Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-23

VIII - sent froa now una1l the close oi
the Otase campaign for o1.3S.
-..-.-
TriclEed Again.
The nomination of Mr.. Ladd as can
didate for Congress is another victory fol
the bourbons over the greenback fusion
lists. Mr.. Ladd is As pronounced dem
Ocrat - occupies a seat in the national
house Of representatives. But the con.
vention which nominated him was called
to nominate q greenbacker. to fill one Of
the two places upon the Congressional
ticket allotted to the greenbackers in the
division of the honors. In the result
the greenbackers are completely tricked
The democrats controlled the greenback
convention. The nominee is their man.
They own him, and command his vote in
Congress whenever they want it. They
bullied the greenbackers out of their
choice. Only the day before the
convention the Bangor Commercial
accused the opponents of Mr.. Laid
Of using money and other corrupt
means to carry the convention against
him, and threatened so strongly
the defeat of any man who might be
nominated against Ladd that the green
hackers lost courage. and permitted him
to win in the contest. It was a very sharp
trick. but 1t remains to be seen whether it
will be as successful at the polls as il was
in the Convention.
The meagre majority by which Mr..
Ladd was nominated, after the desperate
efforts of his friends. is fact not very
pleasant for that gentleman to conten-
plate. A majority of only eight votes in
total of 272 cast. where the fight was
bitter. and the opposition beaten by unfair
means, and democratic influence exerted
itself 10 the utmost to foist democrat
upon greenback constituency, affords no
ground for hope of election. Mr.. Laid is
beaten at the start. He will go into the
canvass doomed man. His support BY
greenbackers will have no heart in it.
They will feel that his nomination was an
insult to them. and will rejoice to see him
60 down to merited defeat.
The bill passed Monday by the House
in regard to the settlement of contested
election cases will. if 1t becomes a, law,
make an important change in the matter
Of conducting contests in such cases.
Under the present method of procedure,
the person who obtains from the Governor
Of his State certificate of election can
usually manage to hold his seat for one
session Of Congress at least, and not in
frequently for the whole Congress, bar
ring the last few days of the last session.
no matter how clear may be the title of
the contestant to the seat he occupies.
1t has for q long time been mani
fest injustice that . person who has
never been elected should occupy
. seat for nearly two years. and that his
vote on important questions. even when
his vote alone Is the decisive one, should
Be regarded as valid. and yet this is Just
what will sometimes unavoidably occur,
according to the present methods. The
bill passed by the House Monday makes
the clerk of the Elections Committee .
permanent officer. who shall receive and
have custody of all testimony in contest
ed election cases, and who is authorized
to have It or such portions Of it Is may
b deemed necessary printed. together
with brief Of the facts and authorities
in behalf Of the contestant and contestee.
Should the bill receive the favorable con-
alteration Of the Senate. the present un-
avoidable four or I've months delay in
getting the testimony In contested cases
before the Elections COMMITTEES will be
obviatsd. and except in rare instances it
will b possible to settle all contests with
in month aiter the organization OF the
House.
Hon. Charles A. White Of Gardiner has
written letter. which is published in the
New Age, declining 70 be candidate for
the fusion nomination in this section as .
candidate for Congress. Mr.. Whites
avowed reason for declining is that his
private affairs require al his attention.
Al this 10 the fret time that his pri-
rate Affairs have ever stood in the
possible ray Of his getting an Office. the
inference 70 that he thinks the chance of
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