The Somerset reporter., 1892-03-31
Not Good Politics.

Some Of our Republican friends are
using an argument that eppesrs to us to
pe entirely fallac.ous and without jastiil-
cation In theory or in fact.
They say the fight between leading can
didates for the congressional nomination
in this district is so warm and the feeling
engendered so acrimonious that it becomes
necessary to take one who has not teen
active, and against whom no animosity
exists on the part Of friends Of other can
didstes. In order to secure harmony In the
party.
They urge that It is not safe to make
either Of the leading candidates whose
friends have gotten somewhat warm ID
the contest, the nominee of the party, be
cause this heat will cause the friends oi
the unsuccessful candidate to bolt the
successful candidate at the polls.
They seem to forget that the reason Tor
there being but slight apparent feeling
against any candidate, is because he mas
not, thus far, been IN the thick oil the
light, and that this feeling viii come as
soon as he does get into it. 1t is natural
and inevitable that the friends OF our
leading candl iates snould have a warmer
feeling against the one who may be
aetiye and aggressive, and this feeling
will be just in proportion TO the respec-
tive aggressiyeuess Of the different parties
to the contest
Some Republicans seem to think that
the Third District contest is something
entirely new in the history of the party
entirely different from anything that ever
happened IN the Republican or any other
party. In this they are entirely at fault.
There has been just such earnest work on
the part of candidates and friends OF can
didates before in both the Republican and
Democratic parties. These contests have
oeen more numerous in Maine In the Re
publican party thsn In the Democratic,
for the reason that the nomination in the
former means an election, while in the
latter it means defeat, but any one who
knows anything about party politics
knows that the contests inside OF each
party have been neither infrequent or de-
void Of interest, excitement and warmth.
To many Of the members of the parties,
these inside lights are not pleasant, while
others engage In them with the same
avidity they fight the common enemy sf-
ter the nominations are made. The theory
that these inside contests weaken the par
ty Is not justified by fact. The fear that
the active participants in them will do
any considerable boiling Is contrary to
the almost invariable practice OF the Re
publican party in Maine. II there is any
considerable boiling of the name OF the
Republican nominee In the Third district
for Congressional there should be none
in any event-it will not be because he
made vigorous campaign for the n0mi.
nation or because his friends were enthu-
siastic for his success and worked earn
estly In his interest. Ii there Is such, 1t
will not come from active opponents of
the successful candidate, but rather from
those who did not engage actively in the
contest.
Apathy is what damages party. Lack
Of interest in the work OF the primaries is
where this lfeless condition begins, and
interest In individual candidates, which
brings voters to the caucuses, contributes
to healthy growth rather than to disnte
grafton.