The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-09-23
philadelphia Press.l
Blaine's Answer to Barnum.

Mr.. Blaine takes up Mr.. Barnum with
pair of tongs and leaves him to squirm and
wiggle in disgrace before the country. Under
his blistering application the brazen, lying,
reckless statements of Mr.. Barnum are ex-
posed in their true character. Scorching and
crushing as it is, Mr.. Blainc's letter is calm,
dignifed and worthy of his high position. 1t
makes no random assertions; prefers no wan
ton charges; resorts to no coarse vituperation.
1t is a clear, straightforward statement which
carries on its face its own evidence of candor
and truth, and which illuminates the whole
question of returns in Maine. The chairman
of National Committee ought to speak with
the circumspection and sense of responsibility
which become his high station; but his letter
convicts Mr.. Barnum Of being reckless and
willful falsifer.
1t shows that Mr.. Barnum, in his blatant cry
of fraud, spoke not only what was not true,
but what, in the very nature of the case. he
knew was not true. The returns in Maine
come from the hands of the local canvass
ing officers. The Fusion gains were largely in
the more conspicuous Republican towns,
where the count was in Republican hands and
where the very fact of Fusion gains was proof
that they perpetrsted no fraud. So the Re
publican gains were largely in Fusion towns.
where the count rested with Fusion officers,
and where to charge fraud is to commit the
absurdity of charging them with perpetrating
a fraud against themselves. Even without
such evidence it is clear that there is no fraud
in the figures. The gains are too widely
diffused to warrant or permit any such charge.
They are scattered through wide range Of
territory. The returns have been received
more promptly than usual. In short Mr..
Blainets letter effectually answers this baseless
accusation of a defeated and bafded party, and
leaves nothing more to be said.
1t was, indeed, piece OF unblushing effron-
terry and impudence that tins cry should eman-
ate from the perpetrators OF the infamous
Garcelon steal OF last year, and that it should
come from the lips or the pen OF Mr.. w. ID.
Barnum. No more monstrous crime against
the honest verdict of the people was ever COM
mitted than the audacious usurpation by which
Garcelon and his associates attempted to cap
ture the State in defiance OF law and III con-
tempt of the public will. An outcry from
them against fraud is as precious performance
as sermon on virtue from street wanton.
And then think of the pure, deiectable Bar
mum raising his hands in holy horror over the
thought of fraud How it must have shocked
his innocent and guileless nature A more un-
scrupulous politician never took the sceptre OF
leadership. He became distinguished in 1875
as the mule buyer of Indiana, and he was
known long before then as a man ready to re.
sort to any degree of fraud, corruption, and
chicanery to accomplish his political ends. he
is a dangerous man because ne is adroit, per-
sistent and unprincipled, and in view Of his
own well known flood of money poured into
Maine his whining cry of fraud is as ridiculous
as it is brazen.
The Rennblicans have made positive gain
in Maine Two years ago they were in a mi
nority of over twelve thousand. Last year
thew were in minority OF nearly a Thousand.
This wear, whether the Governorship is unde-
cided or not, they have made clear advance.
parison. In spite of the Greenback detection
the Republicans have gained 5000 on their
vote Of 1876, and on that and the whole record
they can take heart for more determined ana
confident work,