The Republican journal., 1912-09-05
perity and prestige greater than is en-
joyed by any other country on the face
of the globe?

CAoSt pidChuldil AIoulS as W uldChudll d uleT"
chant by threatening to expose alleged or
actual fraud. Webster's New International
Dictionary.
For some time past Belfast has had
illustrations of blackmailing by various
methods. The more recent and most
barefaced attempt at blackmail relates
to the probate advertising. The rates
for such advertising are, and have been
for years, as low or lower in Waldo
county than in any county in the State;
but the mayor in pursuance of his vim
dictive policy toward all who do not
pander to his pocket or his vanity, and
having a personal newspaper organ,
capitalized by others, has sought to in
jure competitor by putting this adver-
Using on non-paying basis. He re-
Gently prepared several pages in which
the judge and register of probate were
charged with corruption, grating, etc.,
and caused it to be noised about town
that this alleged exposure was to appear
in his paper. Then he sent a representa-
tive to the judge of probate to say that
if he would agree if elected to divide
the probate advertising between the two
papers he would withhold repetition
of our exposure" In his paper he says
that the price of the advertising was in
Guided in this proposition. but Judge
johnson says that no mention was made
of the price to be paid for advertising,
and that is not a matter within the con-
troll of judge of probate. Here is the
matter in brief. The mayor charges the
probate officials with corruption and
grating; but if they will agree if re-
elected to divide the probate advertising
with him he will withhold his exposure.
That is the usual method of those who
practice this form of Matchmaking.
When canvasslng for his paper the
mayor announced that he would publish
black list of all who refused to sub
scribe for it; another form of blackmai!.
Then when the business men did not pat
ronize the advertising columns of his per-
sonal organ as he thought they should he
declared week after week that there was
no market in Belfast for anything pro-
ducers had to sell; that prices here were
higher than elsewhere, etc. He persist
ed in putting forth such statements, and
they could not have failed to be detri-
mental to the business interests of the
city. Then he tried to induce outside
parties to locate here to compete with
local concerns, and brought one conceI n
here to hold sales. Later he published
large display advertisements inviting peo-
pie to do their shopping in neighboring
city and quite recently announced that
/ if the local business people did not pat
ronize him he would fill his paper with
mail order advertising. He threatened
to show up coal firm that did not adver-
| tise with him, but did not scare them into
paying him tribute, and the threatened
exposure has never appeared. The men
In charge of the local banks have been
assailed, their integrity questioned, and in
one instance at least an attempt was
made to nclte run on bank that could
have only resulted in loss to the deposi-
tors, people in all parts of the county, as
the bank was prepared TO meet all de-
mands upon it and those withdrawing
. their money would have lost their inter-
est. He advertised banking institutions
In other cities and advised people to
withdraw their money from the local
banks and deposit it elsewhere.
This is the man who declared in the
Maine Senate that THE homes in Waldo
county are tipping shops" that men
who had made an automobile trip through
Waldo county stopped at twelve farm
houses and in ten of them were asked to
have drink. When asked by Senator
alter if he had been quoted correctly in
making this statement Hanson answered
in the affirmative and said that probably
the other two had liquor but for some
reason did not offer it. His wholly un-
c-lled for attacks upon the late Hon.
Seth L. Milliken, Mrs. L. M. N. Stevens
OF the W. c. 7. U. and George E.
Bracket are still fresh in the memories
OF their friends and will not soon be for
gotten. His attempt at apology in the
afternoon session for what he had said in
the morning only added to the original
offense, and without dissenting voice
in the senate his reference to Hon. S. L.
Milliken was expunged from the records.
Can the people of Waldo county afford
to return such man as this to the State
Senate?
sEARsMoNT.
Mrs. Hermon Stearns of Dorchester, Mass,
is the guest of her mother, Mrs. Martha Weth-
erbee. B. F. Fuller has bought Mrs Emma
Taylor's place.. Mr.. and Mrs. Asa Low of
Dover, N. H., D. Lehman Low of Everett,
Mass and Manson Low of Dorchester Macs