The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-08-16
The Fnsionists' Hope.


II is safe to say that the only remaining
hone of the Fusionists in the approaching
election is that some few of their candidates
NAV be elected through the gracious favor
of Republican voters of scratching propen-
sities That there is no reason for them to
expect more than this is evident from con-
temptation of the vote of two years ago, and
an analysis of that vote in the light OF the
present condition of the canvass.
Assuming that there had been no changes
Since September, 1880, and no circumstances
which would tend to change the condition of
either party, it would undoubtedly be true
that the winning party in the present cam
paign would be the one which should best
succeed in bringing out its full vote. But, it
should be remembered, with the earnest
support of the straight Greenbackers, in Sep
TENDER of 1880 the Fusionists cast less than
two hundred votes more than the Republi-
cans, from whose ranks were taken, by the
detection of the Temperance men, nearly
five hundred votes. In November of that
year Scion Chase, the father of the Green
back party, led out from the Fusion camp
over four thousand voters, who with flying
banners and beating drums are as vigorous
~ assaiing Plaisted now as they cordially
supported him at the State election of 1880;
while it is also true that those Temperance
men whose detection caused Republican
defeat two years ago, are this year in hearty
accord with the Republican party, and are
among the most earnest supporters of the
ticket! With discord, generalization and
confusion in place of the close fusion which
10 1880 secured one hundred and twenty five
plurality for Plaisted; and over against this,
with the gratifying harmony in the Republi-
can ranks already adverted to in lieu of the
divisions by which they failed Of success two
years ago through lack of one hundred and
twenty-five votes, there can be no doubt
among intelligent observers of passing events
that a triumphant victory will this year be
the reward of the earnest work the Repubi-
cans are putting into the canvass.
The Fusionlsts clearly apprehend this fact.
They are sufficiently sagacious to read the
handwriting upon the wall, as reflected up
on the political horizon. Hopeless of gen.
eral party success, and unable to conceal
their discontinue at their utter failure in
attempts to inaGgurate anti-Republican
movements under the guise of so-called
Temperance or Independent organizations,
they are as last resort driven to despica-
BILE mode of guerilla warfare on the part of
their candidates in the hope of here and
there, by the gracious favor of Republicans,
electing candidate on State or county tick
ct that the inevitable defeat of their general
ticket may not be absolutely overwhelming
and irretrievable!
Accordingly, from their candidate for
Governor (who hopes to be the successor of
VIM. P. Frye in the United States Senate,
and will struggle for that prize at whatever
cost to his associates on the party ticket to
the nominee for the most Insignificant place
In the political grabbing they have made up,
the Fusion battle-cry from this time forward
in the campaign is to be, ''Each for himself,
let who will take the hindermost." In fur
therance of this plan earnest personal ap-
peals will be made to Republicans upon one
pretence and another, in the hope of here
and there alternating a Republican voter
from the army corps to which he owes fealty
and undivided support.
Such mode of warfare is not well-calcu-
lated to restore harmony among the Fusion
lists; but, on the contrary, it is reason ably
certain to widen the breach already existing
in the ranks of that party. 1t only remains,
therefore, for Republicans to close up their
lines and earnestly address themselves to
the task of browning the campaign just
opened with magnificent victory for the
Republican ticket in its entirety! Let every
Republican spurn with contempt any ap-
proaches for aid from individual candidates
on the Fusion ticket, as the faithful Union
soldier would have resented like advances
on the part of rebel bushwhackers in the
wartime! There must be no aid to the COM
mon enemy from Republican quarterst-his
| year of all years, the supreme moment in
Names political history! Every name on
the Republican ticket stands for Republican
principles and Republican methods as
against the miserable demagogism and utter
lack of principle of the Plaisted combina-
ton. Let the entire ticket be elected by
the same undertaking majority-that on the
evening of the 18th of September, when we
shall throw out our victorious party banner,
thejollity of that occasion may not be marred
by the knowledge of the fact that any Re-
publican has allowed his vote to be infu-
enced by petty feelings of personal spite and
malice.