The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-07
sLA,NE's CANDIDATE.
A Fortune Made by Him During the War
by Selling Remarkable List Of Names
to Towns which Wished to Escape the
Draft.

by Selling . Remarkable List of Names
to Towns which Wished to Escape the
Draft.
The use by Blame of the Republican
machine to crush out soldier candi.
date in favor of wealthy contractor
whose money may be useful in Presi-
dental canvass has revived the story
of Names paper credit frauds, in
which Blaine's henchmen were con.
spicuous actors.
The story dates back to 1864, when
the cry had gone up for more men to
come to the front and recruit the deci.
mated armies of the Union. At that
time, according to a report made five
years later by the Maine Equalization
Commission, Gin that crisis of the war
and of the national life. when the re-
plenishing of the army was simple
question of life and death with the
Government, an individual made his
appearance at the State capital, claim
ing to have come from Washington,
and bringing in his pocket long list
of names, many Of them quaint and
unpronounceable by an American
tongue, and others SO very common as
to be remarkable, all of which he as.
serted to be the names of men who
had enlisted in the service of the United
States at some time since the com.
mencement of the war, and who had
not been credited with the quota Of
any State or municipality. These
names were offered to The officers and
recruiting agencies of municipalities
who were looking for men to fill their
quotas and reinforce the depleted
army, and offering large bounties for
such men. Before quotas could be
cancelled by the use of these names
the approval of the proper United
States officials must be secured. The
office of A. A. Provost Marshal-Gen-
eral for Maine was then filled by an
honorable gentleman of Maine and
an officer of the regular army. To
him this remarkable roll was shown
and his approval of it solicited. That
approval was denied, and probably
with some expressions of honest iti-
dignation. Not very long afterwards
this officer was ordered to another
field of duty and his place supplied by
an officer from Western State. Then
again at the State capital appeared the
man with the once rejected list Of
names. And henceforth it seems there
was no official veto upon the filling OF
quotas of cities and towns with these
names.n
The same commissioners in their re-
port point out that the man who pro.
cured the list of names was Blaine
present manager in Maine, the same
who manipulated the Republican con.
vention in his interest. They intimated
very plainly that this man and his as
sociates got names of soldiers and sail
ors already in the service and sold them
to towns who were willing to pay fol
be ing cleared of the draft. They alse
declare that Blaine's henchman sole
121 of these men for 900. and thai
if he sold the others at the same rate
he must have received more than $780,,
600.
1t is not at all surprising that thu
Maine Republican soldiers resent thu
appearance of a man with this kind o
record as the dictator of party nomi
natious in the interest of Blaine. No
will it be at all surprising if they show
their resentment by defeating Blaine
candidate and depriving Blaine Of tn
prestige he hopes to win for the Presi
Dental fight Detroit Free Press.