Hazen Is A Humbug

Nothing could prove more convincingly the utter unreliability, iiiconsistency, and politieal disbonesty of Haáen H. Pingree than tais acceptanoe of the ])l;iHirm upofl which hé was uoniinated ut the Detroit eonvention. Mr. Pingree lias always claimed to be a free silver man. He even tallced in favor of free coinage during the campalgn two years ágó, and iminediately af ter the electlon announced himself in an interview in the Detroit papers in these words: '■iii"..J( am in favor of the free age of silver ar the ratio jlo 10 jl, and 1 doii't care a dama who knows it." In a proclatnation wbich he had publislied in the Detroit papers April 7th, 1S97, explaining the reasons for the defèat for his candidate fór mayor, he stated that 'the failure of the prosperity promises of the Rpublican party, and the ruinons results of the gold standard polic.v, were responsible for the Democratie victories in Detroit and other places throughout the state. ín the. eourse of that proclaruation he used these words: "I predicted after the fall election that the Republican party would never win another victory for the single gold standard, and I arn today firmer in my belief than ever." And yet in the face of, similar declarations made time and again in private conversation and in public print, Governor Pingree gave his assent to the following plank in the platform adopted by the convention whieh nórninated nina: "We stand upon the existing gold standard, and condemn the proposition to admit silver free and unlimited at the ratio of IC to 1." .Jt will thus be seen that the governor's predietion mans his own defeat. Nor is this the only exhibition of dtiplicity iu conneetion with Pingree's endoreement of the platform. Weeks before the passage of the Dingley bill Governor Pingree violently assailed the proposed measure, and immediately after Sts passage he published an interview in which he declared that it was in the interests of monopolists and trust. Ainong other things he said. "The hide trust will coin inillions out of the new tari.ff. The promoters of the Dingley bill ought to be proud (?) of it! I predict there will be a reckoning for them yet with the people." Yet in the face of the fact that froni the day of the passage of the Dingley bill up to the day of his nomination Governor Pingree has been denouncing the pretensions that it has been a help to business, his state convention adopted the following tariff plank, and the Governor gave it his unriualiiied approval. "We congratúlate the country upon the gradual return of business prosperity since the return of the Republican party to power, and point with satisfaction to the successful operation of the Dingley bill." Nor are these astouuding exhibitions of inconsistency all that are made cleiir by Governov Pingree's acceptance of the platform. It is well known that he is opposed to the policy of retaining auy of the territory conqnered from Spain. He has so declared in more than one interview, and in a signed communieation to a leading Chicago journal, and yet on the heels of this dedaration. he climbs upon a platform which says that he believes "that Provïdeh.c'e has niade this nation the iiiKtruinent for the uplifting of an oppre&sed people," and also that "our flag once ralsed should never be lowered." Was theye 'ever such a sliameless exhibition ff moral cowai-dice and lack of principie?