The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-08-07

Aswe predicted the Boston Posts second
statement OF the Hon. William Fl. Clifford's
connection, or want of connection, with the
appointment of the Hon. John B. Redman as
collector of internal revenue did not suit. So
new version is gotten out, and appears
in the Post yesterday as special dispatch
from Portland. Here it is:
So much has been said about the reasons for the
Prsidents appointment Of Judge Kedman 70 Inc 5ne
the facts should be known Mr.. Clifford not only
did not have anything to do with Redman's Sc
the attorney of Collector Chase in Washington last
winter when the fight over his confirmation was
on, and he was elected member of the. Demo
cratic national committee mainly through the in
nuence of Mr.. Chase and his friends on the State
committee. Naturally from his former position
last winter and on account of his more recent re-
lations, Mr.. Clifford urged Chase's retention and
his reappointment, and was not even cognizant of
Rcdman,s strength as candidate. 1t is perfectly
well understood that the President alone made
this appointment, and nobody else is at all re-
sponsible for it. Mr.. Emery no doubt, had more
but the President thought that the first district
generally, and Portland in particular had been
literally for as ganGe az to 5a go a dpsd
Of this territorial limit in this case Mr. Redman,
in point of prominence in the party, and because
became the Presidents choice. And this is all
there Is to the hints of Influence" in the whole
matter. Itmay be here said that the President at
no time contemplated the reappointment of Col
lector Chase.
It will be seen by this that Mr.. Clifford
owes his present greatness largely to Tabu-
lator Chase The Tabulator got him on to
the National Committee apparently in con-
sideration of Mr.. Clifford's labor in his be-
half as his attorney in Washington last win
ter.
We are inclined to think that this state
ment which makes Mr.. Clifford the protege
of the Tabulator, and represents him as
working for the Tabulator's reappointment
will not prove entirely satisfactory, especial
ly in view of the fact that in letter to the
Portland Express only few days ago, which
purported to speak by authority, Mr.. Clifford
was represented to have recommended sin the
line of civil service reform" the appoint
ment of Mr.. Thomas Murphy of Augusta.
Mr.. Clifford evidently has some super-ser-
viceable friends who, while they are lmbued
with the kindest of motives toward him, are
nevertheless doing him a good deal of injury.
The gentleman in Washington who reported
that Mr.. Redman's appointment was due to
Mr. Clifford's influence intended no doubt
kindness. He was animated with desire
to let the people of Maine know how much
the President thought of Mr.. Clifford. Had
he known that Mr.. Clifford had promised
his influence "in the line of civil service re.
form" to Mr.. Murphy, he would have seen
that it could not be true that he supported
Mr. Redman. The gentleman who wrote
the Express that Mr.. Clifford had ''in the
line of civil service reform" promised to sup
port Mr.. Murphy was also kindly disposed,
no doubt, but he would have seen that that
could not be true had he known that Mr..
Clifford was urging the reappointment of
Collector Chase. 1t is evident that this mat
ter cannot be left where it is now. Another
statement will have to be made to clear up
the inconsistencies of these three. The ad-
vice of the PRESS has not been asked, but
out of pure kindness to Mr.. Clifford we sug-
gest that he no longer confide this matter to
friends, but take hold of it himself. An aft