The Republican journal., 1909-12-09
"Uncle Solon."
Frank w. Cowen Pays a Tribute to tn,
Memory of the Late Hon. Scion Chase.

SSSSS 0OAVAAs
Frank w. Cowen Pays a Tribute to the
Memory Of the Late Hon. Scion Chase.
When / read in the papers few morn
ings ago that Hon. Scion Chase had pass
ed away, the tears filled my eyes and my
heart was saddened over the loss by death
of this noted son of Maine, whom have
loved and revered for his many qualities
and especially for his noble stand for the
great principles of temperance and pro-
hibition. Thus the ''Grand Old Man of
Name" whose familiar face and person
atty has been a benediction upon many
public occasion in recent years in our
State, has been called to his reward at
the ripe old age of nearly 80. Oh, life,
how swiftly, with all its joys and sorrows
on earth it passes away, reminding us
| that
| "Threescore and ten are the years of one life,
Or if our strength endure
They may be fourscore years.
Yet at its best life is none too long,
For it passes swiftly away,
Like some sweet song
Those hands which rest so still across
his cold breast have laid aside forever a
brilliant pen and his witty and eloquent
voice can speak no more, but his name
will long be remembered by the people
of ''Them Steers" which were the pride
and power of the Greenback movements
of other days. When Uncle Scion became
famous as a leader of the Greenback
party | was but a boy. / remember,
however. during those Greenback days
that he addressed large meeting in the
famous old town house at Center Mont
vile in Waldo county where then resid-
ed with my parents. With other boys of
the town | occupied one of the old-fash-
Toned front pews and listened with keen
interest and cheered with the great audi
ence his wit and eloquence
During Uncle Solon's address he was
interrupted by man in the audience
who was quite deaf: "What is it about
the Indians?" inquired the deaf man,
''speak up little louder, Mr.. Chase
Uncle Scion looked at the man with his
hand behind his ear, and grinned, 81
said, my great-grandfather was full
blooded Cape Cod Indian. Can you hear
that?' Numbered Uncle Scion. For sew
eral days after his speech We boys around
the Center talked about nothing else but
Uncle Scion, ''Them steers" and 'who
got the hay" The walls of that old town
house in which he spoke have rung with
the eloquence of some of the many famous
men in our State and nation, such as
Lovejoy, Hon. Lot NJ Morrill,, ex-Speak-
err Thomas B. Reed, Hon. Seth L. MILL
ken and others, but none of the noted
men who ever spoke there created more
enthusiasm and wild cheers than Hon.
Scion Chase, one Of the most witty and
original orators the State of Maine has
ever reared. Little did l think as I lis
tened to him as mere boy that in after
ed with the famous Greenback orator and
in the interest of the great cause of God
and humanity. l merely speak of this
fact to show that we are all creatures of
circumstance and that we often find
ourselves dong an entirely different kind
of work or business from that which we
ever thought or intended. Truly has the
poet said:
"There is destiny that shapes our ends,
Rough hew them as we may
Uncle Scion was not politician nor an
office seeker, but broad minded, indie
pendent, out-spoken, God-fearing man on
all great questions of the day.
He was as aggressive as a Roman, with
aims as generous and noble as Cato.
Would that we had more men like him
today in the State of Maine, OF independ-
ent mind. ready and willing to stand up
for their principles in all places and at
all times. We are proud of this noble
son of the Pine Tree State, whose name
and Them Steers" was a household
word, especially during the Greenback
days In an editorial on Uncle Scion the
New York World in it's issue of Novem-
Der 18th says of him: American politics
has developed no more picturesque figure
than this oratorical Josh Whitcomb, with
his Populist garb and Hosea Bigelow dia-
lect, whose forceful speech made him a
power in his native State, which divided
popular fame with Blaine"
In the National Greenback convention
Of 1880, he came within few votes of
being nominated for President of the
United States, and in 1878, within 1000
votes of being elected to Congress against
Senator Frye in the Second Congressional
District of Maine. He was long an active
member of the Order of Good Templars
and an able advocate of the great prin-
ciples of legal Prohibition. Only few
years ago he addressed large meeting
in Waterville, at the close of the session
of the Kennebec District Lodge of Good
Templars, and was my guest. When we
were having such a hard fight few years
ago to defeat resubmission of our tenn
perance laws to the people, l was in con-
slant touch with Uncle Scion. He was
bitterly opposed to resubmission, and al
though at the advanced age of IS he had
the courage to leave his ireside at
Chase's Mills and journey to Augusta to
speak against resubmission at the public
hearing during the legislative session in
the winter of 1907 The weather being
very cold and stormy on the day of the
hearing he did not come. However, a
few days before the hearing on the re-
submission resolve took place, received
the following letter from him:
CHAsE's MILLS, February s, 1907.
Dear Friend Gowen:
If the weather looks pleasant l shall be at
Augusta to speak against resubmission at the
temperance hearing February 10.
Resubmission would be a backward step, and
would be so regarded by the State, and also
step towards license. Although am now IS,
and not away from home much in winter, yet
am ready to speak and defend the principles of