The Portland daily press., 1898-06-24
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION.

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Mind of An Anxious Democrat and His
Own at the Same Time.
The following correspondence needs
no preface:
Portland, Maine, June 9th, 1898.
To Harry E. Thompson, Esq. Brunswick
Maine.
Dear Sir-Your letter of several days
ago, containing inquiries relative to the
"call. rights of delegates, &c. to the
coming Democratic State Convention
reached me promptly by mail and at the
Same time through the columns of the
Portland Daily PRESS. regret that
circumstances beyond my control pre-.
vented my replying before, and trust
that you will pardon any seeming neglect
in answering 1t.
AS q member of the State Committee, I
am willing to give political constituent,
reasons for my acts in performing the
duties of tnat office. But in this case
desire 1t to be distinctly understood,
that speak for myself and not forg the
committee The letter referred to is as
follows:
Brunswick, Maine, Mayer, 1898.
Llewellyn Barton, Esq.
Dear Sir:-The call to the Democratic
Thursday, June s0th, 1898. issued by the
state committee of which you are mem
her for Cumberland Cohnty, invites "TRe
ELECTORS of Maine without regard to past
poiftspsA affiliations, who believe in the
principles as enunciated in the platform
e e by TIE psmporatio National ti3
send delegates to the convention to be
hsld al Bangor.
would respectfully inquire if that in
vltatfon excludes all who do not believe
fn sthe free and unlimited coinage OF
silver at the ratio of sixteen to oneP''
lnasmuch as several members of the
committee issuing the call. including
yourself, hays expressed disbelief in that
docsEfiis, 1 am solicitous TO know if you
are to be excluded from said convention,
ar il said doctrine is anon essential of
recsnbi Democratic faith?
Ii Grover Cleveland, Thomas B.
Bayara and John 6. Carlisle were citi-
Zens OF Maine, would they be permitted,
under the farms of the call to participate
in eiecting delegates to the Democratic
State Convention of Maine?''
Very respectfully,
HARRY f. THOMPSON.
In answer to your first inquiry, I
would say that the call for the convention
lsexcludes'' no one. The committee have
neither the right nor inclination to ex-
ciude any one.
On the other hand. it not only permits
but invites any elector of this state,
who desires to attend the convention, as a
delegate and who does so with the inten-
tien of taking part in the deliberations
and abiding by what majority of the
convention, determine is the best policy
for the party to pursue in the coming
campaign, to do so.
To begin with it is a Democratic con-
vention called in the usual way, by the
regularly constituted committee. The
call invites THE electors of Maine, with
out regard to past political affiliations
who believe in the principles of the party,
as adoped at its last national convention:
who oppose the abuses and extravagancies
existing in oUr state and local govern
nent; who are in favor of the enforce
ment of every law as long as it is law.
not to ''send" but to ''unite. with the
Democrats in sending delegates to the
convention.
The call not only includes every Demo-
GRAFT in the state, but, as is customary in
such cases, it goes beyond that and in
vites all who are in accord with the
principles and policy of the party; all
those, and there should be thousands of
Them, who have grown weary with feed
ing on the husks of Repu bIican prosper