The Republican journal., 1900-06-21
AN OPEN LETTER FROM DAWSON.
He Discusses a Special to The Lewiston
journal, and Answers the Question "Wha1
to do With Dawson"

He Discusses q Special to The Lewiston
journal, and Answers the Question "What
to do With Dawson"
BELFAST, Me-, June Especially Waldo
county politics, which have been dormant
for some time, are beginning to quicken,
and the fast throbbing already bids fair to
cause considerable sensation among the
political circles. Not only will there be a
contest between parties this year, but in the
ranks of the Republican party the distant
rumbling has deepened and there will be
some hard fought contests for the various
positions as to who will get the nominations
Probably the greatest contest will be for
the nomination as senator from this county.
A few days ago there were three candidates
for that position, they being Senator Albert
PIERCE of Frankfort, who seeks second
term, Representative to the Legislature,
Henry R. Dawson of Monroe, from the
class comprising the towns of Monroe,
Frankfort, Brooks and Winterport, and
who has large following; also Luclus Z.
Morse of Liberty, prominent man in the
county, who has since withdrawn, having,
it is said on good authority, promise OF a
clear field in 1902 if he would withdraw from
the candidacy, which he did, thus leaving
but two in the field.
Senator Peirce proved a good official last
year and carried himself well during his
term of office, and it is customary to
give such men second term. On the
other hand, Dawson has been a good
worker for the cause and they cannot afford
to turn him down, he having a large follow
ing in the oranges and Grand Army circles.
It is true, the situation is a rather embar-
RAISING one as the future gifts of the sena-
torShip are already mOrtgaged, and the
trouble which the leaders of county politics
are now experiencing is causing them to
ponder upon ''what to do with Dawson.
The above especial" appeared in the Lew
ston Journal captioned, ''The great ques-
ton is What to do with Dawson?'" and
propose to answer that question myself, as
! am the one most interested in my own
welfare 1t seems by reading the above that
some one. without consulting the people of
the county, has given away the State sena-
torshp for at least six years, and for four
years out of the six to a candidate if he
would take himself out of the way of some
but where are the people to come in on this
trade -or do they think as Vanderbilt ex-
pressed himself on a certain occasion, ''the
public be id" | doubt, however, if any
such trade has been made but | will answer
the question ''What to do with Dawson by
telling what Dawson will try to do for HIM
self. 1t is not possible that the people of
Waldo county will sanction the bartering or
trading of the highest Office in their gift in
any such manner, and do not believe that
it would be endorsed at the polls. Now for
some plain talk with the farmers and the
wage-earnerS, for every one knows that the
question that will be uppermost at the next
session of Legislature will be the better
equalization of taxes and to start with, the
constitution of the State of Maine says:
sAll taxes upon real and personal estate
assessed by authority of this State shall be
appOrtloned and assessed equally according
to the Just value thereof. I Constitution of
Maine, Sect. of Art. lN.)
We All know that this article in our con-
stitution is not lived up to by d good deal,
and here is an example of the law as inter
preted at the present time: A farmer with
only 81 200 buys farm for $1,000 He pays
one thousand dollars and gives his note, Sc
cured bya mortgage, for the other thousand.
When the assessors come around in the
spring they will tax him for all they think
the farm is WORTH say $4,000 and that on
the average of from two to three cents on the
dollar. This the farmer knows to be true
On the other hand some of our wealthy
capitalists decide to build railroad for two
million dollars, paying one million down
and bonding OF mortgaging their road for
the other million. What sum will they be
taxed for? Two Millions Oh no-one mil
lion. Nor will the State assessors enquire
the value of the road, or the price of its
stock in the open market. That is none of
their concern. They simply want to know
what are the gross receipts of the road, and
upon that they figure up a tax that would
not amount to one-half per cent or about
30 cents on 800 against more than 30 on
the farmers hundred dollars. Extract
from an article by Judge McFadden.
Now, to the farmers and wage-earners of
Waldo county, regardless of mere party
politics, will say that | shall be a cand-
date for State Senator land ask the people to
consider well the following questions, and
then act and vote as their conscience die
tateS. | do not believe in running over the
county soliciting prospective delegates for
their votes and to pledge themselves. /
thought | would write an open letter to the
farmers and wage-earners of Waldo county,
and they should decide which man would
be more apt to work for their interests-one
of their own number, whose record in the
House of Representatives last winter proves
beyond doubt that he stood by the farmer
and Wage-earner on all questions that con-
cerned them, and whose voice was heard on
the floor of the House in favor of more
economy in the expenditure of public money
OF a member of large corporation, who
would rather be on the more popular and
heightened side? The question for the
farmer is, who is the man who would help
them the most at Augusta next winter,
when every one knows that the main ques-
ton will be the equalization of taxes, for
it is positive fact that the State of Maine
must have more money to meet the ever in
creasing expenses, and the question will be
how to raise the money. The wealthy wild
landowners, corporations, railroads, express
companies, etc, do not want to pay any
more tax than they do, and so, of course as
they will have the power, they will try tC
squeeze a little more out of the farmer. Ev-
cry farmer knows that his taxes are getting
higher every Year, and he knows that every