The Portland daily press., 1898-05-23

I, as chairman of the co,o,,. liza -
South Portland on Friday night wish
through your columns to state r. The
people of this county and of tho s+.+o
true record of tile PROCEEDINGS of the
different persons connected with that
caucus, both before the caucus and at tho
time of the caucus, to show to the world
if ueed be my position and the nosition
taken by different persons, and also to
correct statement made in the prass of
Saturday.
70 begin with called meeting of the
Republican Town Committee and at that
meeting told the members attending that
I had called them together for the mr.
pose of finding out if they would uphold
nue. in carrying on a Republican caucus.
I told them would use my efforts in that
direction provided they would UNFOLD me
to a man, ana without their support /. of
course, could not do it alone.
Mr., Reynolds was invited to express
an opinion and he said he was free ito
confess he knew of no way. Other men,
beers present thought it might be done,
but the sentiment on the whole was that
Il should call a Republican caucus, but
that we would not be able to prevent
Democrats from voting. A misstatement
was made in the Press Saturday in say
ing that / said there was Democrat
present at that meeting. made the state
mept at the caucus that previous to the
meeting of the Town Committee I had
interviewed a party who had different
views than myself in regard to certain
candidate to whom was opposed and l
asked him whom he was working for. He
- i L. - oil ono
Way. He spoke of the different views of
different men and 1 saw that the Demo-
cracy was having as much to say in the
matter of sheriff as the Republican party.
[ finally asked him what his politics were
and he said, 81 am Democrat. That
started the ball rolling and l could see to
my own satisfaction that we were to have
a repetition.of the disgraceful proceedings
of rour. years ago, which have been stig-
ma on our town for that length of time.
What was / to do? am man who
has always claimed to be for right and
justice and think any man that ever
had my pledge had as honest pledge as
was ever given to man. l would do more
for friend once he got me started than
it would be possible for me to do If were
working the same points for myself. l
think any one who knows me, even the
enemy. will conoede that. I come on one
side from Thomas B. Reed stock and my
fathers folks, including him, no man
need be ashamed to own. Under the Cir
cumstances I will take no special credit
to myself. was born SO. repeat. What
was to do to win the delegation for my
friend to whom was pledged? He was
man not too rich in this world rs goods.
believed him honest and l have had no
reason as yet to change my opinion of the
man. wouldn't pledge him to be man
who would enforce the liquor law as he
would other laws, as Mir. Reynolds pledged
Mr.. Plummer to be man who would do
that thing in our county convention four
years ago, but ii l in my honest conviction
had pledged him to be such man and
had tried him and found him wanting,
would square myself in the eyes of the
world two years from that time, which
would be my opportunity. You will say
am too honest to be in politics and | will
make this statement to every man who
knows me that if this caucus held Friday
night is not squared as it should be
will never lift my voice or hand to in
fiuence vote in any way. shall always
use my right OF suffrage according to my
way of viewing it, but shall never work
night aud day as l have cone to make q
town largely Republican that was always
Democratic. l have done this because OF
love of party and men ia 1T but when that
| party seeks the level it has in this caucus
by allowing rum and money to buy the
one right man under free flag, in a
free and independent country has, it is
time for men to halt and consider.
When the money to do this thing comes
from an office either directly or indirectly
that is established in this county for the
purpose of running down thieves, knavery
and corruption it is time for honest men
to quit if they are upheld in it.
When such influences are brought tc
bear that will make what you have al
ways supposed to be as honest young
man as ever lived, break his pledge and
lie three days in succession and make as
many different promises after stating he
considered you the best friend he had in
the place, it is time, fellow Republicans,
to Cry halt. .a
When another young man who is on
your delegation tells you If there is not as
much money in it as hB has been offered he
will forsake you and go where the money
is; when another man belonging to the
church, after giving his word as a man
that he is for your candidate, says he is
for the other man, probably by reason OF
promises never meant TO be fulfilled by
the other side, IL is time to cry halt.
Now to the caucus. I made the state
mert that would not have been there
after the things which have stated had
occurred had it not been for the reason
|
what had occurred was nothing. I will
state that it was rumored at once that
Mr.. Rounds was there. l think I saw
the gentleman about the premises. Others
saw him and his method of conducting
cauouses was discussed.
Fellow Republicans of this county
rum was there and many a young mar
who had pledged himself to support my
delegation was filled with that rum. One
young man who meant to be loyal to me
and my delegates after making two
different attempts to vote my ticket was
each time led out to the team on the
premises before getting to the polls and
finally threw for Dresser delegates. To-
day it is current talk on tho streets OF
our town the amount each man got to
vote the ticket
They make no bones of stating how
much they got and who gave it to them.
Flags today are flying over the home Of
the representative OF the head of the
Dresser ticket. The good old flag that flew
over the fleet of Dewey, fellow Republi
cans, when he entered Manila, is flying
over that mans home to celebrate thai
victory