The Republican journal., 1888-08-16
The Poor Mans PARTY.

Pity the sorrows of the poor, down-trodden
laboring man, calculates the average Demo-
cratic statesman with Misunderstanding sigh.
That party has always claimed the exclusive
privilege of defending the rights and CARRYING
the burdens of the working people, and has
much to say about its rec ord as an anti-monop-
olistie party. Let's see about this latter claim.
Take its national executive committee that has
in charge the entire Democratic machinery in
this campaign: Chairman Brice, vice president
of five railroad companies, director in four
others, and worth from ten to fifteen millions
of dollars.
VIM. l.. Scott, director in thirteen railroad
companies, who boasts of controlling a larger
number OF miles of road than any man in the
country, worth from twenty to twenty-five
millions.
A. p. German. director in two railroad COM
paEes, a millionaire.
J. 5. Barbour, vice president of one railroad
wealth not known.
WIN. III. BarDum, president of one and d.
rector Of five other railroads, worth from five
to ten millions.
\. W. Suloway, president of one road, and
a director in at least one other. wealthy
Frank Jones, president Of one and director
IN at least six others, worth from five to ten
millions. So the list might be extended com
pietely through the whole committee, and al
most every man would be found either to be
millionaire or a railroad official.
Now take Maine, composed largely of farm
ers and wage-earners. Arthur Sewall, MEM
Der of Chairman Bricc's committee, was one
OF the greatest wooden shipbuilders of the
United States until wooden shipbuding play
ed out iii America and then he turned his able
attention to railroad matters. He is president
of the Maine Central, president of the Eastern,
president of the Portland, Saco 4 Portsmouth,
president of the Portsmouth, Great Falls &
Conway, president of the Chelsea Beach Rail
way. and director in those companies, besides
the Portland d Rochester and the st. John
Bridge and Railway Extension company, seven
in all.
William l.. Putnam, Democratic candidate
Tor Governor. Is heavy owner of railroad
stock and attorney of the Boston & Maine rail-
road, which owns and controls more miles of
railroad than any other corporation in New
England.
Payson Tucker, delegate at large to St. Louis,
and the man who will, if Cleveland is elected,
have the control Of the lions share of the gov
eminent patronage in Maine, is noted railroad
man and manager in chief of the Maine Cen.
tral road, which spans the State with bands of
iron.
The railroad interests of these gentlemen
network the United States. They extend
north, south, west, northwest, southwest and
southeast. They reach from the cantievcr
bridge Of st. John, beyond the extreme north
eastern corner of American sunrise, to the
Florida everglades and the coral islands of the
Gulf of Mexico. They stretch out to the Pa
cihc, over mountains and across prairies, and
in one case, that Of Boss Scott, thew transcend
our national boundaries and include three
thousand miles of rail through British terri
tory.
OF course, men of wealth and great railroad
influence have as much right as anybody to go
into active politics, but for a party which is
eternaly parading its love for the poor man
while its entire political machinery is in the
firm grip of ring of grasping monopolists and
money kings is impudence sublime. Democ-
racy becomes oligarchy on wheels, drawn by
whirlwind of Free Trade. Bddeford Jour
nal.