Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-25
DEMOCRATS AGAIN
NOMINATE MEADER

was unanimously nominated at a DEM
ocratic general caucus held at the
Armory Saturday evening to head the
Democratic city ticket at the coming
city election. the nominating speech
being made by Sherman l.. Berry, rep
ressntative to the Legislature.
The meeting was called to order by
Harry. Belliveau. chairman of the DEM
ocratic city committee. who read the
call of the caucus. Judge Alfred \.
Matthew Was elected chairman of the
meeting with Mark ]. Bartlett secrc-
tary.
In his nominating speech. Mr.. Berry
said: "One year ago we had caucus
to elect a man after two years OF Re-
publican rules We chose a man, who
is calm and deliberate, and he has
been facing problems that the city
has never before been called Oh TO
face. 1t would be useless and foolish
to attempt to draw comparisons with
former years. The price of commod1-
ties have been jumping all along the
line.
II place in nomination the man who
has SO ably served you as mayor for
the last year, the present mayor y.
A. Meader. and l bespeak. for him your
hearty support, for his years service
as mayor has better fitted him TO take
w the work for another year
Mr.. Berrys remarks were greeted
with cheers The nomination was
seconded by City Clerk Carl {. Jones
who said that he was proud OF the
past administration and the hnahclai
situation of the city. The nomination
was also seconded by several other
prominent Democrats.
CITY Treasurer Dubord then address
ed the caucus and went over the imam
eial situation, and the advance in the
EXPENSES of the city had advanced dur
ing the past year. He said that since
the war began, rates of interest were
higher and also because OF increase
in prices the pay Of the city employees
had been raised topper cent. ana the
ianitors' and teaehers salaries had
also been raised. The city government
also abated the saxes Of 243 enlisted
men and S8siS Had gone to tbe%wives
and mothers of soldiers, which ADDED
TO tlSS overdraft, although they would
be reimbursed for the latterSamount.
HE stated that there Wfre~ interest
Fbearing notes of s120,009 outstanding
These were issued in March, 1916, W.
600 to be paid in Novemhet, s1916; and
$50 900 due in MarchA1sr. The in
terest on these notes had not been paid
and no letters writt64seven in regard
to them. The city government had TO
Ggreess To- pay 100000 and it, had peen
III ke ii said the Democrats mad
III dix scfsE on a financial basis,
"a ifeS kv. n Ia now step aout and
,,orro5 IN, which they could not do
II thS xthe year.
I After "a p Scpndihg speeches on mo-
zion ~ 5dcAlary. the secretary
cas& 49, 6fb OF the caucus for the
nr,YI1fsi ~, Mayor Meader.
u tsNAav6d Mkader was called upon ana
ia id that II. he was reelected he would
pledges himself to do his best to give
an honest and efficient administration.
.FfA-adyled, "There was some talk about
The reports will shpW'
<that when the Democrats went out Oh
.office two years ago there was debt
itf s431,OO0. During two years of Re-
publican rule. this was increased to
S52b,OOo OF *of,ooV' II was f"''
.problem to finance the city last year
We had to agree to reduce that dept
$4,000 and we did it," Mayor Meader
Said that he was surprised to find That
any good citizen should criticize the
cleaning and repairing of City hall and
in regard to the fuel situation, the
past year had been a hard one. but If
he was re- elected. he should give his
attention to something in the line of
municipal woodward.
1t was voted that the city commit
tee be empowered to fill any vacancies
on the ticket and that the city COM
mittee be composed of the chairmen OF
the ward committees.