Springfield Weekly Republican

HENRY L. PIERCE.

It is a pleasure to announce the rapid growth of an impressive republican sentiment in this part of the state, favorable to the nomination of Pierce and Long as the republican ticket. The Pierce gains are surprising. They represent no organized boom,-for no Pierce bureau exists,- but stand for the best party opinion as to the saving thing to be done in a campaign of vital interest. The strongest leaders in Western Massachusetts have indorsed The Republican's hearty advocacy of the nomination of the man and the men who so well represent the reformed republican party of Massachusetts, and who bring to it the courage, the energy, the experience and the issues necessary to inspire public confidence and insure the largest success. Pierce and Long would keep up the line of advance and re-affirm the leadership of the old Bay state, and an intelligent people see it. One of the most influential republican workers of Western Massachusetts, quoted a week ago as an aggressive Long man, now says: "I think you are quite right in recommending Pierce and Long for our next ticket. I have a personal acquaintance with Mr Long and regard him as one of the most upright men I ever knew, and favor him for governor or any other office, but with all this I am quite of the opinion that the above ticket would lift us further out of the ruts, and if this is correct it is the best thing to do." This opinion is widely representative.

To know Mr Pierce is to confide in him. Like Thomas Talbot, Henry L. Pierce is a man of the people. Lifted to wealth and a commanding social position by his own sagacity and industry, the Boston merchant like the Billerica manufacturer retains that simplicity of address and direct honesty which are the charm of genuine natures. The surprising measure of confidence placed by the people in Gov Talbot can be safely transferred to Mr Pierce. First of all, he is not identified with "the Boston set" whose selfish defiance of the public good in pursuit of private and corporate ends has depleted the state treasury and debauched our politics. Mr Pierce has fought this sort of Boston influence longer than some present Western Massachusetts champions of country interests. As a free-soiler and early republican, Henry L. Pierce led the fight against know-nothingism entrenched in Boston a quarter of a century ago. Mr Pierce has long lived in Dorchester, conducts an extensive farm in the summer, and is a much more thoroughly posted countryman than 'Squire Long of Hingham. Granger Pierce was called in from the outskirts to become mayor of Boston, to be sure, because his ability, convictions and political independence marked him as the proper reform leader for that crisis in the affairs of our chief city. It was known that Mr Pierce's systematic personal benefactions would gather a large vote, outside of political considerations. But municipal service does not discredit the fact that our farmers will find Gov Pierce very well qualified to discuss agricultural topics with them when they visit the state-house next winter. It is admitted that the late period of state extravagance, sectional favoritism and official display reached its climax in the administration of Gov Rice. Gov Long was far more identified with the old order of things which Gov Talbot ended by getting Massachusetts back to a peace basis than was Mr Pierce. The latter never affiliated with the Boston ring which has involved the commonwealth in superfluous public institutions and bled it in subsidies for needless and profitless lines of transportation.

Mr Pierce is an economist in the public service. Wisely generous with his large private means,-as was the late Daniel L. Harris of this city, Mr Pierce recognizes as did Reformer Harris that the people's money should be spent cautiously and their interests always carefully considered and defended. He has indorsed the Talbot policy and put out his money to sustain it. He can be safely selected to continue and complete the retiring governor's scheme for administrative reform. Mr Pierce is as good a temperance man as Mr Long and will more stiffly execute all laws. The civil damage act has come to stay and is not now open to debate; people approve of and propose to retain it. Mr Pierce can be counted also an advocate for the extrication of the state from its commercial enterprises. He is an enemy of state railroad subsidies, and years ago earned the enmity of the Fitchburg railroad interests by proposing that the existing enormous drain on the state treasury should be limited by giving the job of boring the Hoosac mountain to contractors. The state afterward adopted Mr Pierce's policy. The Fitchburg railroad people now generally favor Mr Long.