The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-04
Especial to the Press.1

Especial to the PreSs.]
ALFRED, August 3.-The York county
Democrots to the number of $50 met
here today, raised a flag, nominated a
county ticket, fought out feud between
the Biddeford tiger Democracy and the
Donovan countrymen, and listened to
speeches from G. F. johnson, Darius H.
Ingraham and A. w. Bradbury.
The enthusiasm at the raising of the
flag would have cured the worst case OF
insomnia on record. AS the flag was
hauled up Frank Heselton, big Bidde-
ford Democrat, pulled off his hat and
shouted ssHooray! Hoorayp'
Not another Democrat lifted a hat OF
opened mouth.
''For Gods sake, boys, won't you
cheer the old fagp' exclaimed Henry K.
Bradbury of Hollis.
This brought out a feeble cheer.
The convention, which followed the
flag raising was marked by a bitter
fight between the Biddeford and Saco
stalwarts on one side and the rural
Democracy on the other.
After the convention the speaking oc-
CURED at the court house grounds. The
attendance was not large, being consld-
erably less than that at the recent Re
publican convention at the same
place.
Chairman John B. Donovan of the
Democratic State Committee, presided
and introduced the speakers, first OF
whom was
G. #. johnson, ESQ.,,
the candidate for governor. This was
Mr. Johnson's first appearance on the
stump, and his speech gave hint of the
line of fight he had mapped out. He
spoke generally against the present tariff
system, and then dwelt particularly up
ON the question of the expenses
of the state government. His plan is to
take the years about 1881 and 'S2, when
the Greenback legislature had cut the
salaries of state officers down to ridi-
culously low figure, and compare the
expenses of those years with the ex-
penses of the last year. When it is re-
membered that the salary of the county
attorney of York was cut down to $3.50 a
year by the fusionists-a sum so low
that no lawyer of standing could afford
to take the office-it will be realized that
Mr.. johnson can make some compari-
sons satisfactory to those of his hearers,
who like to hear the Republicans repre-
sented as brigands.
Mr.. Johnson, upon being introduced,
said that reaching down through the
whole network of our party principles is
the great principle that the government
should be administered for the benefit of
the whole people, without favoritism for
special classes or the possession of in
herited wealth. No taunts that we are
bribed by British gold or that we intend
to prostrate the industries of the country
will cause us to swerve from our pur-
rising sun of tariff reform, which will
melt
The Frozen Pathway of the Poor
and flood with sunshine the road to
prosperity. The Republican press and
orators declare that the tariff benefits
all classes alike, the laborer and the cap
italist, yet in answer to that we have
Carnegie rolling in wealth in his High
land castle, while the men who helped
him get his wealth are out of employ
ment under the guns of Fort Frick. Mr..
johnson dwelt at considerable length
upon the McKinleybill as the cause of
the Homestead riot; but failed to men
ton that the laborers on whose account
the strike was made, were getting from
five to ten dollars day wages.
Passing to state issues he declared
that the Republican party in the last ten
years had shown itself unworthy the
trust which the people of Maine have
confded to it, In the last decade the
state has increased in population only
1.S7 per cent. Seven of her sixteen
counties show no increase. He was
happy to say that York county was not
one of the seven. 1t had increased about
500 in population, but that has been en-
tirely in Biddeford and Saco. Now,
with slowly increasing population, was
there warrant for increased expenditures
by the state government Mr.. johnson
here produced bundle of state treasur-
er's reports to show the alleged extrava-
gance of the Republican party. He de-
clared that in the last two years over
100000 had been spent more than had
been raised by taxation, although the
rate of taxation has been restored to q
mills by the legislature, from p mills as
fixed BY the legislature of 1889. The
100000 of extra expenditure had been
met by loan of $300,c0O made in 1890,
and by the direct tax money $35S, 900,
refunded to Maine by the national gov
ernment. Mr.. johnson here again omit
ted to mention that this money had been
restored to Maine by a Republican Con-
gress against the strenuous protest of
the Democrats. The last legislature as
sessed $s50.000 on the taxpayers, which
was almost as much tax as was assessed
in 1885, when our expenses on account OF
the public debt were greater than now.
In Governor Plaisted's administration in
the year 1881, the expenditures for the
state government were 1923, 103, while in
1891 they were 1886, 1885. This showing,
Mr.. johnson arrived at by deducting all
expenses relating to the state debt, his
argument being that what the Republi-
can administration has been able to save
by it's prudent administration OF the
state debt should have been saved to
the taxpayers instead of being used to
increase some salaries of state officers.
build hospitals, etc.
Mr.. johnson then read the amounts of