Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-06
G W. Pearce on "Maine's Oliqarchy.'

fliCting upon the voters of Maine. is an
article of several columns length in
the Newark IN. j. Ledger, signed by
the editor of that paper. c. w. Pearce.
It is only fair TO the memory Of the
strictly varacious Father OF his Coun-
try. to explain at this point that the &c.
w" in Mr.. Pearce's name does not
stand for George Washington. The arti-
Gle in question is entitled the History
of Names Oligarchy," and the Journal
has been favored with a copy. In a
note accompanying the same, Mr..
Pearce remarks that copies Of the arti-
Gle with other matter have been
sent to $1,000 addresses in Maine. We
wonder if the other matter was as ul-
ua-romantic and as insulting TO the
intelligence Of Maine people as the
History OF Names Oligarchy."
| The article opens with the important
announcement that the Democrats of
| Maine worthy heirs of the ancient and
renowned Jeffersonians who kept the
State Democratic from the foundation
Of the party until forty years ago" are
playing their rapid fire guns on the
! Imperialists with terrific effect" Then
| the author goes on to tell about the
! terrible Maine oligarchy which seems
| to be sort Of second cousin to the
! far-famed octopus. These are his
words:
Since 1856 Maine has been misgov-
erned. by an oligarchy which masquer-
AIDES under the name of the Republican
party. The cabals which dictate the
State. Federal county, municipal and
township nominations and elections
have been from the beginning and are
now, composed of able, selfish and I'M
scrupulous men who are in politics for
lllegitimate ends. all predicated on i'm
mense profits. They are oligarchs who
are seldom candidates for otfict-their
ends are better served by facile tools
intellectual mediocriteS who are used
as mariOnettes by their clever manipu-
latorS who hide behind the scenes. The
marionetteS receive little more than
their small salaries, ana in times Of
/
close elections the oligarchS demand
| excessive contributions from all the Of
= ticeholders. AS nearly all the principal
State and Federal OffiCehOlderS in
Maine are Of small means, the people
VINO do not understand the malignant
cunning and almost superhuman sagac-
ity Of the men who rule them. are
puzzled to account for the disposition
of the immense prDfitS which are made
by the machine and which they cannot
/ trace 70 the o1hcers' VINO, with few
! exceptions I'VE IN pam fashion, and
. dying leave pehlhh lhem very small
estates.
great many OF the members Of
, the Legislature and the State and Fed
eral civil services do not know the oil
sarchs, nor do more than a score Of
the leading Republicans and Democrats
"t the state know the oilgarchs. The
reason why the ohgarchs keep IN the
ri, n fnd win few avcantiors ~,
are British subjects and citizens Of
other states. They own tWo-thirds Of
M ee'i'ii u -i"iile, anu 'ileS save
state ana Federal rnachinar,. ri, ~
this fuicrum they use a lever which
| places nne-tenths Of the taxation on
NV '"' 'iSiiei men I'''ildliics'
AZ o,,.rx,,., AZ ,II .t,a NTai-,a
and other states and of the political
machinery Of Canada, the oligarchs
M iiiIiiieiise rs Wei SetN
outside of rolling III vna1th ma tba1
despse their tools and the people whose
votes keep them foilins IN riches. All
va+ ,baro i ~ ,a(.o.I ~ aris. -,
| of the number now alive TO any relig-
ious, charitable or educational institu-
! t'oH9 - ny s'dte. iney ny N Lon
treaI and ottawa ana H,o,,Id I,,o,, -,,itb
wounded pride at anv governor sena-
! tor, congressman or legislator of Maine
! VINO might presume to ring the door
pells OF their palaces.
Isn't that an awful condition Of
things for Maine to have endured for
half century? And to think that no
body in Maine, not even the Demo-
cratic politicians, ever suspected the ex-