The Portland daily press., 1895-11-21
(By Hon. John J. Perry.)

To the Editor of the Press:
Fifty years ago but little attent ion was
paid to county lines in fixing the boun-
diaries of Congressional Districts In
1910 some four or five towns in the
northern part of Cumberland County
were, and had been for several years,
connected with Oxford County Congress
sional District. These towns included
Bridgton, Harrison, Otisfeld and Naples.
The Democrats in these towns always
commended that in decade Of ten years
they ought to have one term in Congress
| if they presented a suitable candidate,
and to this end-for three or four prior
Congressional conyentions-had presented
the name of Nathaniel S. Iittlefield, and
gave it their unanimous support.
In 1910 the old sapportionment was
about up, and at the same time it was
very certain that in the next Congress
sional classification Cumberland County
would be kept together, and these stray
towns go with the county. Mr.. Little
field, who had up to this time simply
permitted his friends to use his name in
prior conventions-with no expectation
of nomination now thought, by max
ing vigorous effort he had a fighting
chance to win.
So starting with the Cumberland
towns, he commenced a canvass in the
other counties and put himself in COM
munication with leading Democrats in
other towns in the district. Mr.. Little
field was an adroit politician, who very
largely kept his own secrets and person
ally managed his own canvass But to
start with, he we'll knew that he had
powerful antagonist to contend with in
the person of Virgil d. Paris of Buck
field. MIR. Paris was then in Congress,
and had long been a prominent factor
in the Democratic party in Oxford coun-
ty. He had his political fences we'll put
up and we'll guarded by his friends
While Paris was accredited with being
good political manager in organizing
forces he was not equal to Littlefield.
Tha latter was inclined to fight in a
bush, while the former chose the open
field.
There were no railroads then, and
political canvassers had to depend mainly
on private teams. But in this regard
both candidates were very fortunate.
Paris was the owner of a powerful
horse, famlIiarly known as "Old Zeke,"
and it is a historical fact, that before
that canvass was closed Old Zeke was
about as well known in political circles
as his owner.
Littlefieid had an equally faithful steed,
but not as we'll known, for the reason
that his owner in the hot season of the
YEAR, found it more comfortable to travel
nights-and frequently turned up in
some distant town or yillage-before the
inhabitants and breakfasted.
The caucuses for the election of dele
gates were occasions of intense political
excitement. The line between the friends
of the two candidates was squarely
drawn, and every man elected delegate
was pledged man to either one or the
other candidates. AS the campaign pro-
ceeded-greatlysst the disgust of = Paris
and his friends-another candidate ap-
cared in the field in the person of Hon.
and his friends looked like flank move
ment IN the interest of his rival for as
against Littlefeld he felt sure Of carrying
them but as against Prince he would be
beaten at the start. But the fight went
on, and Prince secured eight delegates in
the Convention, which convened at Paris
Hill in June of that year. Both candi-
dates and their friends were early on the
ground, the convention duly organized,
and Cd formal ballot Littlefeld and
Paris had IN equal number of votes,
and Prince had his. This result was no
surprise to either of the leading candi-
dates, for they knew their men, and
strange as it may seem, every delegate
proved true to his pledges when elected.
thatt
delegates held the prize in their hands,
and the exciting question was, Would
they s.stiok" or go over to one or the
other parties. The next ballot settled
the question for some of these men voted
for Littlefeld, and he was declared nomi-
mated.
The fact that these delegates went
over to Littlefeld as early as the second
ballot is pretty conclusive evidence that
their constituency had a choice between
the two leading candidates, and expected
their delegates to truly represent them,
after giving the1r own candidate a formal
ballot.
Probably this convention and the oau-
cuses that elected it's delegates were as
honest and fair as the Democratic con-
ventions of that day would average. Yet
Paris and his friends were terribly in
dignant at the result.
The tocsin of war was sounded and
boiling mass convention was called in
Buckfeld, Mr.. Parris's own town, which
was quite largely attended. The meeting
was bold protest against the nominal
ton of Littlefeld with flaming "Resolu-
tom to fight it to the bitter end. AT the
first trial-at the regular annual election
there was no choice of Representative
to Congress in that District. The bolt
was a large one, and foreboded doubtful
result. But Littlefield proved himself
equal to the emergency and was skillful
in laying his plans.
AS the law then required majority of
votes to elect, and as there was then no
choice in that District, it was the duty
of Governor Fairfield, who then filled the
Executive chair, to fix time by procla-
nation for another trial. Paris was