The Republican journal., 1900-02-08
Speaker for 10th Legislature.

Already much interest is being shown
throughout the State in the make up of
the 10th Legislature, which will assemble
January 1st, 1901. The business men,
farmers, mechanics and laboring men
are taking unprecedented interest in the
, tally in the question of taxation, which
| will undoubtedly receive the most care
full attention of the next legislature. 1t
therefore behooves the voters and tax
payers to exercise great care in the choice
of candidates to represent them in that
| body
While this is one important branch to
be looked after there is another para
mount to it. Legislati on depends large
/ ly upon the personnel of the various com
mittees of the House. Hence the i'm
of Speaker. Upon him devolves the
responsibility of the formation of all COM
mittees. lie alone is responsible for
their make up, and he should be man of
/ wide experience and thorough business
| qualifications, entirely unbiased by per
sOnal motives and interests, looking only
| for the best good of the greatest num-
| Der.
! Somerset County las such a candidate
in Edward N Merrill, Esq. of okowhe-
gan, who SO ably and satisfactorily rep
resented his district III the Goth Legis-
lature that he will be the emphatic choice
for the 10Th, a man in whom the sound
| judgment and practical wisdom of the
successful business man is united with
the broad culture and keenness of in
tellect which has given him high rank in
his profession, and gained for him the
confidence of all. His position in the
Goth Legislature upon the question of
taxation was broad and comprehensive,
showing thorough acquaintance with
| the subject and clear knowledge of the
unequal burdens borne by the different
classes of property. That reform is
needed is apparent from all quarters of
the State. And no man in the Goth Leg
islature sounded the keynote with more
marked ability than Mr.. Merrill.
At the present time we know of but one
other candidate tor the position, Hon.
Joseph H. Manley of Augusta, the present
chairman of the State Committee and a
member of the Republican National Com
mittee. The contest between these two
gentlemen promises to be a sharp one.
Both are possessed of such qualities that
when they once enter upon an undertak-
ing, they do it with a determination to
| win.
Many of Mr.. MerrilI's friends from all
over the State, claim that he should be
supported for the position upon grounds
that appeal, as they say, to fair dis
tribution of the offices to the various
parts of the State. They say that An
gusta has the Representative to Congress
and the Secretary of State, and will have
for another term; that the only candidate
for State Treasurer is from kennebec
County, and that to the Hon. John F.
Hill of Augusta are conceded the guber-
material honors. Hence they claim that
Augusta and Kennebec County ought to
be fairly satisfied without laying claim to
the Speakership.
| There is still another reason why Som
erset County is entitled to the office. Since
the establishment of the State she has
! never had the honor of furnishing Speak
er of the House, while Kennebec has
furnished ten. Upon the grounds of
locality and fair distribution of the
offices, Somerset claims that she should
be recognized. That Mr.. Merrill possesses
all the qualifications for the position can
not be questioned and we bespeak for him
the hearty support of the party. [Somer-
set Reporter.