The Somerset reporter., 1890-06-19
Ballot Reform,

Some of our Republican friends who
are ardently in favor of the Australian
ballot system, were little disappointed
that the platform adopted at the State
Convention at Augusta the 18th inst. did
not speak out specifically for that par
ticular system instead Of In general way
in favor Of ian electric system free from
corruption and fraud and in approval of
legislation designed to secure that end"
In this they are at fault. The Republican
State Convention Is not q Legislative body
and should not assume the prerogatlyes
of a les islatyre. The people of Maine
will elect q legislature competent to
handle the ballot reform bill that will
undoubtedly be presented to that body.
The Republican party in its platform
has spoken in favor of the principle of a
pure elective system and the Legislature.
which will be Republican in both branches
can arrange the details OF bill to carry
into effect this expression Of the party in
convention, and such an one az shall be
adapted to the necessities of the condin
tion of things in the various cities, towns
and plantations of Maine.
A Somerset Citizen On the High
Seas.
Dear Reporter.
thought prehaps you and some of
lars mi mi uh In W lat
end have made and perhaps may think
strange that am not at home on the old
plantation. Well the factis farming ON
large scale does not pay. II man has u
small farm and Is clear from debt aud
do the work himself he can live aud pay
his taxes and pay for a paper or two but
on large scale he cannot do 1t. You
can put too many pounds of wool, beef
and pork into dollar to make it pay.
Consequently have changed my pro-
GIN. wen. !!e.ss ss!l 4aa%a, &c
town, Five Islands, In order to get
location to garden and sell my stuff but
could not get lard enought to make IL II
business. got one acre and put it into
vegetables OF the various kinds and not
wishing to be idle stepped on board Of
vessel bound to New York. Our crew
consisted Of captain, mate and three me Il
before the mast and my self as cook, one
man German, one Sweed and one an
American. When 10 latatude AZ degrees
north, the German got mad with the mate
and came at him with the pump brake
rod OF iron about six feet long, and sure
he would split his brains out. He struck
at him with 1t but the mate being power
futI h bad n
they clinched the German got the mate
by the throat and came near chokeing
him when / unc)lnched his hand and then
he went for his eye In order to dislocate
that, but got the hand away from that.
Then the sailor got his sheath knife and
came at him with that, swearing he would
rip him open, but the capt. put in his
appearance and put stop to the sn',ir.
The capt. Is Young man only q years
of age and this Is his frst sail as capt. |
but he managed his case well. He had
the sailor put under keepers and put his |
vessel to Salem, Mass where he had him
arrested aud tried, convicted and sent to
prison for one year. Then We went to |
sea again with one man short and when |
on Cape Cod struck a gale which carried |
away our main boom so we could not use |
our main sale which we needed In order |
to keep clear Of the Nantucket shoals and |
came very near going on to shoal call |
ed the Stone House. Our vessel went with. |
In her lenght of the shoal and If we had
struck the vessel would have gone to
pieces In little while and Old s. ID |
would have made food for sharks but we
came out all right into Vinal Haven and |
repaired and then made our trip.
New York, June 3. 1890.
S, d. GREENIFAF.
A SPLENDID Sta,f