616 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



eral, Mason W. Tappan.* Law Reporter, Will- 

 iam S. Ladd. 



Political. The biennial election, 1886, was 

 held for the choice of State and county officers, 

 members of the Legislature, and two members 

 of Congress. The Republican party nominated 

 Charles H. Sawyer for Governor, the Demo- 

 cratic party nominated Thomas Cogswell, and 

 the political Prohibitionists nominated Joseph 

 Wentworth. The Republican platform reaf- 

 firmed the party's devotion to the cardinal 

 doctrines that had animated it since its organi- 

 zation in 1856 equal rights and privileges to 

 all men before the law ; a free ballot; the exer- 

 cise of that ballot unobstructed by intimidation 

 or fraud, and an honest count in all elections 

 South and North ; abhorrence of violence and 

 murder as a means of carrying elections ; hon- 

 est money, as opposed to irredeemable paper 

 currency and unlimited silver coinage; the 

 protection of American industry and capi- 

 tal, whether engaged in agriculture, manu- 

 factures, or commerce, by a proper tariff; uni- 

 versal education ; a faithful administration of 

 the laws ; ten hours of labor, and a full sym- 

 pathy with all just demands of workingmen ; 

 the principles of prohibition that have pre- 

 vailed as the policy of the State for thirty 

 years, to reduce to the minimum the evil of the 

 sale and use of intoxicating liquors ; reform in 

 the civil service, and opposition to anarchism 

 and communism, under whatever guise. The 

 Democratic platform pledged reform of abuses 

 in the years of the Republican party's misrule, 

 and declared that Federal taxation should be 

 exclusively for public purposes, and should not 

 exceed the needs of the Government economi- 

 cally administered ; a readjustment of the tarift 

 on this basis, keeping in view the principle that 

 the burden of taxation should fall most heavily 

 on the luxuries of the rich, and most lightly 

 on the common necessaries of life ; that the 

 rights of labor must be fostered and cherished ; 

 that they favor the principle of arbitration in 

 settlement of differences between labor and 

 capital, and that laws be enacted for that pur- 

 pose ; the enactment of laws making ten hours 

 the maximum limit of a day's labor in manu- 

 facturing establishments, and providing weekly 

 payments in corporations and manufacturing 

 concerns ; the platform denounces lawlessness 

 and anarchy, by whomsoever inaugurated ; it 

 recognizes the evils of intemperance, sympa- 

 thizes with all well-directed efforts to eradicate 

 these evils, and believes a judicious license law, 

 properly enforced, the best remedy therefor, 

 and that it will promote the cause of temper- 

 ance. The Prohibition party acted in opposi- 

 tion to the Republicans (who had placed upon 

 the statute-book all prohibitory laws existing 

 in the State, and sought their enforcement), 

 and with the Democrats. The result of the 

 gubernatorial vote was about as follows : 

 Charles II. Sawyer, Republican, 37,795 votes ; 



* Died Oct. 24, 1886. Jan. 27, 1887, Daniel Barnard ap- 

 pointed to fill the yacancy. 



Thomas Cogswell, Democrat, 37,295 ; Joseph 

 "Wentworth, Prohibitionist, and scattering, 

 2,210. Sawyer's plurality, 500. There being 

 no majority, the choice will fall to the Legis- 

 lature, in joint convention, which is Republi- 

 can. For the Senate, thirteen Republicans and 

 nine Democrats were chosen, leaving two dis- 

 tricts unrepresented. The House will consist 

 of 169 Republicans and 137 Democrats, giving, 

 on joint ballot of the two houses, 36 Republi- 

 can majority. The Governor's Council has two 

 Republicans and one Democrat chosen, witl 

 two vacancies to be filled by the Legislatui 

 The Republicans chose their officers in Hill 

 borough, Cheshire, Sullivan, and Grafton 

 counties ; the Democrats carried Rockingham, 

 Belknap, Carroll, and Coos counties, while 

 Merriinack and Straff ord counties were of 

 cered in part from each party. Concord, Man- 

 chester, Nashua, and Portsmouth chose Demo- 

 crats for mayor ; but the City Councils, except 

 in Portsmouth, are Republican. Dover and 

 Keene elected full Republican boards of offi- 

 cers. In the First Congressional District Lu- 

 ther F. McKinney, Democrat, appears to have 

 a small plurality over Martin A. Haynes, the 

 present member. A recount of votes in thi 

 district is asked and expected. In the Secoi 

 District, Jacob H. Gallinger, Republican, is 

 elected by 1,200 plurality. The Prohibitk 

 and scattering vote in 1886 was less than ir 

 1884. 



Constitutional. The State Constitution pi 

 vides that the people, by a majority vote, 

 call a convention to consider amendments 

 that instrument each seventh year. That 01 

 portunity occurred Nov. 4, 1884, but was 1( 

 The following Legislature provided that ai 

 other vote be taken March 9, 1886, and a rm 

 jority of 1,516 in favor was the result. It wil 

 devolve on the Legislature of 1887 to fix 

 time for the holding of such convention, ai 

 vote a sum necessary for its expenses. 



Finances, Cash on hand June 1, 1885, $69,- 

 991.47; receipts for the year from June 

 1885, to May 31, 1886, $1,045,862.87; tot 

 amount, $1,115,854.34; disbursements for tl 

 same time, $1,031,501.28 ; cash on hand Jui 

 1, 1886, $84,553.06 ; total disbursements, $1,- 

 115,854.34. Debt, June 1, 1885, $3,101,360.88 : 

 assets, June 1, 1885, $77,612 48 ; net indebt 

 ness, $3,023,748.40. Liabilities, June 1, 1886, 

 $3,090,577.49; assets, Junel, 1886, $92,035.52; 

 net indebtedness, $2,998,541.97; decrease of 

 debt during the year, $25,206.43. Revenue 

 State tax, $400,000; railroad-tax, $87,090.34; 

 insurance-tax, $4,831.56; interest, $1,317.53: 

 charter fees, $2,025 ; telephone-tax, $2,453.57 : 

 all other sources, $2,481.97; total revenue, 

 $500,196.97. Expenses ordinary, $264,442.- 

 13; extraordinary, $31,783.84; interest, $178,- 

 764.57; total expenses, $474,990.54; excess 

 revenue over expenses,$25,206.43. Ordinary ex- 

 penses in detail Legislature (pay-rolls), $92,- 

 099.20; salaries, $50,587.24; Council, $2,600.- 

 20; State printing, $32,426.86; support of in- 



