Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-07-05

They were entertaining, well delivered,
and nearly two hours was occupied With
the session. The delegates and other
Democrats present were liberal with
their applause.
Mr.. McGillicuddy first gave bis atten-
ton to the present high cost of living,
which he says is due not to war, or pes
thence, or short crops, but to the trusts,
people into the hands of favored few.
They are able to do this by means OF the
tariff. The original pro'ectionists never
dreamed OF the condition which exists
to-day. The trusts control legislation
and shape tariffs to their own profit and
advantage.
The Paype-Aldrich tariff bill, said Mr..
McGillicuddy, is not bill In the inter.
ests of the people, but In the interests OF
the trusts, passed by trust congress-,
and is directly and absolutely responsible
for the increased cost of living.
Mr.. McGillicuddy then turned to the
immediate interests of the Second Dis
trict in the tariff, but said nothing about
the application of the tariff to the dis
trict, directing all his remarks to Con
understood it, there we're two kinds OF
Republicans. Cannon Republicans and
progressive Republicans, and that as soon
as the line. up came, Swasey aligned with
the Cannon Republicans, and voted every
time with the trusts-that he "sst as
dumb as an Egyptian mummy, except
that he voted"
Turning to state finances, Mr.. McGilli-
cuddy said that Governor Fernald In his
recent state convention speech answered
some of the questions asked by Mr..
McGillicuddy in the Democratic con
vention, that he failed to answer some OF
them, and half answered others. He
does not answer bis own platform of
1904, in which he complained OF the in
creased expenses Of the state, which
have increased under bis own admins
tration. He admits that the state Is bor-
rowing money, but he does not say how
much. He says expenditures in 1909
were s484, 900 greater than in 1907, while
Bank Commissioner Shelton says they
were more than million dollars larger.
Mr.. McGillicuddy closed with eulogy
of the Democratic officers who had been
elected in Maine counties and cities, the
last one referred to being Mr.. Plaisted,
who had been three times elected mayor
of the Republican city of Augusta. and
after an interval OF year again elected.
Mr.. Plaisted was then introduced, and
spoke for about half an hour, devoting
himself to state matters. He said that
in the twenty-eight years the Republi-
cans had been in full control in this
state they have increased taxes almost
to the point of heart-breaking. The
people are paying as taxes into the pub.
lie treasures of the state, counties and
towns, ten and half millions of dollars
yearly, all of which has to be earned by
the people. The average tax rate on
your homes is s21 85 cents on $1,000; on
the railroads it is $500 on thousand,
and on the wild lands it is IS. 1t is time
for some of US to take hand in the
equalization of taxation. He promised
il elected, and If given legislature in
sympathy with him, to reduce taxation
instead of increasing 1t. He related in
detail his experience as mayor of Au'
gusta, where the Republican administra-
ton, in the years. interim between his
third and fourth years, not only increas-
ed the tax rate, but used up the balance
in the treasury and left $50, 900 of debts.
He promised II elected governor that he
would find out how the state stands, as
we can not under Republican administra-
ton.
Obadiah Gardner was the last speaker,
and was received with the loudest ap-
plause, which continued for some time,
and then Mr.. Plaisted got up and led In
three cheers and tiger for Gardner.
Mr.. Gardner did not speak at great
length. He especially condemned the
law of the last legislature, under which
a certain portion of the school fund is
distributed on the basis Of valuation, as
"most vicious, rotten and inequitable
taxation" With regard to the personal
matter OF his failing to receive the nom
nation which Mr.. Plaisted got, he said,
81 care nothing about that. This is a
matter of measures, not men," and he
urged the election of Mr.. Plaisted, as
we'll as all other Democratic candidates.
Previous to the opening OF the con-
vention, the delegates from Paris, Buck
field and Milton Plantation assembled to
nominate a candidate for representative
to the legislature from the district COM
posed of those towns. T. s. Brigham
of Buckfield was chairman OF the meet
ing, and A. Elroy Dean of Paris secre-
tary. William o. rockingham OF South
Paris was named as the candidate for
representative. Mr.. rockingham is
we'll known citizen of South Paris, who
has for years conducted a shoe business
here. He is secretary of the Oxford
County Agricultural Society.