The Portland daily press., 1882-03-04
A Bad Man.

From the Portland Adyertiser.l
The Congress hall organ, the True Issue
appeared to-day, and we now understand, fol
the first time, the grave objections
tions to the election OF Charles f. Libby to the
Office of mayor. We had supposed that a
man of Mr. Libby's ability-the True Issue
admits that-a native of Portland the True
Issue admits that too-familiar with city af-
fairs, with an excellent record as public
officer-the True Issue admits that-might be
gzod man for mayor. No we know better.
1t appears, in the first place, that Mr.. Libby
is member of the Cumberland club. We
believe he is also member of the Congrega-
tional club. But the True Issue advises Con-
gregationalists to vote against Mr.. Libby, be-
cause he belongs to the Cumberland club, and
if there is any natural antagonism between the
two associations, evidently the members of
the Cumberland club ought to vote against
him because he belongs to the Congregational
club. The True Issue publishes some OF the
rules of the Cumberland club, such as these:
No smoking will be allowed in the dining room.
No refreshments will be cerved in any room ex-
cept the dining room.
No dog will be allowed in the house.
These rules are certainly of an arbitrary and
tyrannical character. Pope's poor Indian
thought that heaven itself would be an un-
desirable abode
Unless, admitted to that equal sky,
His faithful dog shall bear him company.
A civilized community ought of course. to
resent the exclusion of the dog from the club
house. We hope the society for the preven-
ton of cruelty of animals will investigate this
matter 1t is not known that Mr.. Libby ever
objected to this barbarous rule.
1t is stated furthermore that Mr.. Libby does
Al Lar f1,n 10
ton of the liquor traffic is equally suited to
the needs of country towns and and cities. He
has no business to think on this subject, but
he does The result of his thinking is favor
able to the system prevailing in Massachusetts.
where each town regulates this matter for it.
self at the spring meetings. He would let the
people of Portland decide for themselves
whether prohibition here really prohibits; and
| if not, whether the trade cannot be put under
surveillance so as to do less harm than it does
under an Intellectual prohibition. The True
Issue appears to be apprehensive that MIR
Libby if elected mayor, might issue some sort
of proclamation abolishing the Maine law
| And vet there is a paragraph on the last page,
| which cannot be reconciled with this opinion
1t is this:
The fact is mayor nor any other officer, can
prevent the execution of the law. Even Mr.. Libby
with the notorious Joe Turkey as city marshal can
| not prevent the serving of warrants, Any person
| can complain and constables can execute search
warrants.
This is only seeming inconsistency. On
| the first page, the True Issue was advising
| Prohibitionists to vote against Mr.. Libby, or
| account of his opinions; on the fourth page
| the rumSelers are warned not to vote for him
because after all he can't help them. In the
| same way, the rnmsellers are notified, in an
other place, that If Joe Turkey is marshal fol
one year they will all be subjects for the poor
| house.
Mr.. Turkey was recently discharged from the
sheriff's Office because he proposed to vote fol
Mr.. Libby And this brings up Mr.. Libby's
conduct as County Attorney. In three years
$44 900 were paid into the county treasury from
LIQUOR prosecutions against $140 600 during the
three years before. The True Issue magnani-
mously says that Mr.. Libbys term as County
Attorney was "a marked snccess," but com
plains that Tukey, then city constable, was
employed to serve papers instead OF the depu-
ty sheriffs, thus making increased expense tc
the county for travel. Mr.. Tukey is said to be
good officer Sheriff Sawyer says so. Mr.
Libby thought so, and advised his reappoint
ment by Sheriff Dresser. AS he was not reap
pointed, Mr.. Libby chose to employ him in the
capacity of constable. This, of course, was
wrong. He had legal right to employ con
stable, but he showed headstrong aud per
verse disposition in employing good officer
whom he had unsuccessfully recommended fol
deputy sheriff.
Although Mr.. Libby increased the public
revenue from $4,000 to $4,000 as County At
torney, he cannot be credited with economy as
| member of the School Committee. The ex
| penses of the schools have increased. The
number Of scholars has increased, too, but thai
! is immaterial. Mr.. Libby has also procured
| the passage of an act of the legislature provid-
| ing for the Scratin de liste in the appointment
| of the school committee instead OF the scf'utsn
| d'arrondisSement as formerly. In other words
the committee is now elected on genera
| ticket and no longer by wards This is con
| strued as an injury to the Democratic party
| and the True Issue, which is all things to all
men, calls upon the Democratic voters tt
| ayenge the insult.
| Such are the objections to this bold bad man
| He is not only member of the Cumberland
| Club, and of the Congregational Club, but ht
has opinions about the Maine law and the
hardihood to support them by argument.
| the people of Portland want mayor withou
any opinions to speak of, they must vote FOL
some other candidate, If they want mar
| who does not dare or does not care to stand by {
| good subordinate officer, they must look else
| where. If they are of the opinion that the
| election of public officers on general ticket
as our four Congressman will be elected thi
fall-deprives any man of his vote, they cal
emphasize that opinion by voting agains
Charles f. Libby. NJ. Gambettas ministry
was recently defeated on this very question
| and there is no reason under heaven why We
should not do things in Portland as they do IL
| France.