The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-28


The trouble in East Tennessee has been
compromised, the miners agreeing to allow
Tie conyicts to remain at work and the
Governor agreeing mot to send any militia
to the scene Of the troubles, and to call TO-
gether the legislature to submit to them the
question Of the repeal Of the convict lease
law. The settlement, however, Is merely
temporary and II the legislature refuses to
repeal the law the trouble will break out
again, for the n1hers have sworn that con.
victs shall not be permanently employed In
the mines and 1t is generally conceded that
they will fight rather than submit. Public
sentiment In East Tennessee seems to be
entirely on their side, and an attempt to
coerce them will meet with little favor in
that section. The case of the miners is put
by one OF their members in this language
which though lacking In the graces Of
grammar has about 1t good deal of rugged
strength:
we don't average more than about sI.5o day
%n Hii we W06K, ana you know that amt much
western tennessee, who control the state, and
pass pass the ~ -, convict lease law. We amt got no
islature Is made up of people entirely opposed 10
our interests. Web, the first thing we know
sACoC SOutlCto UIOuBuJ INTO our camp, The
company had shuC down on us, they said. because
tney conlon,t make any money competing with
camps that had convict labor, and they couldn't.
lnere we was without any fault OF orr own,
without work. food or money, Just because the
state OF Tennessee farms out It's convicts SO that
the coal companies can make them work all day
and feed and clothe them for about seventy cents
Gay. Our women and children are hungry, and
Cs 6 ct o TO- dH Ses adn s nse the
that they'll feel like fighting why we'll Just put
'em on the train and send 5em back home with
annVtQfQ and ton g.
capture, Wen Just wait till they go back; then
Wen take the convicts ana put them on the train
arrest any of us, why, iii tell you these noun
tains will have red streams. We don't want
nothing but bread and meat, and aCe are going to
hare it.
1t is not believed that the legislature will
dare precipitate the conflict which is immi.
nent by refusing to repeal the obnoxious
convict law, especially as the law has little
In itself to commend it, but is relic of bar
barism which has fourished too long already
in the Southern States.
Congressman BcuteIIe and the Fair.
The continued assertion by the Bangor
Commercial that Congressman Boutelle sac
rifced the interests of his district by voting
for Chicago as the place for holding the
Worlds Fair instead of New York, has
brought out statement of the facts by that
gentleman. Seven ballots were taken in the
House before the matter was decided. On
the first ballot Chicago lacked 3S votes of a
majority, and then in each subsequent ballot
it steadily gained until the sixth, when 1t
lacked but eight Of amaiority. Congress
man Boutelle In each of these six ballots
voted for New York. At the close Of the
ixth ballot New York, recognizing that de-
feat stared her In the face, attempted to Sc
cure p0stponement of further ballotings
until the next day. At this juncture MIR.
Bnutele went to his New York friends and
told them that he would stay with them If
they kept up the contest, but If they voted
for Wilson's motion for recess until next
day he must regard 1t as an admission that
they were beaten, and resort to tactics that
he could not approve, and in such case he
should vote In such manner as he felt would
be most likely to give effect to the preference
of the House of Repr esentatives and dispose
OF the matter In regular and decorous way,
rather than incur the risk of intrigues and
scandals that would be likely to arise il an
adjournment should lead to night spent In
combinations to prevent Chicago getting the
fair If New York could not have 1t, as be
was in flavor of locating it In one of those
two great cities. Under the stress Of the ex-
element the New York members voted for
recess, allof the Maine delegation voting
against it. The defeat of the motion TO
adjourn was recognized by everyone as the
defeat of New York, and after that she
stood no chance whatever. Having stood by
New York as long as there was any hope of
locating the fair there, Congressman Bou-
telle.in the last two ballots voted for Chicago.
This is the whole story of Congressman Bou-
telle's alleged sacrifice of the interests of his
constituents. 1t is only by deliberately and
maliciously ignoring very large part of the
facts that any color can be given to such an
allegation. The whole truth acquits him
completely.