The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-08
A POLITICAL TRICK.

81
dial welcome
A POLITICAL TRICK.
Attempt of Democratic Paper to Misrep-
SIC resent Hon. b. f. Hamilton May Prove
Expensive.
Especial to the PRESS.)
Biddeford, September 7-If political
campaign in Biddeford is ever by any
chance finished without a libel suit or
legal contention of some kind, it is
considered remarak BILE and the present
campaign is no exception to the rule.
This time the Biddeford Daily Stand.
ard, the Democratic organ of York
county, has had libel suit for $4,000
brought against it by. BE-. Hamilton,
a prominent Repu blican politician of
this city.
Mr.. Hamilton has been making cam
palgn speeches through the county and
Saturday night spoke at WATERFORD.
Wednesday the Standard came out with
an article headed in it's heaviest type
French are Filthy" in which it was
charged that Mr.. Hamilton in his Wat
erboro speech made that statement
about the French people of Biddeford,
and furthermore described them as
herding together, they, it is claimed,
being held up as an illustration of what
would come from voting the Democratic
ticket.
The object of the article was obvious.
A large part of the French voters de-
serted the Democrats here last spring and
helped to overthrow the ring which
had ruled so long. The article made
quite a sensation among the French
10 Il - 1ol 4
prejudice them against the Republicans,
but it now promises to have the opposite
effect. Prominent citizens of Water boro
have signed statement that Mr.. Hamil-
ton never so much as mentioned the
French people in his speech, and MIR.
Hamilton himself, who only got back
today makes the same statement. He
has published a letter to that effect,
has brought suit for libel against the
Standard and is determined to find out
upon what authority such libel was
published.
Itis said that the Standards authority
was letter received from a former Bid
deford man who is now in WATERFORD.
This letter was shown about town We'd
nesday by Frank j. Smith, Democratic
nominee for representative from this
city, who is passing as labor candi-
date. Needless to say it will not help
him in his canvass.
The French people of this city are in
dignant at the slander thus circulated
about them. The French people here
are hard working. law abiding citizens.
Many OF them are poor and many of
them live in tenement houses, but they
are no more filthy than are the Ameri-
cans. Indeed when they turn out by
thousands to go to church Sundays it
is wonderful to see how well and with,
what good taste these French people,
mostly mill hands, re dressed.
The French Independent club held a
meeting last night and expressions of
indignation were frequent. Prominent
French people say the whole story is
bound to help the Repu blicans. The
Standard is the same paper of which the
Boston Herald four years ago after the
Democatic Waterloo in this district,
said: The shameless stuff which the
Biddeford Standard printed drove off
decent men, The Standard is evidently
keeping up it's record of furnishing CAM
paign material for the Republicans.
A Rally At Richmond.
Especial to the PRESS.)
Richmond, Septem ber 1.-THE first Re-
publican rally of the campaign was held
at the Opera house Friday evening. The
speakers were Hon. R.C. Surbride and
Frank L.Noble. Music was furnished
by the Richmond band. The hall was
filled with an intelligent audience The
campaign has been unusually quiet in
Richmond. The Democrats have held
nosmeetings. Tue Peoples Party have
had two rallies, the second being held
this evening, an out of doors meeting,
addressed by Jesse Harper.
Singing For an Office.
Fairfield. September 7.-George G. .Shel-
don, Populist's candidate for Congress, from
the third district, isshere.tonight with his
taIly-ho quartette. D. A. Ladd presided at
the meeting