The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-25
ana, and N. Q. Pope, formerly of New
HAS VISIONS.
Candidate Frank Is Among the Aroos-
took Farmers.
And Endeavors to Tell Them of the Joys of
Bryanized Free silver and then Sings a
Song of Piteous Wall,
ESPECIAL TO THE PRKss.l

Houlton, August M.-Had the ample form
of the Hon. M. P. Frank been clad in sack
cloth, and had his hardly silvered hair
been filled with ashes, his personal resem-
blance to one of the ancient prophets might
have been t1if1e more marked, but there
never was single ancient prophet of them
all who ever indulged in more dismal for
bodings regarding the future, OF who ever
saw the present through more darkened
windows.
4 The circumstances under which Mr.. Frank
labored were depressingly good. Mr.. Frank
| himself showed in his own person few if
any marks of toll. Apparently he had not
burnt much midnight oil over the silver
question, but he had made close study of
the style of the ancient prophets, and he
lifted up his voice and the burden of his
song was ''Woe to the city and to the citi-
zen. Woe to the farmer and to the farm.
Woe to those who advocate the gold stan d.
ard for they are a bad lot generally. Woe
to those who are for free silver, for they
haven't any coin to coin. Woe to the man
of business no matter what happens. Most
| of all, woe to the members of the Republican
party, for they will insist on bringing our
best laid plans to naught.''
The audience he addressed was composed
of slick looking farmers. as well dressed as
| a rule as Mr.. Frank himself, and so he ex-
planned that while there might be traces of
good times left in Aroostook county, else
where it would be found very different. The
farmers of Aroostook county might be all
right, but still they must reflect on the con-
dition of those farmers and on land
prostrate under the workings of gold
standard system.
Mr. Frank waxed indignant when he
| thought of the cutting off of one half of the
money OF the country. The fact that almost
$500, ,000, 600, in silver dollars is part of the
money of this country, was mentioned by
Col. Fellows in his speech before the sound
money Democrats at Portland, but then MI.
Frank was in no mood to be fooled by such
delusive statements, especially if made on
the authority of official reports.
Then he wandered through a perfect dis
NAL swamp of free silver statements, and
succeeding in once more demonstrating the
fact that Mr.. L. c. Bateman spoke as a
prophet when he observed after Mr.. Frank
was nominated "He doesn't know a thing
about the silver question: The longer he
talked the more he was confused, and the
denser became the ignorance of the audi
ence.
1t Is great pleasure to be able to add
that as he neared the close of his address
he began to take more cheerful view of
things. At no one time did he become posi-
lively cheerful, but comparatively so he did
become especially when he gave word
picture of the time when there will be free
coinage of silver, and plenty of money for
everybody.
By the eye of faith he not only saw that
time, but the vision before it quite faded
away took in even the blissful period when
William J. Bryan will have custom houses
at his disposal.
1t was with this vision full in view that he
took hts seat, and the audience filed out.
Mr.. Frank will continue for number of
days to add to the stock of misinformation
possessed by the people of this section of
the state on financial questions