The Portland daily press., 1886-07-16
the MAINE CAMPAIGN.
What Some Prominent Democrats
Say-candidates for the First Dis
trict Nomination.

(Portland Correspondence OF the Boston Record.)
A prominent Portland Democrat said to-
gay, In reply to q question in regard to the
paftys prospects in the coming campaign:
The outlook is certainly far from encour-
aging The leaders of the party here are
divided into two or three distinct cliques land
there seems to be little hope of their pulling
together under any circumstances. There is
the Chase and Deering faction, not large, but
capable of a good deal of mischief then
there is William II. Clifford, who seems dis
posed to be a party by himself; CleaYes'
friends haven't got over their disappoint-
ment at his failure to get the custom house
and are decidedly offish, and Gen. Anderson
and the custom house element are doing
practically nothing for the party" The
Democratic congressional convention is to
be held on the 2Sth Of this month, but, al
though the list of possible candidates is slow
ly increasing, there seems to be as yet no
favorite in the running. 1t is conceded that
York county has the first claim for the nom
nation, but, so far, the search in that county
for an available man is without very satisfac
tory results. Justat present there is some talk
of Mr.. James H. Hunkins Of Biddeford as a
man who would do to conjure the labor vote
with. Mr.. Hunkins is a bookkeeper in
bakery and a Knights of Labor man, but
there is some objection to him on the ground
that he is not Democrat. 1t is said that he
is soon to be brought to Portlandto be aoOkg
ed over by the leaders Of the party here.
Ex-Mayor behring's candidacy is sneered
ata by many of the Democrats, but it is
evident that 1t it giving them some concern.
He is native of York county, and it is said
has some strength there, but it does not seem
possible that he can make much Of show
ing in the convention. There are certainly
many Democrats in Portland who would not
vote for him if he were nominated
Probably the. most available candidate
would be William g. Davis of this city. He
does not want the nomination, but some of
the leading Democrats are doing their best
to persuade him to allow his name to be
used. Said one of them today: Davis is
my candidate, and / believe that we could
elect him. He would be eminently satisfac-
tory as a Democrat. and he ought to be ae-
ceptable to the labor element. He is rich,
but he began on the ground tier, and he
ought not to be considered the less OF
nottingham because he has been a success
full one. He is steamboat man, a railroad
man and bank man, and all those influ-
ences ought to, and undoubtedly would, help
him. believe that we can give him solid
delegation from this city if we try"
Was told today that there had been some
serious talk among the Democrats of adopt
ing the Pr0hlDltl0nlStSY candidate Tor Con-
gress. but as the gentleman who gave the in
formation was unable to recall the candi-
dates name, it may be inferred that the
movement wants definiteneSs.
The report that William III. Clifford may
get the office of solicitor general naturally
excites considerable interest in his party
here. Of course there is a very general wish
that he may be appointed. although the rea-
sons given for this desire differ somewhat.
Mr.. Clifford can hardly be called popular
with the rank and file of his party. A
working Democrat said to me: "Of course
| would like to see Clifford get the appoint
ment. | would rather see him in the solicit
tor generals office, wherehe will do no harm.
than ON the national committee, where he
will certainly do no good. 1t was mistake
to put him on that committee. He is not an
every day Democrat-not practical politi-
clan. He is incapable of helping the party,
because he can never think of anything but
himself"
Captain Chase is still enjoying all the emo
luments of the office of internal revenue col
lector in spite of his rebuff by the Senate.
Some of his friends think that the trifiing
matter of his rejection will not cause him
much inconvenience after ALL One of them
tells me that the President has given assur-
ances that if he can find any law or prece-
dent for doing so, he will continue the cap
tain in Office after the adjournment of the
Senate. This gentleman quoted William I'll.
Clifford as saying that it could be lawfully
done.