Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-09-20
Massachusetts Politics.

BOSTON, sept. 10, 1917
To the Editor of the Kennebec Journal:
The political waters are now beginning 10
be troubled, and the next six weeks will be
anything but quiet. The republicans day
before yesterday had their convention, nom-
mated Long, adopted very judicious plat
form the speeches Of Gov. Bullock and
Senator Hoar were timely and sound indeed,
the convention was most harmonious, and all
wentto their homes feeling assured Of victory.
We have taken some pains to ascertain the
feeling of those who favored Pierce in the
convention, and everywhere have found them
heartily supporting Mr.. Long, and none more
80 than Mr.. Pierce himself. The best judges
estimate that Long will carry the State, and
have more votes to spare than Talbot had
last year. Their conclusions are arrived At
from the following reasoning:
First, times have changed in two respects
since last year; business is improving, and
men are better employed. hence less dissat's-
fed voters, who always when depressed vote
for change; and then, the Southern ques-
ton has doomed up scientifically since last fall.
Geu. Butler will be defeated from "too
much nomination. First, the greenbackers
nominated Butler and Phillips. Think Ofthat
To-day the Tarbox wing Of the democracy
nominated him. while Tomorrow Simmons,
Usher & Co. will ratify these other nomina-
tons. What the Faneuil Hall meeting will
do remains TO be seem but we predict it will
not nominate Butler, but straight-out hard
money democrat, who will bring back to the
old field many men of that party who last year
voted for Ii. F. B. Uncle Ben will lose from
two sources republicans, who last year feared
resumption, wanted a change, &C., who are
now pleased with resumption, know business
is revving and fear to vote for anything but
republicanism, on account of the develop
ments in the recent session of Congress
and democrats who are becoming ashamed of
the situation they are placing the party in for
the Presidential race of next year. Butler
will gain . few votes from the republicans
who from personal grievances, imagined or
otherwise, or on account of certain ideas re-
gardng the liquor traffic are trying to make
family fuss. That his losses will far exceed
his gains, / have not the slightest doubt, and
Longwill gain inthe country towns and small
villages more than he will lose in the cities.
Boiling don't work we'll, as evinced in the
case of Charles Summers flying the track in
1872, for when election was over no one
would ever have known that Sumner kicked.
Buffers attempt to style himself an indepen-
dent republican, and for Grant next year,
wont wash, and none laugh more earnestly
over this dodge than some Of his wire pullers.
We are informed, but whether correctly or
not we cannot say, that the old man was not
at all pleased by the dOings Of the greenback
convention that nominated him; and we are
also informed, that he is going to repudiate
Scion Chase, DE La Matyr, Perry, FORg,
Harper, Weaver, and all that class of men,
whom he evidently thinks would do him harm.
1t will be curious mixture, indeed, when
all Is moving. For instance, one Of his lieu
tenants says, II am just as good republican
and hard money man as there is in Massachu-
SETS" Another says, II am democrat dyed
in the wool, and believe in the Butler idea of
finance, dollar printed upon the cheapest
material, payable to nobody. nowhere, and
consequently not redeemable." Another IL
slightly cOmmunistic, and swears there is an
antagonism between labor and capital, and
that property should be equally divided. Is
it any wonder they have declared absolutely,
for State issues? And yet, what force that
is when you look into its depth. Every pull
sation in politics this year, whether in Maine.
California, or Massachusetts, beats for the
great national contest Of next year, and he
who does not recognize this great fact, will
write himself down as political nobody.
There is not an unrepentant traitor in all
the South, who will not pray from this time
on to the 4th Of November, that Long may
be defeated in Massachusetts, and on election
night the thing Of all others that would most
delight JEFF Davis, the shotgun policy men,
and the murderers Of United States officers,
ministers and teachers at the South, would be
the report that Massachusetts had defeated
the republican candidate.
The issues will be closely drawn before
election day, and hosts of men who have felt
Indifferent, and rather thought 1t would be a
good joke to elect Butler, will vote squarely
for Long, when the campaign is presented in
its real bearings as touching next years con-
test
If was called upon for summing up, /
should say the contest will be hot one;
large vote will be polled, the republican gain
will be larger than the opposition gain, hence
Longs election is assured. have no doubt
there are Mt least thirty thousand more men
who would vote for Long than for any other
Of the nominees; the only question being
will they vote? If the republicans do not
achieve grand victory, general apathy will
defeat them. We don't believe that will be
the case. We put Longs plurality down At
10000. X.