The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-29

The Democratic committee for the First
Congressional district was called to meet
in this city for the purpose of organiza-
ton on the third day March. The call
did not meet with q favorable response
from all the members and the following
correspondence shows that the gold
Democrats are not disposed to return to
the fold and live in peace with the Bryan
ites Among the Democrats summoned
to meet in Portland was Mr.. barry NJ.
Thompson of Brunswick. To Mr.. Thomp-
son was sent the following call:
Portland, Maine, Feb, 25th, 1897.
Dear Sir:-There will be meeting of
the Democratic committee for the First
Congressional district of Maine, for 1897
90, OF which you are member, at the
falmouth club rooms, No. 1853 High
street, Portland, Maine, on Wednesday,
March 3rd, 1897, at 2 p. M, for the pur-
pose of organization of the committee; if
you cannot he present please sign and re-
turn the proxy printed below.
Yours truly,
Chairman OF Committee for 1896.
To II. W. Gage:-You are hereby au.
act, for me at ths above named meeting.
Here follows Mr.. Thompson's some
what caustic reply, which although
written several weeks ago is still interest
ing reading:
Brunswick, Maine, March l, 1897.
Hanno ". Gage, ESQ.,:
Dear Sir Your favor of the 25th ult.
informing ME of the meeting to organizs
n ,f<,f for hi
1 thank you.
l am obliged to say, however, that
while the political organization of which
this committee is to be constituent part
is dominated by the personal and politi-
cal enemies of President Cleveland and
his admin stratiOn and by the men who
betrayed the cause of tariff reform in the
United States Sonata while that organiz-
alton presents populists proteotionists
az candidates for highest office; while it
is pledged to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at the ratio of sixteen to
one; while it denies to the National Ex-
ecutive the right to use the military
power for the protection of United states
mails in transit from state to state in
time of riot; while it conspires to delay
and defeat the principle of international
arbitration and while it denies the right
of free discussion in this convention, as
at Wateryille and elsewhere, / must be
numbered with it's opponents rather than
with its supporters, My allegiance is to
the ancient principles of Democracy and
not to an organization committed to
their destruction.
If it were possible to sacrifice and re-
nounce all my political convictions at the
beck and call Of party convention, even
then, in the contemplate game of office
getting ] should DOUBT the expediency
of following the faithless leadership of
faithless party. Reference to recent
history would reduce the doubt to GER
tainty. For instance, the state OF Maine
in 1892 gave CHARLES +. johnson and
Democracy SIS, 397 votes; in 1896 it gave
Melvin p. Frank and Tilmanism "a. L19
votes. Our own town of Brunswick in
1892 gave Mr.. Johnson and Democracy
533 votes; in 1896 il gave Mr.. Frank and
Tillmalism 1856 votes. A policy that
alienates from the Democratic party
states like Kentucky and Maryland is its
own commentary.
I AIN unable to appreciate the alleged
Obligation of LOYALTY from the Individual
to the marty if there is no obligation of
loyalty on the part of the party to the
principles which alone induced the in
dividual to identify himself with the
party.
legislation to increase the price of pro-
duct above it's natural market value for
the benefit of its few producers at the ex-
pense of it's many consumers, then the
party of Chairman Hanna and the party
of Chairman Jones are alike protec-
tionists, differing only with respect to the
classes which they seek to favor. One
syste is designed to rob the poor by
making consumption INSTEAD of wealth
the victim of taxation; while the other
seeks to rob the rich by compelling the
crdtor to accept less value in satisfaction
Of his claim than that he originally
loaned.
If subjected to the hateful alternative
one might prefer to be spoiler Of the
rich rather than an oppressnr of the poor
but happily there yet remains the plain
and simple prescription of genuine
Democracy, viz, just and economical
govern ment to which the citizen may
not look for paur er support In tho form
of discriminating tariff rate. undersigned
pension or other form of public bounty;
but under the fair and equal laws of
which he may expect to acquire a moder-
ate degree OF wealth Dy his own frugality
and honest toll.
With SINCERE respect for yourself and
other members of the committee, I re-
main as ever.
HARRY F. THOMPS ON.
Annual Meeting of the Woman's Literary