Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-15

Interview with VIM. II. Looney, ESQ.
on the Maine Campaign.
A Movement which Rings the Death Knell to
Bourbon Hopes.
nePubIican Gains all over Masne-Robie
t. Receive 1000 Plurality.

Maine, who had finally come to believe tina,
'hey mad mortgage on the Irish American
voters OF the State, were perplexed and
alarmed at movement which started in Port.
land and extended to other places, and which
threatened to undermine the whole political
structure of their party. VIM H. Looney.
young Irish American lawyer, a graduate
OF Colby university. and an ardent republi-
can from conviction and investigation. be.
came convinced that the best interests of the
Irish Americans demanded that there should
be in this country no distinctively Irish vote.
SO called, but that Irish votes should be d.
vided between the two great parties. AMI
mated with this idea Mr.. Looney worked
| earnestly among the Irish American voters Of
the State, and his efforts have been wonderfully
successful. The seed has been sowp. and this
year the republican party will reap a harvest
OF votes from men who are beginning to put
thought behind their ballots, aud who will
hencefOrward affiliate with the political or
ganization which seems to them to be best
adapted TO the needs of the age and of the
country. Mr.. LoOney was in town yesterday
on business before the Governor and Council.
and at the solicitation of the Journal consent
ed to give his views on political matters in
Maine, in an interview.
''How are matters looking in Cumberland
county %
| Every encouraging. All the elements of
the republican party are united, land present a
solid front to the opposition. l know of no
place where the fusionists have made in
roads on republican ranks. while on the
contrary we have made inroads on them
and shall. People are beginning to see
| that the cornerstone Of fusion is plumber
The large majority of voters are actuated BY
principle, and fail to see any consistency in
forms Numerically opposed to each other
"Will many Irish Americans act with the
republican party this fall?"
Eyes, sir. There are over 1900 Irish
| American voters in Cumberland county, and
we shall get over third of them in my
judgment. In Biddeford at least half the
Irish Americans are republicans. In Lewis
ton there is large republican element, and
| am told that many Irish Americans in Ban
gor are beginning to act with the republicans
Many stonecutters along the coast are leaving
the democrats"
"Why have the Irish Americans hitherto
| clung so closely to the democratic party"
''There are two reasons l. power of associa-
III mis- Ok hot tla
party is dominated by the old spirit of know
nothingisn. This last idea is a delusion. Ex-
sctly the opposite is the fact. The
knownothing stronghOlds we're in those
Southern States which are to-day the
Gibraltars of the Bourbon democracy
Virginia, Louisiana and South Carolina
The leaders of the knownothing party were
such men as Senator Hill of Georgia, Sam
Randall of Pennsy lvania, the last democratic
speaker of the House of Representatives,
Lucius Robinson of New York, Governor
| Gardiner, who disbanded the first Irish
company of Massachusetts, now a prominent
democrat. and Judge Abbott of Massachusetts,.
If the democratic party is not ruled by the
time an Irish American runs on democratic
ticket he runs behind his ticket Just
before the last election in New York the
Boston Pilot stated that an Irish
American had been nominated by each
party for Secretary of State. "Now," said
the Pilot '.we shall ascertain which party is
the most bigoted know nothing in New York"
What was the result? Gen. Carr, the repub-
| lIcan candidate, ran 5000 votes ahead of his
ticket, and his opponent was cut by over
200 democrats. The Pilot itself stated af-
| ter the last election, when Mayor Grace ran
so far behind his ticket, that it would be bet
| ter if the Irish American vote were divided
between both parties; also, that the republic
can party was more liberal than the demo-
cratic party. Why, we see the same things
| in Maine. In Cumberland county two of the
democratic candidates for Senators were
notorious bigots and knownothings, and the
secretary Of the city committee in Port
land, Mr.. Farnsworth, was formerly
knownothing The broadcast and most
liberal men in Portland, men who have
given employment and endeared them
selves to hundreds of Irish Americans, are re-
publicans, while a narrower and more bigoted
class of men than the leaders Of the demo-
cratic party in that city cannot be found.
| Then look at the principles of the two parties.
The principles of the republican party are in
consonance with freedom; they are virtually
the same principles for which the people Of
| Ireland have been fighting for centuries. In
NV Judgment the free trade policy of the
democratic party is utterly hostile to the in
terests of all true lovers Of Erin. The free
trade policy of England ruined Ireland, and
now England seeks, with the assistance ofthe
democratic party, to force this same ruinous
free-trade policy upon the United
States. Irishmen must look to the
republican party for their salvation. 1t is
the only party in this country which always
favored equal rights for all men, and as
liberty loving people the Irish-Americans
naturally belong to it. They are beginning
to see this, and are fast leaving the pro-slav-