The Republican journal., 1904-06-02
TIE LEWISTON JOURNAL ROASTED

| n Very Pertinent Letter from Franklin
| County.
The most interesting communication
of the day in these days of direct and
personal attacks upon candidates not
only in State but county and municipal
contests for office, is a letter from the
Hon. J. W. Fairbanks of Pennington,
one of the oldest and most respected
party leaders in Franklin county. Mr..
Fairbanks letter is pertinent to the is
sue now on for the choice of nominee
for governor at the Republican State
| convention, and as it also contains
some historical facts is herewith pre-
! sented in full:
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE LEWISTON
! JOURNAL: In d modest way | will
/ state that no one can antedate me in
my loyalty to the Republican party.
i The honor was conferred on me to be
one Of the delegates to the convention
at Strong that organized the Republi-
can party. | have never failed to vote
at every State and national election
from that date to the present time.
have been associated with Gilman, Per
ry, Walton, Perham, Frye, Dingley and
Llttletield in their canvasses as candi-
dates for Congress. Having had life
long experience in political matters, it
is fair to assume that | ought to have
an Intelligent view how campaign
ought to be conducted.
Now as to your career as Journalist
When Mr.. Dngley died it was in the
minds of a majority of the Republicans
of this district to nominate the strong
est man possible to fill the vacancy.
Pubic opinion centered on Littletield
\ our paper was mum all through that
canvass. Two years ago you gave us a
dose on resubmlssioH, and we had to
take your medicine morning, noon and
night, until the legislature met and
gave us relief, and the only backing
you had came from the Democrats.
Now you are i'll trouble in regard to
Mr.. CobD'S temperance views. 1t seems
that all you require to satisfy you that
man is sound on the temperance ques-
tion, is FOR him to write a letter and
have it Published, and what is most no.
tlceable N the position that you are
taking is that you make an exception
OF MI COBB, having nothing to say
about Prescott's position. Would it
not be well for you to look atter him,
for the indications point to Mr.. Pres
colt having the lead on Mr. Fernald in
the number of delegates to be elected.
In giving information as to delegates
chosen your partlality stands out in
every issue of your paper. For in
stance, the delegates chosen at Show
hogan were in large type on the first
page OF your paper and you stated that
| q InI uba,, ca.
they are reported to be for Prescott.
When the Augusta and Bangor dele
gates were chosen there were no head
lines, or any conspicuous place in your
columns for them. When delegation
is chosen and no instructions are given,
you announce in your paper that they
are anti-Cobb
You say that the Democrats want
Cobb nominated. Good for them, for
1t shows sense of returning reason,
for Mr.. Cobb has the reputation of be-
ing practical temperance man from
his youth to the present time. You
give any amount of reading from Dem
ocratlc papers in regard to this contest,
which we have to pay for. If we could
have all You printed about this contest
IN one issue, it would be funny read
ing.
You state in your paper that if Fer
maid is nominated he will get the larg
est majority that any candidate has
ever received. Perhaps he may if you
continue your persecution against a
man who has led an upright and tenn
J perate life.
In closing l will say that if lightning
should strike in Androscoggin and
Mr.. Fernald gets the nomination and
/ is elected governor, we will not be like
ly to see political millennium on that
+ account. II there are any reforms to
lnaugurate it has got to be done by the
i legislative branch.
Respectfully yours,
j. w. FAIRBAN KS.
| FarminptOn. Me-. Nav 16. 1904