Year: 1879

uninterrupted power in the State from 1856 down
last January-a period of twenty-five years-is in
some way responsible for this unpleasant state OF
affairs. The greenback party formed at just the
time that this idea was crysallizing II took advan
tage OF 1t and has prohted oy it to the extent OF
were for Major Smith ON Monday represent
greenbac behind them. Many of them represent
and carry protest against the rule of Blaine and
Hamlin in the State and desire for change
in State management, and hoped for re-
yival of business and easier times for the farmers
and men of toll. The doctrine of the Maine
greenbackers has very taking way" with 1t among
the industrial, classes which largely comprise the
population OF this State. They do not adopt the
wild and unreasonng imitation notions OF some OF
the Western advocates of soft money. To start with
deprecate strikes and all attempts to array capital
and labor against each other They declare In favor
of the full and free coinage OF geld and silver to be
supplemented by an issue of paper money. solely by
the government sufficient for the wants of the busi-
ness of the country, and they especially condemn
the increase of the value of the money which they
claim enhances the valus of the money changers
bond and lowers the price of products OF the soil
and the labor OF the mechanics and artisans


GREENBACK POSITION.


Solon Chase, the proud and happy father OF the
"rag baby" in Maine states the greenback position
any more hog into dollar" and he illustrates his
meaning by relating that when contraction OF the
currency began he sold his hogs for fifteen cents per
pound; the next year for twelve cents in 1873 nine
cents; in 1874 eight cents; in 1875 and half
cents in 1876. cents and last year. four and
half cents. In 1873 his hogs would pay his taxes
and buy him an overcoat: last year double the
number OF hogs was squeezed into the dollar
and the raising. OF hogs entaied loss
instead of profit and he obliged to go
without overcoat. In 1873. says he continuing
the illustration. his wife and other farmers wives
sold the butter made on the arm for twenty y-fve
thirty cents per pound. This year they only could
ten, twelve fifteen for it. Instead OF
four pounds Of butter in the dollar in 1873, John
Sherman's policy has squeezed eight pounds into it,
and the poor fal mers wives obliged to make
up the loss by foregoing the pleasure OF new gown
new bonnet while the capitalists and bond
holders get double the amount of butter cheese
pork and beef for dollar that they did in 1873
This argument earnestly delivered to the gaping
with coats thin at the elbows, and women
with faded dresses and arrayed in last years bonnet
from necessity, has had potent effect upon voters
and it is noteworthy fact that the greenback
ment in Maine, like the anti-slavery movement of
among the women. They have attended the green
back meeting. read all the of greenback tera-
ture spread broadcast the State and done all in
their power by presence and influence to advance
the cause to victory.


In addition to spreading their financial doctrines
before the people the greenbacker have charged
home upon the republican party mal-administration
and prodigality in the expenditure of the peoples
money. They cited the increase of the State debt
from 100000 in 1856 to nearly S5,000O0U in 1879;
the increase III the State taxes from 100000 to
$S99, ,0o0 the increase of the ordinary expenses of
the State from $3.50 900 to $739 both
between the above dates; the giving away to the
European and North American hallway and other
wealthy corporations and spectators of nearly
every acre Of the 100000 acres Of wild
lands owned and controlled by the State
in 1885, the increase of State officials aud
official salaries; the overcharges and steals
OF the Executive Council and the State printers the
double mileage and pocket knife swndles of the
Legislature; the increase Of criminal prosecutions
sentences and prison commitments; the increase of
ntemperance under republican laws the large fall
ing off in school attendance and the closing up of
hundreds of churches within the State proofs of
this bad rule and its demoraliZing effects. These
charges have counted for something in the cam
paign, and, before stated many thousands dis
affected republicans voted tor Smith secure
cdy for the evils complained of and as protest
against their further continuance.


THE REPUBLICAN POSITION.


Against the greenback doctrine and these charges
Of republican misgovernment the republican press
and orators have imposed some discussion and con-
siderable ridicue of the new doctrine, denial and
lodging OF the State issues and vigorous arraign-
ment Of the democratic party for causing the
session of Congress. for sending many rebel
brigadiers" to that body. being ruled and
controlled by its Southern wing. sympa-
ent wrongs against the colorcd race South,
and being "a revolutionary. destructive
pathizers and plugugly politicians. who would not
hesitate at any crime against the ballot box the
employment Of the habituss of the lowest slums in
the city to carry the elections 1t is true that Sec
retary sherman came into the State aud delivered
four able speeches on the financial question. and
Davis. the candidate for Governor. also gave the
question careful and sensible discussion. Senator
Blaine also put in some good work in the
same direction The great mass of the
over it,, after touching it lightly. and
brought the Southern question and the democratic
ana since the war TO tho fore front OF
debate. Their evident aim aud purpose was to re-
vive the memory of the time to the feel
ings and sentiments of 1861. and, IL possible. to
cause the party lines to be drawn they then
when their majority was about twenty thousand.
They shrewdly judged that ii they could awaken
the passions and patriotism of the old guard repub
licans, fire their hearts against the democrats and
"copperheads," they would burst the greenback
bonds which bound them and rally around the
old republican standard they did during the
rebellion. regardless of cost and all other consdera
tions. The 'soid South" was, therefore. soundly
I<~-.
the back and told to vote their old muskets told
them; banners and notices commanded them to
the Yazoo murder were retold with all their blood
curdling details. In most extravagant and terribly
impressive language from every stump and in every
party organ, and everything possible was done to
revive the hstreds and animosites of the days of
How well they succeeded the returns of the
election do not show. judge, however, that while
ing republicans within the party, yet 1t has
lost much of its potency within the last
present United States Senator Hamin declare to a
crowd of farmers. one evening during the campaign.
that he would not predict another war right oh but.
to frighten them back into the republican traces in
case they were wavering he solomnly declared that
IL rebellion did come and war with 1t they must re-
member that It was the democratic party which
would IL. This is q sample OF the talk which
the republicans made on the stump during the cam
paign.


ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRATS.


The democrats during the contest occupied posi-
ton in the background; they permitted the green
backers to take the direction and conduct of
the campaign into their hands and the
latter performed the most Of the work
against the republicans. Only two democrats have
been the stump-Mr. X. +. Pillsbury. of this
city, and Governor Garcelon. who was running for
a reelection, which he expected to receive
The republicans tried to mako capital out Of al
legged bargain between Pillsbury and Smith. tho
greenback candidate for Governor by which they al
legged that Pilsbury had agreed to swing all the dem
ocratic strength possible into the support of smith,
while the latter was to repay the favor by aiding
Plsbury to secure the successorship to Harnlin IN
the United States Senate in 1881. They bitterly at
tackled Pilsbury and his war record and held him
up before the people as a very wicked democratic
leader This bugbear made them some votes The
action of tho democratic leaders in openly or COW
ertly aiding the grecnbeckcrs and amagamating with
them in support of fusion, Representative. Senato-
rial and county tickets has nearly dismembcred the
democratic party In the State. and 1t will be impos
sible for IL from the effects of it, The old
jackson democrats. who have seen their leaders
and the great body of and file of their party
supporting republican grecnbasker for Governor
and republican grconbackers for Senators, Repre-
sentatves aud CO. unity officers. have received
blow from which they will scarcely recover. Some
of them will join the republicans the only
method by which they can sustain their ancient