The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-23
CURRENT COMMENT.
WE ARE ATTRACTING ATTENTION.
Minneapolis Tribune.

| The State of Maine is in ecstacy over an
| undertaken because his love of humanity is
| stronger than his business instincts He
| jumped into a river to save a boy from
| drowning.
OLD HICKoRY's ARDENT DISCIPLINE.
Savannah News.
The President and the Cabinet will proba-
bly, take vacation, but the prospect is that
Congressman Andrew jackson Warner of
Ohio will remain in Washington all summer
planning to get the scalps of the members of
the. civil service commission. He hasn't
jackson stuck in the middle of his name for
nothing.
| UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS OF POLITICAL SPITE.
Manchester Union.
With William E. Chandler passing his
| days in bucolic retirement at Waterloo, and
| John Roach making an assignment in behalf
| of his creditors, there is no need of kicking a
| postmaster into the street for the purpose of
letting people know there has been a change
in the administration.
DELIGHTFUL sERENADE.
Minneapolis Tribune.
We are indebted to the Salvation brass
band for delightful serenade last evening
The musicians took possession of the eighth
story Of the Tribune building and discoursed
sweet strains for several hours. One de-
lightful popularity of this band is the demo-
cratic manner in which every fellow plays
for himself, and the fellow who blows the
hardest takes the gate money. While dodg-
ing the plastering we enjoyed rare treat
one lhat we shall never forget.
SMART SPECIAL PLEADING.
Boston Pilot)
After over fifty years of active business
life, John Roach, the great shipbuilder, has
been forced to make an assignment It is
generally supposed that he was driven to
this step through the governments refusal
to accept the cruiser Dolphin and the expec-
tatlon that three other ships building at his
yard for the government would be. rejected
also. The new Administration has been
very strict in its inspection of Mr.. Roach's
work, not any more SO, probably, than the
law demands, but he has suffered injustice in
one way, partly, perhaps, through his own
fault. The Naval Advisory Board required
him to follow certain plans in building the
Dolphin, which, it is claimed, interfered with
the ships reaching the standard of power
and speed demanded by the contract Secre-
tary Garland's opinion on the case, that the
government had really no contract with Mr..
Roach, may be set down as piece of smart
special pleading Of which no honorable gov
eminent would avail itself. When the United
States consults its lawyer, it is not to learn
how sharp trick may be played under cover
Of the literal law, but to be instructed in its
rights and obligations. 1t is not creditable
to the government if this upright old man is
driven into commercial failure by pettifogg-
ing bubbles, after his many years of honora-
Die business ll1e
BIT OF HISTORY.
Philadelphia Press.
After the presidential election in Novem-
Der, 1876, when they were trying to buy the
presidency for Samuel j. Tilden, Colonel w.
L. Pelton telegraphed to DIR. George L. Mil
Ter, editor of the Omaha Herald, to hurry to
Oregon. One Republican elector was re-
ported to be ineligible in that state, and the
Democratic governor was willing to issue a
certificate to a Democrat in his place Mil
Ter could not 60, but he sent his confidential
man j. n II. Patrick, whom he recon-
mended to Pelton, saying: Trust me for the
outcome" AS soon as Patrick got to Oregon
he sent this dispatch to Peton Must pur-
chase Republican elector to recognize and
act with Democrat, and secure vote and pre-
vent trouble Deposit $4,000 to my credit,
Kountze Brothers, u Wall street." Pelton's
answer was: IF you make obligation CON
tingent on result in March it can be done and
incremable slightly if necessary DIR. Mil
Ter was asked by Patrick to urge his propo-
sition upon PeltOn, and Miller sent the lat
ter despatch reading: "Do whatever our
friend asks promptly" There was some fur
Their telegraphing and then Kountze Broth
ers Informed Mr.. Patrick that Davis de-
posted $4,000 December l." But the money
arrived in Oregon too late to be of any use to
the Democrats in their nefarious scheme.
And now DR.. George l.. Miller is shouting
fraud with all his might because one Of
the men who aided in defeating the plans of
the same gang with respect to the Florida
electoral vote was appointed to office by Mr.
Cleveland.