The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-10
How a pig Caused the war Of 1912.

willis ]. Abbott in ST. Nicholas for July.1
1t all happened in this wise; Two citizens
of Providence. r. l., fell into most unseemly
discussion on account of the lawless trespass-
ings of pig owned by one of them. The ag-
grieved party possessed very fine garden,
in which it was his custom to spend his hour
of leisure, wedding, grating and transplant
ing the flowers and vegetables lin which he
delighted. But often, as he entered the gar
den in the evening, his ears wsuld be saluted
with grunt and rustic, and the fat form of
his neighbor's pig might be seen making
hasty flight from the garden in which it had
been placidly roofing all day.
In high dungeon the gardiner sought his
neighbor and complained of the pigs fire.
quent visits, declaring that little time spent
in repairing the pig-sty would restrain the
animals rowing propensities. But to this
the owner of the pig responded that IL his
neighbor would keep the rickety fences in
proper repair, the pig might take its daily
airing without temp tation, and the garden
would not be endangered
Repeated misdeeds ON the part of the pig
famed the smouldering fires of dissension
into the flames OF open hostility. Atlast the
Us
unusually early one morning, discovered the
pig contentedly munching the last of fine
bed Of tulip bulbs. Flesh and blood could
stand it no longer. Selling pitchfork which
lay near at hand, then,outraged gardiner
plunged its sharp tines into the hapless pig,
and bore the body, thus fatally impaled, TO
the sty, where it met the gaze of its owner
an hour or two later Thereafter it was war
to the knife between the two neighbors.
Now, what hadIall this to do with the war
of 1922 The answer is simple. The two
neighbors belonged to the political party
known as the Federalists.
Through all the outrages that Great Bri-
tain inflicted upon the United States; while
seamen were being impressed, American ves-
sells stopped on the high seas, and while
every possible indignity was being commit
ted against the flag of the United States, the
Federalists remained friendly to Great Bri-
tain, and contested every proposition for the
declaration of war.
But the Democratic party was eager for
war, and as British oppression became more
unbearable, the strength Of the Democrats
increased. 1t so happened that the election
district in which the two neighbors lived, had
been about equally divided between Demo-
Gratis and Federalists, but the latter party
election. But in 1911, the owner Of the
garden was a candidate for the Legislature
on the Federalist ticket. His neighbor had
always voted that ticket; but now, with his
mind filled with the bitter recollection of the
death Of his pig, he cast his ballot for the
Democrat When the ballots were counted.
the Democrat was found to be elected by
majority of one.
When the newly elected legislator took
his seat, his first duty was to vote for a
United States Senator. He cast his vote for
the candidate of the Democrats, who was al
so elected by a majority of one. When the
Senator took his place in the United States
Senate, he found the question of war with
bitter discussion it came to a vote. The
Democrats voted for wal and the Federal
lists against it, As a result Of the voting,
war was declared-again by a majority Of
one vote.