Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-28
Splendid Rally
AT ThOrndike

Thorndike, Me, Aug. 27.-(SpeeiaD.
An east wind and driving rain, at
7 p. NJ, Monday, made the prospect
for the Republican rally, at 7.30 look
| rather blue; but at the time for call
| ing the meeting to order the Grange
| hall was well filled and after the
| speaking begun additional seats had
to be brought in; and if it had been
pleasant night the meeting would
nave been an overflow one.
The hall was very tastefully deco
rated with flowers. flags and bunting
and portraits of the variouss candi-
| dates. ]. III. Sayward called the meet
| ing to order and called upon C. E.
| Smith to preside at the meeting.
Mr.. Smith, in introducing the speak
ers, referred to the Democratic meet
ing here, Saturday, addressed by
United States Senator Johnson and
Hon. Cyrus w. Davis and pointed out
| that the Democratic senators and rep
resentatives were drawing a salary OF
| $40 day for every working legisla-
tive day; that since they had left
their posts of duty in Washington
Congress had passed appropriation
bills amounting to over S200,000,00Q,
including the most important bills
| acted upon by that body and not one
of Names Democratic statesmen was
there to raise a voice or cast vote
how that vast amount should be
raised or dispensed. He also recalled
how Senator johnson said in his adj
dress that he would very much like
to have been in Washington, the past
week, not to take part in this impor
| tant legislation, but to listen to the
squabble between Republican sena-
| tors. Republican senators may have
done some sparring. Mr.. Smith con-
tinued but the record does not show
that they INDUCED in such language
as to be refused printing in the Of
fetal record, as was reported of the
senator from Waldo at the late spe
cial session of the Maine Legislature
Mr.. Smith read the law which di-
reefs the secretary of State to furnish
so ballots for each so votes cast at
the previous State election, yet Mr..
Davis had furnished $50 votes for
every so, or three times what the law
required. Mr.. Smith said that he was
lately in Augusta and examined the
contract, which was signed by the
secretary of State for printing the
ballots and it reads: He shall re-
eeive 80 cents for each 1000 impress
sions;" that an impression means
a sheet of paper; that sheet of pa
per contains four ballots and so they
charged four times what the contract
allowed.
Hon. Cyrus n. Blanchard, the nexs
speaker. showed from page % of the
State treasurer's report that the Plais-
ted administration had received, dur
ing the year 1911, over $5,020000 III
taxes and that less than s160o0O OF
that came from the State tax issued
by the Democratic Legislature. but all
the rest came from taxes raised by
previous Legislatures, so that every
dollar paid on the bills which always
come over from previous years, WAS
raised before the Democrats came in
to power and there was surplus lett
in the treasury. Jan. /, 1872, OF over
$500, 900. Continuing he showed from
page of the Democratic auditors
report that the unpaid bills OF the
Plaisted administration, Jan. /, 1872.
were larger in amount than In any
previous year for 20 years. While the
Fernald administration had added
$4,000 to the permanent assets OF
the State in the erection OF pubic
buildings and purchase of land, the
Plaisted administration had put out
but the paltry sum of $4,000 and that
was to finish school buildings, which
the Republican administration had not
had time to complete.
He said that important as the finan-
cial question was it paled in compari-
son with the greater Issue, the honor
and integrity of our State. The peo-
pie were disgusted with vilifying
and multiplying set of officials, who
ridiculed the organic laws of our
State and wiIfully neglect and refuse
to enforce them; who were catering
to the low, the vile and the vicious
elements of the people, and turning a
deaf ear to the appeals of those up
on whom depended the honor, the dig
nifty and the civic Righteousness of
our State.
State Assessor W. j. Thompson OF
China, who, for several years, was
lecturer of the State Grange and was
for several years on the legislative
committee of the Grange, told how he
and Senator Gardner had worked side
by side on that committee, for the
enactment of these very laws. which
Gardner was now condemning and
neglecting his official duties to try and
make ridiculous: how Gardner was
now condemnng the prohibitory law,
which he so vigorously upheld in
every address he made at the annual
meetings of the State Grange.
What new bright light can he have
seen, unless it be the glamor and gilt
ter of Office that in his vision must far