Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-03-24
9he...
Candidate
By GEIK TURNER
IN some parts of the country there
may be still isolated specimens Of
the type of eX-Lieutenant Gov
o,,o, rp1harcon With nc ha ra.
Copyright, 1905, by Geik Turner

VN some parts Of the country there
may be still isolated specimens Of
the type of eX-Lieutenant Gov
ernor Culberson. With us he re-
mained for years the last solitary rep
resentative of the fine old fashioned
political leader who lived with the
ideals of Webster and Calhoun and
Clay still before him. His tall and
stately figure, his smooth shaved face.
his stock and his long tailed legisla-
tors coat, of the type preserved in ia
nous statesmen's pictures, but now
as extinct as the dodo in real life, all
remained still fixed in the minds Of
thoSe who were honored in many
speeches by his opening apostrophe of
fellow citizens" In the smallest de-
tail of life he conducted himself with
the dignity becoming a man on whom
a thousand eyes are fixed. His very
use of his handkerchief was a survival
of the days of snuff. His speeches. his
few critics declared, were things Of
magnificent distances.
EX-Leutenant Governor Culberson
had waited ten years to be governor,
hungering and thrsting, but expecting
fervently to be fed. Ten years is
considerable slice out of an individ-
uars life, but it is rather less than it
usually takes for the sovernorship TO
revolve around to our section. and
then we have to divide it between our
selves at the county seat at Westches'
ter and the manufacturing town OF
Johnsonville, ten miles away.
A great many things happen in ten
years, but the ambition of the CuiDer'
sons is made of stern stun. EX-i.!eu'
tenant Governor .Cuibcrson's grandfa-
ther had been governor and lis father
a senator. He intended to live up 10
the family traditions. AS matter OF
fact, he was always called governor.
The title is much shorter and easier to
say than lieutenant governor. AT the
beginning of the decade. when he had
lust returned from the lieutenant gov
ernorship. Governor" Culberson was
the most prominent figure in our sec
ton of the state He strovC with every
power he possessed consistent with dig
nifty to retain the position. He WIS as
erect and hearty as Il young ai!i!2tt
and as particular in his appearance as
q bridegroom waiting for his bride. In
the meantime his wife. beautiful old
time yentlewoman. had died. and his
children had all moved away. b";
the fine old fashioned figure remaiA>d Il
among the ruins of the home. still Siar'
,ng ut the prize which should conSum'
mate his career.
Early in the spring Of the eventfu!
year Governor Cu!berson made his lirsI
call on Sam Wilson at the Herald or
fice-thc once noted Sam, now only Il
memory in the minds of those queer
gray old newspaper man who have
come down to us from another genera
ton. The governors barouche drew up
to the curbins before the office. and the
governor himself followed the steps OF
many another illustrious man up the
dingy stairs until he penetrated TO the
presiding genius Of the place. seated IN
his little untidy temple, with the sacri'
fetal piles Of dusty newspapers around
him. n,the history of the underside
of things. which will never be pub
lished. Sam Wilson was the greatest
figure in his state Other men made
fame and history; Sam Wilson made
the men. And many an uniformed soul
from the outer world which surrounds
politics had clambered up there, plead
ing TO be made. and many men famous