do notEhesitate to say
brbed and corrupted voters. That is a
vague and general charge, safe to make.
No penalties attach to wholesale SANDER.
The old laws against the common scold and
the gossip are no longer operative The
ducking-pond is dried up. As long as 1--WE"
do not mention names or give specific in
stances "we'' are in no danger of being
1nulcted in damages. "We' can libeleur
neighbors in the mass, but it is not safe to
libel them individually. That is the posi-
ton taken by the editor of the Calais
Times. He makes charges of corruption
and declines to substantiate them. lie Of
fers to furnish proof of those charges to a
responsible newspaper which questions
them, and when that newspaper puts in its
formal demand, he evades it. And then he
has. the impudence to place as title over the
record of his own shame, ''Thc Portland
Advertiser fails to come up to the Mark~
There is but one conclusion to draw from
the course of the Calais Times, the
New Era, and like papers. The peo-
pie of Maine will readily draw it.
These papers have made charges of bribery
and corruption at elections. Challenged to
give name and circumstance, they have re-
fused 1t is intimated that these charges,
of which their authors seem so thoroughly
ashamed, will be brought to the notice of
the Governor and Council. Let that be so.
If the Democratic and the Greenback par
ties in this State were spread upon the auc-
ton counters at the last election and put at
the disposal of the highest bidder we
want to know it. And let it be remembered
that the charges Of venality are preferred
by the Democrats and Greenbackers them
Selves They ought to know the style,
quality and price of the goods they have had
on their shelves so long The people of
Maine would like the particulars of the
alleged trade-'for publication" 1t is a
matter of common interest. The voters of
this State have right to know that they
may condemn those who have sold the priv
ilege of suffrage.