The Sunday herald., 1886-09-05
CONGRESSMAN REELS FIGHT.

Below are given some extracts from letter from
gentleman residing In Portland, Maine, a Demo-
crat Of long standing, and one who IL well posted
in Maine politics. His views Of the contest in Con.
gresham Reeds district, tho only called doubtful
district in the State, are somewhat rOse-tinted.
The fact Ia the Portland Democrats are n hopeful
band Perhaps they may be rewarded with success
at last. But-nouS perr0ns. Reed Ia said TO he
poor politician, far the machinery Of politics
is concerned. Yet he has always succeeded.
"YOu ask me, What are our chances in the Port
land Dlsirict7' You might rs well ask mo TO name
the winning horse in big neld OF twoyear-Ods, or
give you the winning number In the Louisiana lot
terry. The squarest fight we ever had In this
CLOSE district was In 1875, when Reed first ran,
beating his opponent by 1,o92 majority Ills Repub
can predecessor, Burlegh, had been elected to the
Forty-thlrd uud FOrty-fourth Congresses by 22G9
aud 40 plurality, respectively. Lynch Qsepubli-
can) had been elected to the Thirty y.nlnth, FouIch,
Forty-nrst, and Forty second Congresses by varying
majorities, none lower than 400"
"Now, you will sec that the tendency had been up
to 1916 In the direction Of smaller Republican maor
tiles. Aud so 1t has been since thcu."
"In 1873 there werc three candidates running.
Reed beat tho Democratic candidate 4l5O votes bu,
the Grccnbick candidate received G,34s. thus leaving
the Republicans In minority for the rat time In
this District since the Rebellion"
'In 1889 Reed boat Anderson by III vocs-,hat is
the record but VIC always believed that Anderson
was elected. This was not duo to Reeds personal
| weakness or Anderson's Individual strength. Itwas
because OF tho great strength OF the fusion State
| ticket and the splendid campaign work that supple
| mened It. For the first time the National Demo-
| cratic Committee helped Maine with speakers and
money to organize with, and We had the Grecnback
enthusiasm for the fusion ticket at white heat.
We elected Murch ami LadL to Congress- But, alas
Tor the CLOSE First, Reed slipped In by little
| over 1O0."
"YOn recollect wrote you then not to count upon
Maine for Hancock; that Blaine had been surprised
In his camps. hut would rally. And he 'lid. Gar
| field beat Hancock by n plurality Of s,sGs, while
Weaver got l,l13 votes In the State"
"Tle history Of the State that year was tho his
tory OF the First District. Indeed, that close dis
trct did comparatively better than any other for the
Republican party In the September elections, and In
the November elections gave Garfield plurality OF
1,t5s, and Weaver 1i5 votes"
"In 1882 congressman were elected on u ticket ut
large. In 1854 Reed had 95 plurality, while there
was Greenback vote Of 10 anl Prohibition veto
OF 49,"
$50 you for yourself that the history OF this
.close' district has been one Of uniform Republican
success-except tho disputed election Of September,
1880, but with gradually lessening Republican ma
jprltles. These are dry figures, know. But to
understand the present we must look at the past,
for history repeats better than 'repeaters.'"
SNOW as to the present situation, II s very much
mixed. Personal popularity Will not cut figure In
1t. Party lines will be drawn as tight as the leaders
can twist them, and you know that In CLOSE dis
trct, where there Is lighting Chance, men keep the
ranks better than In juyhaudled district. Mr..
Blaine has are ldy spoken here aud has been well re-
ceived Nothing will be left und0ne OF the spread
eagle variety by either side that he done TO STIR
up tho faithful. Ana both sides are making close
| canvass by voting precincts. counting heads, and
getting ready to get out their known vote aud cap
| ture the wavering But there arc disturbing ele-
ments which may knock oil their calculations sky
HIGH"
"The Knights OF Labor are In the neld. VIII they
reduce Reeds voter That IL one great question. Mr..
Reeds friends shake like heavy y-headed marsh cat
tails In the wind, but the jolly Congressman says he
has no fears from that source. u have always been
the friend of labor he replies to the queries of
| anxious friends lie Ia running protection, for all
1t Is worth. And his wary friends glide about whis-
perng: we are going to elect q Republican House.
Let's elect Tom Reed, aud Maine will have another
Speaker, who will be In position TO help his friends"
'such talk may strengthen few waverng Re.
publicans, but It Is now pretty certain that It will
intensity the opposition Of the Knights Of Labor.
They are as bitterly opposed-ther leaders, mean
to Reed as to any man In Congress. and would look
upon the Idea OF his nling the Speakers chair with
| great dissatisfaction"
'There 10 another and more dangerous rock upon
which the Republicans may split-the prohibition
rock. 1t Ia 80 true a. TO have passed Into common
saying, that the Republicans OF this section Of the
State at least have rined with the temperance ques-
| tion To catch the moral sentiment they have
passed prohibition laws But they do not enforce them
where II is impolltc TO do 80. You recc0llect when
you were here In 1879, do you not, an Interview we
| had with -, saloon keeper7 Well what he told
you then Ia true. The majority OF the saloon IN en-
| were Democrats. They let them run along TIL
nearly election times and then they quietly tell them
fnrt crat IN Ia cket
close them up. Now, Gen. Dow, the bone and
Drawn and brains OF the Prohibition party, has cut
loose from the Republicans. lie 10 NOW eighiy-two
years OF age, but In full vgor, and Is making cam
pagn In person, often speaking two or three times
q day. st. John too il doing hard work. Gen.
Dow Ia plain In his talk lie does not mince matters.
lie says that when the Fifteenth Amendment was
| adopted the mission OF the Republican party
ended 'The new issue OF the day, he says, 's pro.
hibon, aud new party Ia tho only means to secure
1t. The Republican party Is dead. The Democratic
| party 10 dying. National Prohibition party will
arise from the runs OF both.' lie openly denOunces
the Republican party as sham, and scorns It's pro-
hlbton livery AZ worn only TO cheat the innocent
| prohlbislonIst.n
| "Fhe whole nYt then, In my Judgment, depends
upon the strength OF the Prohibition movement,
unless the knights Of Labor VINO are Repub-
licans vote for Clifford. II tho Democratic
| ranks siand nrm, believe Mr.. Heed
will be defeated. Dow's candidate, Plowlnaker
| Hussey, 10 an old Republican. lie IL wealthy aud
popular. IIis dcsertion from the Republicans has
created soIne dsulay. Desidcs his Prohibition
strength among the Republicans, he ls very strong
with the Knights Of Labor"
"Amid all this confusion, however, Reed has lost
neither hls head nor his temper. Ito Is cool and
| quiet and hss smile for all. lie IL doing more
hard work OF the Kind that teis-polllng the votes
aud laying plans to hold his own-than he mas ever
| done before. lie really believes that the next
| House Of Representatives may he Republican aud he
Speaker. In either event he expects pose the
| leader OF the Republican party, whether OF ma-
joIiiy minority. 10 even whispered that he has
mis- aim BET higher, aud believes that the next time
Maine has the Republican candidate for the Prcsl.
| dency his name will be Thomas d. Reed.n
|
"But enough OF politics. Come up and spend o
week With me. We can have plenty OF sport yet on
Casco Bay for assure you that carly September is
| an pleasant "A month here M any In the vear.u