The Republican journal., 1913-07-31
An Open Letter from Hon
John A. Peters.


tention has been called to letter and cir
cular issued by Mr.. Roy G. Hanes, supposedly
in the interest of his candidacy for congress.
which contain such false and misleading state
ments that I consider it my duty to the voters
in this district to call their attention to the
truth.
Mr.. Haines in giving what he calls "the
story of his campaign" omits some facts which
may be of interest.
He states, and has previously stated in ad-
vertisements in the papers, that at meeting in
Bangor July 10th of more than 60 representa-
tive men of this district, he was "treacherous-
ly influenced to withdraw"
The inference from this would be that some
of my friends or myself had something to do
with his withdrawal. In his circular Mr..
Haines says that he returned from Bangor "a
victim of well-laid plot"
The facts are as told me by DR.. W. L. West
OF Belfast, who was supporter of Mr.. Haines
that when DR.. West arrived at the meeting
and had time to talk with people present he
discovered that 81 out of 81 men present favor
ed my candi lacy and DR.. West, being the only
supporter of Mr.. Haines, wholly in spirit of
friendliness and, as he supposed, in the inter-
est of Mr.. Haines, took him one side, without
consulting anybody. and advised him to with
draw. l knew nothing of what was going to
happen and it was great surprise to the peo-
pie present at the meeting MIR. Haines asked
the chairman at the beginning of the meeting
for the privilege of addressing the meeting
fnr +b, l.
was the only person who suggested it to MIR.
Haines. For Mir. Haines, on assumption alone,
to assume that his friend. DR.. West, was party
to plot to induce him to withdraw, shows not
only an entire lack OF appreciation of the eff
forts of his friend but reckless disregard of
what the actual facts might be-
Mr.. Haines makes the remarkable state
ment. that upon his return to Ellsworth, after
he hac withdrawn, that he was "approa he'd
in behalf of the ring" to accept certain money
considerations if he would withdraw in favor
of Mr.. Peters. He says: This refused to do,
and then and there decided to enter the fight
again. Just why l, or anybody, should offer
MIR, Halnes money to withdraw after he had
voluntarily and completely withdrawn in Ban
gor, l cannot understand l did not do it;
did not authorize any one else to do it, and do
not believe that any one did offer him money
Mr.. Haines may have got this mixed up with
the following facts, which he omits to state,
and which are necessary to complete the story
The next day, after his return from Bangor,
Mr.. Haines approached represep tatives of the
Progressive party with view to joining them
and becoming a candidate for Congress on
their ticket. His friend, DR.. West, heard of
this and, remembering that Mr.. Haines IN his
first letter had stated that he wanted to go to
Congress to carry out the policies of the late
Congressman Goodwin and that Mr.. Haines
had publ ely, in Augusta. pledged his support
to me, if | were nominated, and again at Ban
gor, both times without suggestion on my part,
any of my friends, came over to see Mr.
Haines and to reason with him on his conduct
He found him at the Progressive caucus about
to make a speech and took him from the caucus.
| do not know what was said between them,
but Mr.. Haines did not at that time join the
Progressives. The same evening DIR. West
came into my office and stated that he wanted
to put proposition to me in behalf Of Mr.
I1GlHeS ne pfGldCGu statement by saying
that it was peculiar proposition, but that Mr.
Haines was in peculiar position.
He then said in substance that Mr. Haines
had borrowed nine hundred dollars and had
spent it all so far in this campaign; that he |
was out of money and out of job and that if
| would pay him four hundred dollars and give
him job he would not join the Progressives
and would write any kind of letter l desired
to the Bangor News, stating his firm approval |
of my candidacy.
| asked DR.. West to tell Mr. Haines that |
could not talk on the basis of paying anything
for any change Of attitude on his part and sug
gested that he simply try to make him see the
unreasonableness of his position DR.. West |
came back after a while and said that it was
no use. that Mr.. Haines had ultimatum,
which he would put up and that was that
should pay him five hundred dollars in cash. /
told DR.. West to inform Mr.. Haines that l
would be much obliged to him for keeping his
agreements and that it would seem to be to
advantage to be in the position of one who
would keep his agreements, but that was as
far as would go.
In the course of the conversations l told
DR.. West that l should assume that Mr.
Haines was going to do just as he had a.
greed and was not going back on his
promise to support me and that on that
assumption l would telephone to Col. Park
hurst to see if he could be employed in
any clerical or literary work during the
Col. Parkhurst authorized me to
say to him that he could give him such
job, paying him, however, what his services
were worth, after they We're rendered Mr..
Haines had no further propositions to Offer
and DIR. West, who was acting as Mr.. Haines'
left my office, both he and l
having the belief that Mr.. Hanes would
come out as Progressive in the morning.
Very much to my surprise, instead of do
ing that he telephoned the Secretary of
State retracting his withdrawal. IL is in
teresting to note in this connection that,
after his failure to obtain the money de-
manded by him. he advertises his sentiments
to be that 'a good name is to be chosen
rather than great riches"
Mr. Haines' statements giving the story of
his preliminary campaign are about as mis-
leading as his statement of being approached