The Portland daily press., 1886-08-26
THE MAINE DEMO CRAZY.
Looking for Issues In the Cam.
paign.
Hostility to Civil Service Reform
Openly Expressed.
s(New York Tribune.)

\N6W IOTh 1rlDuut.)
PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. %.
So far as the Democratic campaign has
developed in this State it has one striking
feature. that of hostility to the civil service
reform professions of the admins tration.
The State Convention evaded the question,
as the Democratic conventions in Ohio,
Pennsylvania and other States Lave done.
But there is no evasion on the part of the
Democratic leaders when they discuss the
matter in private. Chairman Brown, i, f the
State committee, says that there can be no
honest civil service reform until the will of
the people has been carried into effect by
placing none except Democrats on guard"
The only Democratic speakers announced to
take part in the canvass are men who have
openly avowed their hostility to this reform,
such as Senators Voorhees, and Kenna and
ex-Collector Pillsbury-who is now stump
ing the State-are very indignant at the
President because he did not reappoint him
after the Senate had rejected him. Said one
OF them-a prominent Democrat in this city
We thought that the President would have
backbone enough to stand by man like Mr..
Plllsbury who has done so much for the party. So
when he was rejected ased the President to re-
appoint him. But he said that he could not do it,
as such course would be in contravention of the
Senate shall reject nomination in place of
suspended officer the President shall nominate
session of the Senate for the office. After read
ing to me that act the President said that he
could not renomnate Mr. Pillsbury. 1 took what
he said in good faitn and not wishing to urge him
into controversy with the Senate dropped the
matter right there and then. You can imagine
my surprise and that of the other friends of Mr..
PillSbury when we learned that the President had
reappointed Matthews to succeed Douglass,
though Matthews was rejected by a much larger
Mr.
bury. 1t seemed by this that an Albany negro,
who joined the party to secure office, is of much
old and Woodworking Democrat such as Mr..
Pillsbury Handicapped in such a way we will
have to make unusual exertions to carry Maine
this year, or even to hold our own"
The Presidents order about ''pernicious
activity on the part of federal officials will
not have much effect here. Internal Reve-
nue. Collector Redman, who attended con-
ventlOn and made speech the other day.
said that it was his holiday, and he had a
right to do as he pleased on those days.
That seems to be the general way of looking
at the order here. 1t has only added to the
Democratic discomfort. The party leaders
will conduct the canvass here with just as
little reference as possible to the admins
tration. They do not pretend to defend Mr..
Bayard's conduct on the fishery matter
Democrats are as indignant as Republicans
over the extraordinary conduct of the ad-
ministration on this question, and as Maine
lS uttply iuLcI6Sbtu Ill IlG QuGSllOI, III Will,
of course, have its effect on the canvass.
Canadian vessels are allowed to enter the
ports along this coast and purchase all the
supplies they need without restriction. They
are allowed to land their catch without OBJ
struction either in bond or duty paid, it
making no difference whether these vessels
come directly from the Banks or from Cana
dian ports. They can enter American har-
bors at any and all times and remain as long
as they desire without being disturbed But
vessels in Canadian ports, and outrages are
almost daily perpetrated on them by Can
adian cruisers. Mr.. Frye and Mr.. Dingley
were instrumental in getting bill passed
promptly by Congress authorizing the Presi-
dent dent to ;;5esy deny to Canadian vessels 1.
The President has steadily refused
to take advantage of the provisions of that
act for the benefit of American fishermen !;
and absolutely nothing has been done so far
as is known here to secure to American YES
sells the rights guaranteed to them by treaty
and English statutes. To say that the peo-
pie here, without respect to party. are highly
indignant toward Mr.. Bayard and the admin
istration is to put the case mildly. That the
Democratic party should disavow, as they do
any purpose to defend the fishery policy of
the administration is not surprising. Their
candidate for governor, when asked what
theadministration was doing in regard to this
matter, is credited with replying: Il don't
know. suppose that is one of those things
no fellow can find out"
Still another very troublesome matter is the
Presidents pension vetoes. 1t is no use for
Democrats to talk of economy, or protecting
the treasury, when this matter is brought up,
as his signature to the river and harbor bill
and to other similar measures is an estoppel
on all such excuses His record of having
vetoed more bills than all the other Presi-
dents together from the time of the founda-
tion of the government does not influence
thinking men. Even Democrats are willing
| to concede as much wisdom and honesty to
the other Presidents as to Cleveland. One
of the difficulties which the Democratic man.
ayers meet with is to explain away the Pres
ident's hostility to pension bills. The Con-
gressional Campaign Committee has prom
ised to supply document for that purpose
and the Democrats here are awaiting its
coming with good deal of anxiety AS
things look now it is doubtful if 100 veterans
| in the entire State will vote the Democratic
| ticket.