Solon Chase | |
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 | |
| Member of theMaine House of Representatives from the Turner district | |
| In office 1862–1863 | |
| Preceded by | D.H. Teague |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1823 (1823) |
| Died | November 23, 1909(1909-11-23) (aged 85–86) |
| Political party | Republican Greenback |
| Residence | Turner, Maine |
| Occupation | Farmer, Orchardist, Newspaper publisher |
Solon Chase (1823 – November 23, 1909) was an American farmer, orchardist, politician and newspaper publisher fromMaine.[1] Chase served two single year terms in theMaine House of Representatives.[2] In 1873,an economic depression began and Chase joined the nationalGreenback Party. He is credited with founding the Greenback Party in Maine.[3] Chase sought to build an independent movement of farmers and workers through the Greenback Party and opposedelectoral fusion with theMaine Democratic Party.
A farmer, Chase was nationally known for the catchphrase and stump speech 'them steers'. In 'them steers', he spoke of the tending hissteers for the benefit of the financial elite, but not his town, county or state.[3] Upon his death, the New York Times, which was a Republican newspaper, remembered Chase for his unusual stump speeches, noting that "during the height of the greenback campaign, Chase stumped the country as far as the Middle West, driving a pair of steers hitched to a hayrack from the rear end of which he delivered his speeches."[4]
Chase was born in the Chase's Mill area ofTurner, Maine in 1823.[5] Chase was a member of theWhig Party prior to theAmerican Civil War. During the Civil War, he joined theRepublican Party and served two terms in theMaine House of Representatives. He was appointed an internal revenue collector by PresidentAndrew Johnson, though like most of Johnson's appointments, Chase was never confirmed.[6]
During the June1880 Greenback National Convention, Chase was a prominent candidate for the presidential nomination.[3] Chase, known as "the farmer's friend," was nominated by fellow Maine delegateFrank M. Fogg. In the first vote, Chase received 89 votes, which was a distant 5th place from the eventual nominee, Iowa CongressmanJames B. Weaver.
In1882, Chase was the nominee of the Greenback Party for governor and received .9% (1,324) of the total vote. He ran against Republican nominee and eventual winnerFrederick Robie as well as DemocratHarris M. Plaisted. Plaisted was a fusion nominee of the Democratic Party and some in the Greenback Party.[7]
In January 1875, Chase began published "Chase's Chronicle" from his farm in Turner. By 1879, the publication had a circulation of 6,000. It then moved to Portland, where it was renamed the "Greenback Labor Chronicle". However, the Labor Chronicle was discontinued a year later. Just a year later, a stock company owned by Solon Chase created "Chase's Enquirer". However, in 1882, the company took the paper over from its editor, Chase, and moved the publication to Lewiston. It was suspended within six months. In March 1882, Chase formed yet another newspaper, this called "Them Steers" in honor of the catchphrase popularized by the editor. Them Steers also failed and the publication ceased to print in 1883.[8]
Chase was a lifelong farmer. Notice of Chase's death received special attention in the annual report of the Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, "In the death of Solon Chase, which occurred on November 23, 1909, the orchard interests of Maine lost a firm friend."[5] Chase had more than six hundredNorthern Spy apple trees in his orchard at the time of his death. The report by Commissioner of Agriculture called Solon Chase the "spy" king of Maine.[5]
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