The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-20
LET THE CHARGES BE INVESTIGATED

tioAs WAcFo tu6 Keel mas always Deen al
legged to be the superior.
LET THE CHARGES BE INVESTIGATED
The Evening Express of last evening
contained an article of nature and inn
port that may well be considered sur
prising. 1t charges, or insinuates, that
there is in our midst in the Republican
party of the State of Maine, and espec-
tally of this county and city, a wide
spread corruption that vies with, or even
outdoes the corruption now being re-
vealed in New York CITY,. The article
referred to specifies the forms which this
corruption takes as follows:
That an attempt was made last winter
to repeal certain provisions of the pro-
hibitory law, and that sums of money
were paid to members of the legislature
to attain this purpose.
That certain legislators have accepted
fees for performing services harmless in
nature but such as should be performed
without fee.
That the laws against liquor selling
are not enforced in this community. or
are enforced with favoritism.
That protection" is purchased by
1iouor eaJIore froy,o tJ,osa xrboso b,,.:no..
it is to enforce the law, i.e., from the
police and liquor deputy sheriffs.
That the victims of the system of
protection" are dragooned into caucus
es to elect to Office men who will per-
petuate the system.
These i've charges, when taken as a
wholes are astonishing in their scope,
involving as they do the integrity of the
Republican party in the State of Maine,
as represented in the legislature; and in
the County of Cumberland and City of
Portland as represented by city and
county officials.
The source from whence the charges
come merits attention. The Evening
Express is the mouthpiece of Colonel
Fred N. Dow, and the charges must be
made with his active approval.
So far, not a single name nor a single
fact has been adduced to support these
charges, but the PRESS assumes that
such serious allegations would not be
made with Colonel Dow's approval un-
less he is cognizant of some facts to sup
port them and will produce such facts be-
fore the proper tribunal.
We believe that the legislature is the
only tribunal which has the authority
to investigate the charges that have
been made as to the legislature and the
county officials. The city government
may investigate the police. Before these
two tribunals the charges should be
formulated and preferred. The Repub-
lican party cannot afford to neglect any
shadow upon its escutcheon, especially
VIII en- that shadow is cast by the hand
of one who occupies the first federal
Office within the gift of the party in this
state.
The time at which these charges are
made is unfortunate in many respects for
the party. In the ordinary course of
things general election must intervene
before the truth or falsity of them can
be Investigated The Republican party
must labor under the odium of them
through this campaign, unless Governor
Cleaves shall call special session of the
legislature and have an immediate inyes-
tigation.
The Express, in an editorial urges the
county convention, which ASSEMBLIES to-
morrow. to do it's part in having this
matter probed to the bottom, and giving
assurance that such a state of affairs
will not be permitted to continue.
OF course the county convention cannot
do anything in regard to corruption that
may exist in the legislature or the police
department. But the county convention
can, in one way, put itself positively and
firmly on the side of good government
that is by selecting for it's candidates