The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-16
The Bath Constable

To the Editor Of the Press:
Two articles appeared in your paper last
Monday, one from Mr.. Wakefield, the other
editorial, which together tend to convey
wrong impression and do injustice to an in
dividual and to the large number who desire
his appointment as the best means of sup
pressing the liquor traffic.
Who are opposed to the appointment OIL
James Bailey?
Answer-Those who sell intoxicating llq-
uor, and all their customers, and those who
strive to make use of sellers and drinkers for
private or political effect.
Who are in favor of the appointment of
Mr.. BaileyP
Answer-All those who are in favor Of a
proper execution of the laws, all those who
really wish the sale of liquor restricted to
minimum, all those who realize the deadly
effects of intemperance, the parent or insti-
gator of nearly all other crimes.
Well knowing this to be the case, the op-
posers of Mr.. Bailey look around, and seek
to discover in him some moral delinquency
sufficient to induce those who have support
ed him to cease their efforts With this end
in view they rake up an old story OF bribery
which was long ago reckoned to have been
successfully squelched. And what does this
story amount to when examined? 1t Itreveals
the fact that Mr.. Wakefield aided an attempt
to bribe Mr.. Bailey, if indeed he was not the
originator and furnished the funds he at
least carried the trap and patiently waited
for the denouement Did the mountain IN
labor bring forth mouse? Mr. Bailey took
from the post0ffce a letter containing
twenty dollar bill and nothing else but blank
He waited several months for further devel-
opments, and nothing occurring to give any
light on the subject he used the money IoI
his own expenses. This was the head and
front of his offending. This was the result
of the trap set to catch himl
Another attempt was made by John Wake
field, brother of William, the Emperor
rs the 'Independents" style him, VINO, II
not one of the wor rumsellers and drinkers,
has been very much belied, by means Of
$500 bill, which trap failed also, Mr.. Bailey
returning it with severe anathemas.
Since these occurrences OF ancient date
Mr.. Bailey has been twice elected city mar
shall. Simple justice to Mr.. Bailey requires
these things to be known, and | confidently
place the matter in your hands for publiea-
ton feeling assured that you are on the slde
Of justice. and that you would not consent 70
injure anyone knowingly.
belong to no temperance organization OF:
any description, but occupy an untramm4 ~ :
position where can judge impartially be-
tween these conflicting interests. On one
side are all the rumsellers and rumdrinkers,
the lowest stratum of society, together with
some few, still in respectable standing, VINO
think they see an opportunity to profit by
the misdeeds of their fellow men.
On the other side are the great mass OF the
people who clearly see the horrors of dram
ming, and who wish, if possible, to keep the
accursed thing out of the way OF the rising
generation, and who feel that the man for
the occasion, the man whom the rumsellers
fear the most, and to defeat whom they
would go to any lengths, however mean and
underhanded, the man who can and will II
ne is appointed, do more for the suppression
Of the liquor traffic than any other man, is
James BaileY. JOHN HAYDEN.