Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-25
The GubernatoriaI Canvass.


now being held for the election OF dele
gates to the State Convention at Bah-
gor the Journal expressed the opinion
that the cause of no candidate couiu
be advanced by attacks upon his op-
moments. The caucuses thus far heio
in the State appear to bear us out III
this view. We have been frank to con-
cede at all times the personal merits
of the three distinguished gentlemen
who aspire to this honor. We nave
had opportunities to know them all
and to watch them in the official re-
lations they have borne to the people
Of Maine. They are all clean, able up
right men. This being the fact At
would seem as if choice might De
made from so good a list without en-
gcndcring undue bitterness. we APP
prehend that any voter or any news
paper has a right to support and adVo-
cate any one of these candidates ne
may see lit to favor. So Tar as the
Journal is concerned it has never yet
from the day of its establishment
failed to take a stand for some candl-
date in every Republican gubernatorl-
al canvass that has occurred IN thls
State, and it has not failed to give the
successful candidate a hearty ana
cordial support. 1t is to the credit
of the Republican party OF Maine
that it is able to present to it's State
convention such men as now aspire
to the gubernatorial nomination,
and certainly any member of the
party who exercises his right of
choice at the primaries is in no danger
of making any serious mistake.
At the beginning of the canvass the
Journal deprecated the methods which
some of Mr.. Cobb's opponents saw fit
to adopt against him. 1t was evidently
thought that such an attack would
speedily drive him from the field: but
it failed. The people of Maine do their
own thinking, and are too intelligent
to be stampeded by any resort to the
old time methods of campaigning.
Having signally failed in this style of
attack, these opponents have now
turned to the applying of epithets to
Mr.. Cobb's experimentation it will
h1 81. Inv COR
fairly numerous in Maine. They set
themselves up as infallible in their own
judgments. and bitterly denounce
those who fail to agree with them.
We do not believe that the voters of
Maine-accustomed to do their own
thinking-can ever be reached by such
a spirit of intolerance. DO you be-
lieve rs I do? No? Then you are
wrong and I must club you" is not a
battle cry that will appeal to the
thoughtful citizens of the Old Pine
Tree State.
We have never been able to see what
poltica, advantage any candidate
could hope to secure in Il canvass like
the one now in progress by a resort to
such tactics. At the start it might have
been thought possible to sweep Mr..
Cobb and his supporters off the map Of
Maine. If so the futility of the idea
has already been demonstrated. Mr.
Cobb has thus far not only held his
own. but he has made substantial in
roads into territory claimed by his
opponents. The indications now point
to his nomination on the first ballot
His opponents hope to prevent this
Even if they should be successful tc
this extent, what advantage will be
gained to any candidate in that event
by abuse of Mr.. Cobb and his friends
Certainly they would be in position tc
have Il very potent bearing upon the
situation. These are practical sug.
gestions which we believe to be worthy
of the careful consideration of some OF
Mr.. CObb's opponents. Certainly those
who undertake to conduct n canvass
with a club with which to belabol
those who venture to disagree witt
them. have a somewhat limited con-
ception of the Independent character OIL
Maine citizenship.