The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-16


A Growl at Massachusetts, Rings-Why
Talbot Withdraws-The Question Of the
Succession-A Word About Murray-A
Boston Excursion to Maine-The Green
backer McIntire and his Folly.
BOSTON, Aug. 11th, 1879.
Politics will not "boom" this month in
Massachusetts. The frantic efforts OF the
Globe, Buffers property, are unavailing.
There is no Butler enthusiasm, nor do believe
will be this fall. 1t will be impossible to raise
an exciting campaign without more clearly de-
fined issues. The Greenback nonsense is a
dead issue in this State. No one attempts to
maintain it. The Greenback- Butler party has
come to mean nothing but collection of sore
heads and disappointed politicians. Every Re-
publican who fails to get an office and every
one who is removed from the soft one he has
held thinks himself the most abused man on
EARTH So he turns anything to retaliate on
tie party which has bolstered him up for years.
Such man is a worthy champion of both But
ler and the Greenback cause. Being neither a
Civil Service reformer nor an honorable man
he naturally seeks fit companionship. During
the past two or three years when times have
been hard and business dull, there were un-
questionably many honest, well meaning, but
misguided men, who joined the Greenback
party. Without analysis its theory appeared
to be a sound one and one which could be put
into practice with good results. In their des-
peration they thought nothing could be worse
and anything might be an improvement. All
the honest ones among them, now that times
have improved in direct opposition to their
views, desert the old craft. I still believe, as
have for five years past, that there is room for
third party, whose principles should be OF
the very loftiest. The foundation should be
honest finances and honest civil service. The
Republican party is doing more in that line
Just now than before for some years. 1t is do
ing all that is being done.
There were some things about our Massa-
chusetts politics which needed reforming.
There are some things which still need it. The
State itself has been pretty well purified, but
many of our cities are still controlled by rings.
believe that Immediately after the war set
of men got control of politics in this country
who were corrupt. They formed rings and one
of their strongest aids in many places was that
noble institution, the Grand Army. 1t often
became tool in the hands of these low politi,
cal tricksters have seen it in all our Massa-
chusetts cities. They were run by ring and
no one else could get anytkind of show. Why,
T remember two years in Lynn when the sue
| cessful candidate for mayor was nominated In
small grocery store by dozen men. The
most Objectionable men were nominated and
elected These things threw the State into
other hands in 1874 They gave Lynn, Law.
renee, Gloucester and other cities their present
disgraceful city governments Uness t5in aha
party there will be another overturn there.
Salem needs it bad. A set of greedy hounds
have controlled her politics for the past ten or
twelve years with a few exceptions, and especi-
ally during the last three. Under their man
agement the city has gone from two-thirds Re
publican to the brink of defeat by com Dlned
opposition Her mayor has been one OF the
most distasteful men possible. He Is Just sucn
man as imagine old man Tilden to be. "A
self-opinionated, cross grained, childish OLD
man. A man who thinks that because the
public crib has supported him all MS Ii1e IL
must continue to do so. Now such men in!ure
the party and it is just as well to look things
fairly in the face before they become SO grave
as to prevent remedying.
think it can be safely said that Gov. Talbot
will not be a candidate for reelection this year
have it from personal friend OF ms tnas ne
will send letter to the Republican state Cen
trail Committee at its next meeting 1ormany
not find the office personally congenial and It
interferes with his business. Again, L tnink
he fears the effect of his signing the CIVIL daH-
age bill. 1t was bad move and one whlcn
has done no good to the temperance cause OF
any other cause. Here are seven monsns OF
the year gone, and nothing done under the law
and no prospect that anything can be done.
One or two suits have been brought, but they
are not likely to amount to anything. In tne
event of Talbots withdrawal, l suppose Llent.
Gov. Long will be nominated. Gen. Devens
would run better than any other man IN the
State. but suppose Mr.. Longs claims. are
too strong to be ignored. Long will certainly
make good Governor. do not think Henry
l.. Pierce would accept nomlnatlon anu II W no
would question whether he would run wen;
He is known only as "Mayor OF Boston, and
fifty miles from Boston very little known LOT
ANYTHING I do not mean to say that he Is not
clean and able man, for he is. bostoh heFoI
had better Mayor.
Some of the papers are little too hard on
Murray. The only tronble with him was, he
had too many irons in the fire. Had he STUCK
to the pulpit or the Golden Rule he would
have been successful beyond question. Mur-
doubt if he ever had much, though L nave
heard him preach sermons in Park street
church which gave that place renewed claims
to the title of 'brimstone corner" Whether
Murray Ielu AT nedrt WHdt n0 Pic"ehe.. 49,
ton. However, he could not continue 10
preach what he did not believe, and ne began
preaching what he did believe. This OF course
the good old deacons could not endure, and 50
he had to CO. Murray believes in God and
morality, and that is about all. He was too
hetorodox for Park street, and too Orthodox
for Music Hall. Had he shaped his course
properly he might have been second Iheo-
dore Parker. He had the ability, and the op-
portunity offered itself. Boston was and Is
waiting for some such master mind to preacn
the doctrine from the platform OF Music Haii.
She will support the man who does 1t. rev
have the ability, and those have not the incli-
nation. Murray's influence on the religious
world of Boston and vicinity has been beyond
writings have been widely read and exerted
great influence. believe he will come forth
from the present troubles unscathed. AT any
rate let us wait until we hear his side.
Mr. Weeks, of the Portland Steam Packet
Company is arranging for an excursion ticket
from Boston to Portland by steamer, and to
Lake Sebago by rail, and return, all for $500
1t will certainly be very popular. me ne eacar, a
davis tour in the midst of splendid rural
scenery.
see that fellow named Mclntire, from
Salem is talking Greenbackism in Maine.
The less stock the people of the State take IN
him the better. He is politically bankrupt
here, and his financial education is very linz
tied. heard him lecture on political economy
once, and two-thirds of his address had been
cribbed from Goodwin Moody's lunatic book
on hard times. He is all right enough per-
sonally, but no more fit to talk politics than
barking dog. SCOTT.
belfast Journall
The Chairman of the Greenback