The Republican journal., 1900-07-05
Class Convention in Montville

Inc RepuOllcan District convention nelu
at Centre Montville June 29th for the pur-
pose of nominating candidate to represent
the class composed of the towns of Free
dom, Liberty, MOntville, Morrill,, Palermo
and Waldo in the next Legislature was the
largest, most enthusiastic and harmonious
convention of the decade. The meeting was
called to order by J. o. johnson, chairman
of the class committee. l.. c. Morse of Lib
erty was chairman Of the meeting, and
| Charles Allen of Montville clerk. j. 0.
johnson read the doings of the Republican
caucus held in Waldo, as communicated to
| him by the secretary of that meeting, stat
ing that A. j. Simmons was the choice of
that caucus, by a vote of II to % votes for the
| opposing candidate, and moved that Allen
, j. simmons of Waldo be the nominee of the
convention by reclamation. The motion
was seconded by E. Spear of Montville. In
putting the motion chairman Morse asked
them to make it manifest by rising, and
every man in the building stood up with the
exception of three Democrats, the candidate
| himself. and Il friend from Brooks.
Fully $50 Republicans were present, forty
|
were personally known to us as lifelong
Republicans and good citizens, who came to
show their esteem for their neighbor who
| had been selected as our candidate. Re
marks were made by L. c. Morse, j. 0.
johnson, j. c. Carey and G. H. targill. and
much interest was manifested in relation to
the coming campaign, all promising Mr..
Simmons an old-time majority. John o.
johnson made little talk to the people of
the GLASS; speaking in substance as follows:
He argued that town lines should be ig-
nored in the class, and the selection OF a
| representative from each town III the class
be abolished. He said that this was the
only way by which the agricultural towns
| in the State can make themselves power.
| Let us select who we think is the best man
| for the place, and if he proves good let us
| keep HIM there. If not, turn him down and
| try some one else, until we get good one and
then keep him. We can never have speaker
or the chairman OF an important committee
as long as we continue the practice OF Sc
| lectlng a representative from each town at
every term. No man, however smart he
may be, can become speaker the first term.
of his service, while it is possible for amy
one to attain that position in his second term.
! for we have as smart men i'll the little coun-
| try towns as there are in the cities. This is
the leading men in the State grew to man
hood on the farm, but left their mountain
homes in early manhood and have achieved
greatness in other fields, and not because
| they were smarter than other boys left be-
| hind. Indeed, sometimes think the oppo-
site would come nearer the mark. Too
many pigs for the trough. perhaps, and the
weakest were rooted out and sought other
pastures and have waxed fat, and we are
glad of it. 'But there are others. Waldo
Il 1.,.+ a
but one speaker of the House, and he was
sent from this town. | refer to the Rev
Ebenezer knowlton, who held that high
office in 1916; and if we continue our pres
ent mode of sending representatives we
shall never have another.
Senate, Hon. Joseph Williamson in 1873
and Thomas II. Marshall in 1860. Both
attained their positions by being continued
by their constituents, and both were an
honor to Waldo county. Other good men
have followed them, but were turned down
too quickly to make room for some other
ambitious fellow, who was himself turned
down in like manner.
We are a Representative class made in
the same manner in which Congressional
districts are made. What, ask you, would
| be the standing of Maine in the affairs of
the nation if each county in the several
congressional districts should demand the
| privilege of sending member of Congress
in turn: and yet there would be as much
sense in doing that as there is in sending
| our representatives OF towns in rotation as
we are now doing. Indeed, there would
be as much reason in the city of Belfast
selecting their representatives by wards,
and hope to see this thing done away with
the next decade.
| believe in expansion, and | believe in
giving our representative chance to rise
and shine, if he has got it in him, so that he
may not only be credit to himself but to
us also. |, for one, am sick and tired OF see
ing the name of our representative on the
tail end of unimportant committees. If we
do this no town can select il candidate to
forward some pet scheme or idle dream that
is wholly uninteresting to the other towns
i'm the class The class comprising the
towns of Stockton Springs, Swanvllle and
Searsport have ignored the claim of towns
this year by renominating MIR. Kneeland of
Searsport, who represented that class four
years ago, and no one doubts but that Mr..
Kneeland will be a better representative
than he was four years ago.
Mr.. Johnson's remarks seemed to make a
favorable impression on his hearers.
AS this is the last meeting before the new
classification of towns no committees were
appointed.
The meeting adjourned with the best of
feelings toward ALL