The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-09-09
UNCLE SOLON PASSED HIS WHITE HAT
crizzIed creenbackers and Younger
Labor Aeitators Form a Party.
The Tramp Of cowhide Boots Again
Heard In the Lard.
Men VINO Led Maine creenbackers
Answer the Alliance Slogan.
Especial to the Press !

Especial to the Press.l
LEWISTON, September 8.-A queer politi-
cal convention was held in this city today.
1t was the assembling of the nucleus Of the
Maine branch of the National Peoples par
ty, which was organized from the elements
of discomfort assembled at Cincinnati.last
spring. There has been Union Labor
party In Maine for some time At the last
election w. Fl. Simmons of Rockland. was
Its candidate; but the party showed little
strength when the votes were counted. But
the success of the Farmers Alliance In the
West, and the organization Of the Peoples
party by the motley Cincinnati convention
OF labor agitators, old Greenbackers, Bella
myites, etc.. has encouraged sympathizers
in this state. As a result of the Cincinnati
convention, III. S. Hobbs of ROckland, Frank
A. Howard of Belfast, and ID. w. Smith,
editor of the Lewiston Labor Advocate, be-
came national committee for Maine. 1t
was as a result of the efforts of this commit.
tee that the meeting assembled today in re-
the Cincinnati platform. That platfor N
which is virtually the Ocala platform of the
Farmers Alliance-advocates the lOaning of
government money to people at per cent
interest; the government control Of rail-
roads; free coinage of silver; the crushing of
monopolles; liberal pensions. etc The call
for meeting of sympathizers with this
platform brought together the meeting
today.
1t was strange and suggestive assembly.
The grey heads and grizzly boards of the
remnants of the old Greenback barty made
up the larger part Of the assembly, while
the younger and more aggressive element
seemed to be furnished by those who belong
to what little labor agitation there is in
Greenbackers was Uncle Solon Chase,
Of silver. for q ''nimble dollar" and for
rise in the price of the farm products of
Chase's Mills. Then there were Uncle
Stephen Greenleaf of Starks, F. A. Howard
Of Belfast, j. 5. Simmons of Gorham, Hen
rv Belts of Ellsworth, d. Fl. Thing OF Mt.
Vernon, ex-Congressman Ladd of Bangor,
Wallace Copeland OF Turner, John Todd of
Portland. Peter III. Gordon of Deering, and
bis brother Freeman Gordon of Portland.
John White Of Levant, who Supplied Uncle
Solon with his printing press in the old
Greenback days, Thomas Dow of PittstoD,
George w. Glllett of Gardiner, Benjamin
Costello of Richmond, etc.
In short, 1t was regular reunion of the
old guard Greenbackers. who have kept the
fires OF their faith In cheap money, burning
for dozen years, and now come out In re-
sponse to the slogan cry Of the Alliance In
the West. 1t must be admitted that the old
fellows seemed as full Of ginger as in the
days when the tramp of the cOwhide boots
was heard In the land.
While the enthusiasm seemed to be fur
nished by the grizzled old GreenDackers, the
direction of the meeting iseemed to be In
the hands of the younger Union Labor men.
A A. Beaton of Rockland, head of the
Knights of Labor in this state, was chair
man. ii. S. Hobbs of the national commit
tee, In introducing Mr.. Beaton, closed his
the way our team is moving. to take the Cap
it0l away from the Shylocks." [Appausel
In order to choose representative state
committee, the convention dissolved tempo
rarily into county delegations. As they sep
arated for this purpose 1t was seen that the
following counties were represented: An
dr0scoggin, by Is men; Cumberland, by
8; Hancock, 2; Franklin, s.: Knox,
9; Lincoln, /; Penobscot. 2; Waldo. z; Ok
eral from Sagadahoc.
The Cumberland delegation were John
Todd, K. Homan, William III. Sargent, Of
Portland; Peter FL. Gordon of Deering
Freeman Gordon of Portland; A. K. Gray Of
Westbrook; j. s. Simmons OF Gorham; and
Prescott Robbins OF Pownal.
