The Republican journal., 1910-08-25
THE WALDO COUNTY REPUBLICAN
CLUB.

THE WALDO COUNl1 NEFUbLl(AN
CLUB.
A Stirring Address by Thomas Leigh, Esq,
of Augusta.
There was large attendance at the meeting
last Monday evening Of the Waldo County Re-
publican Club at their rooms on Main street,
and Thomas Leigh, Esq. of Augusta gave a
stirring address that was listened to with
marked attention and called forth frequent
and hearty applause. His ADDRESS could not
be done Justice to in the limited space avail
able, and no attempt will be made to report it,
or to touch consecutively upon the issues pre-
sented. In the beginning and at the close of
his remarks Mr.. Leigh sought to impress upon
his hearers the far reaching Importance of the
coming election and the necessity for indi-
vidual Republicans to be up and doing and not
leave everything to the leaders. The legisla-
ture to be elected this fall will elect one and
in all probability two United States Senators;
but of more Importance even than the election
of Republican Governor and Republican
United States Senators is the reapportionment
and redistricting of the State, which if done
by Democratic legislature will make this
Democratic State for ten years. It is not
time when differences of opinion as to license
resubmission, Sturgisism, or individual likes or
dislikes, should be allowed to stand in the way
of the more important issues involved 1t is
time when every Republican should stand by
mis- colors. Mr.. Leigh spoke of his pleasant
personal relations with Col. Plaisted, but ex-
dressed his condemnation of a candidate who
would seek to impair the financial standing
and tarnish the reputation of his native State
with view to gaining Office thereby. Col
Plasted and other Democratic speakers have
been proclaiming that on a certain day the
State only had cash on deposit to the amount
of $3.50. That is one of the half-truths that is
no better than deliberate falsehood. Just
after meeting of the Governor and Council,
when bills were approved calling for large
amounts young man was sent to the State
Treasurer's Office to enquire as to the amount
of cash on hand. The State Treasurer's books
are open to the inspection of any citizen of
Maine and the young man was furnished with
the information he sought. Thereupon Gov.
Plaisted and his allies began proclaiming far
and wide that the treasury was empty and the
State bankrupt. Had similar enquiry been made
two days later they would have found $4,000
cash on hand and between now and the end of
the year over million dollars will be paid into
the treasury. Maine has a bonded debt of
only $685., 900, the smallest debt of any State in
the Union (the city of Belfast has bonded
debt of $3.50, ,000) and it has the smallest direct
tax of any State in the Union. In January,
1905, the bonded debt of the State was 81, ,403,
10000, and in three years-from January 1,
1905 to January l, 190S-the public debt was
reduced to S690,00000, the saving in interest
to the State alone amounting to SIS, ,1O5 90.
Yet candidate Plaisted in view of these facts is
declaring the State to be bankrupt and is
charging the Republican administration with
! extravaganza.
| Mr.. Leigh took up the question CT the in
creased cost of living, and in reply to the
charges that it was caused by the tariff point
ed out that many articles on which prices have
been advanced are on the free list, and on
others the duty has been greatly reduced. He
aptly illustrated the conditions by quotation
from Mr.. Dooley: "Hennessey," said Dooley,
"what wages were ye getting ten years ago."
"One seventy five" replied Hennessey. "How
many hours did ye work?" "Ten hours
"Did ye spend it all?" "Yes." "What pay
are ye getting now, Hennessey?" 1.-TWO sew
enty-fve." How many hours are We work
ing?' Eight hours" "And you spend all
you get?" ''Yes." "Hennessey, ye are the
cause of the whole trouble; ye are spending
more and producing less"
In this connection Mr.. Leigh referred to a
Democratic tract which Mayor Morey of
Lewiston has been distributing purporting to
give the bill for family supplies for two weeks
ten years ago and at the present time. In
the former the retail price of lard was given as
cents pound and of pork roast cents a
pound, with other articles on like scale. The
speaker said that grocer who had been in
business in Augusta for twenty five years told
him that no such prices had prevailed during
that time. 1t is only another illustration OF
the falsehoods which characterize the Demo-
cratic campaign.
Next Monday evening the club will have as
speaker Judge Bernard F. Maher of Augusta
A hall may be engaged for this meeting, but il
not extra seats will be provided for the cut
room.