The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-12-02
Uncle Scion Chase.
, Prominent and Picturesque Figure in
Maine Politics Passes Away.

CHAsE's MILLS, Me, Nov 90. Scion
Chase, famous throughout the country a
generation ago in association with his
phrase, "them steers" which he used in
his speeches in favor of greenbacllism.
died here today, lacking but a few weeks
If IS years.
Mr.. Chase, who in many respects was
an embodiment of the type of Yankee
farmer so popular on the stage in the
tharacters of Joshua Whitcomb and jeff
-rson Scattering Batkins, passed his en-
tire life on the farm in this village where
he was born.
He was proud of the fact that his
great grandmother had been full-blood-
ed Cape Cod Indian. He was educated
1t the school here, then spent four years
at Gorham academy. He was appointed
10 West Point in 1872 but was refused
Omission there on the pretence that he
was consumptive, though he himself al
ways maintained that the appointment
was wanted for young man who had
stronger social pull than he.
He went to Washington and saw Presi-
tent TYLER about the matter, but got no
redress and came home to take up farm
ing. which he continued for 6S yelrs. He
was always an original character, pos
sessed of an ineXhaustible fund of dry
humor and a genius for saying striking
things in a simple manner, but he first
attracted attention outside his own State
when he succumbed to the greenback
fever He remained with it till it sub
sided after the campaign OF 1884. He
was originally a republican and was in
the Maine legislature two terms during
The civil war.
His phrase 'them steers" which was
familiar all over the country during 10
years or more, became the name of a
greenback paper he published for some
years. and which had quite circulation.
At different times he published three
different papers.
At Mechanic Falls New York news
paper man was sent to report him. The
house was crowded, even to the band
stand. Uncle Scion said to the band
leader, "You go out doors, let the folks
have your seats. 81 guess l can make
music enough for emf | can't I'll call
YOU in.
The stirring eloquence of the Pine Tree
orator did make music, and whenever the
wild cheers arose inside the band played
with spirit outside The reporter wired
to his paper: "Solon Chase has been I'M
derrated. He is no ignoramus. He is
not an office-seeker-he is zealot! He
cares nothing for himself, and is all the
more dangerous for that Look out for
himl No one can meet him but Blaine
Let all the rest go, and look out for him.
He is the man to be feared.
The origin of the phrase then steers,
was a story that Mr.. Chase told to his
audiences in this way:
Il bought pair Of steers, 3 years old,
and paid 500 for them.
7 % tborr1 q tbnO
* ere worth no more. Them steers grew
well. but they shrunk as fast as they
grew. | had lost the keeping of a pair
of steers for a year. Ii | boarded the
$500 year l should have gained the
keeping az pair Of steers for year.
If | had bought bond for 500 | should
have received interest on the bond, which
would have increased in value as fast as
a pair of steers grew.
Il was robbed of my hay. The same
bond that would buy my steers at three
years would buy them steers at four
years old The bondholder got the growth
of them steers and got my hay"
In Maine he was carried from place to
place in a cart drawn by ''them steers,
and driven by Marcus Sampson, son OF
Uncle Seth Sampson.
Arrived at a convenient point in the
Scion would stand upon the cart anC
utter his ringing arguments to streets
full of people.
A few years ago his house was burned
after which he received many contribu,
tions toward repairing his loss. banker
in. New York wrote Enclosing check
for Sl00) that although an utter stranger
he wished to make an acknowledgement
He said that some years before he went
into Cooper Institute one evening for ne
other reason than to see those "cow
hides hear about ''them steers" ant
make fun.
But before the first half hour passed
he found himself listening so intently
that he forgot what he went for.
Far and wide throughout the land flew
the watchword, "Uncle Scion and Then
Steers 1t was famed as the ''Steel
campaign Caricatures of Uncle Solor
driving them steers to the White House
were everywhere.
From Maine he went as far as Denver
making speeches in Boston, New York
Philadelphia, St. Louis and all through
the eastern, middle and western States
In the south he visited Mississippi, Louis
lana and Texas.
The people thronged to hear him. A
he said: 81 tried to make my argumen
so plain that those who had not muci
time to read could understand, and ST
that those who read much would haV'
hard work to answer me. +"
For 10 years ''Uncle Scion and then
steers" were the pride and power Of tn
greenback party. In 1873 he ran TO
congress, receiving 5000 votes, agalns
William P. Frye's II 900.
In 1878 Peter Cooper invited HIM t
speak in the Cooper institute, which h
did to a packed and enthusiastic house
Peter Cooper was then 80 years. old, an
was the greenback candidate for Presl
dent
The opposition papers in New Yor
and elsewhere showered their wit an
deluged their satire upon the Pine Ire
orator. They ridiculed his person, nj
clothes and his manner; they attacke
his grammar and his voice. They sa!
he went bareheaded and barefooted l
Maine to barefooted audiences.
On one occasion he was invited
speak in Music hall, Boston, with Wef
dell Phillips. The admission was place
at 50 cents, and the audience numbere
1000. Music hall was packed with e, tn
aristocracy of Boston. Wendell PhilliE
AnH