The choice Of state committee Of three
from each county represented, resulted as
follows:
Androscogein-L. f. Webster Of Webster. E.
V. Turner OF Auburn, L. NJ Sylvester of Leeds
Cumberland-John Harper Of Portland, Pres
cott Robinson of Pownal, j. S. Simmons of Cor
ham.
FIanklin-Noah Phillips of Wilton, Thaddeus
Hancock-R. 3. Carter of Ellsworth, Calvin
Kingman Of .waltham, E. f. Chapman Of West
Sullivan.
Kennebec-D. H. Thing of Mt. Vernon. III. L.
Edwards of Gardiner, d. G. Richards OF Water
vile.
Knox-N. W. Lermond of Washington, w. Ii.
Light of Washington, j. ID. Swan of Camden.
OxfOrd-Henry Pearson Of Woodstock Deca tur
Hastings Of Beams Corner, Bethel, Charles Water
Penobscot-Isasc R. Clark of Bangor, d. s.
Larrabee OF Bradford. y. d. Chapman of Ply
mouth.
Somerset-Henry A. Thompson of Starks.
Henry Croswell Of Mercer Martin w. Frederick
of Starks,
Costello OF Richmond, Rnaldo Brown OF Rich
m0nd.
waldo-Frank H. Durham of Belfast, William
Moody OF Lincolnville, Z. w. Robbins of Sears
York-s. F. Macomber of Saco George Lord of
Saco, A. II. Watson of South LimingtoD.
Roscoe G. Watson of Limington was origi-
naily chosen one OF the York county three;
but declined to serve because prohibition
was not then and there added to the creed of
the new party.
The executive committee organized with
the choice Of DR.. L.. f. Webster of Webster
as chairman, |. l.. Clark If Bangor as secre-
tary, and d. G. Richards of Watervllle as
treasurer.
The platform adopted was the Cincinnati
platform entire without change.
The old Greenhackers with their younger
allies were not at all modest in their aspira-
tlons. In order to drive out the Shylocks
they propose to organize In every county In
Maine, the state committee being started as
nucleus. They expect to bring their or
ganizatlon not only down to the towns, but
to the school districts.
The old Greenbackers, who remember the
magic OF the tramp Of the cowhide boots,
seem TO expeet to carry the state easily. But
the younger Union Labor men are more con-
servative. w. III. Simmons of Rockland. In
the course OF his speech, admitted that the
laboriDg people of Maine were mot hungry
enough" to make the Peoples party success
full at once.
1t seemed desirable to have some money
to start the movement well and, Uncle So
Ion passed around his old white hat, urging
them to contribute to "spread the truth; to
spread the truth" The donations were
quite liberal; but the total amount was not
such as to make the old parties tremble.
Uncle SoloD Is as full of epigrammatic say
ings as ever. "rre silver basis with the sill
yer on baud." says he, sis a damned sight
better than the gold basis with the gold all
gone"
One Of the most entertaining speeches was
made by Il. III. Durham of Belfast. He
said the late Greenback party had suffered
greatly from pretended friends, who were
not friends. If there were any such In the
hall today, he wanted them to rise at once.
Strange to say, no one arose.
Mr.. John Todd OF Portland was the coun-
sellor, philosopher and wit Of the conven-
tion. In the course Of his remarks he de-
nounced the Maine militia as an annex to
the regular army and menace to our liber-
| ties.
In order to make the campaign of 1892
more active, an executive committee was
chosen, to consist of the three members Of
the national committee, the three officers of
| the state committee, and Messrs. Daniel FL.
Warren, j. S. Simmons Of Gorham andR b.
Carter of Ellsworth.
Fast Time by 'CycIers.
HAKTFoRD, CT. September SIN the bi
| cycle races, the half-mile safety National l..
A w ohamninn hin was won in I'm % X