Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-28
NO new TERMS
seem to Have Come in
the Last Campaign.
late ,estine Account Of the Origin
Of Many Formerly Used.
Sam. Still Familiar and Others Long
Ago Forgotten.

The presidential campaign OF 1904
Inns TO have failed to develop any
sar or picturesque political terms.
II. status in this respect may be defin-
a nv the phrase stand pat" which,
.nnlied to one. might well apply to
both parties.
When we speak of the political
.,,ena" few Of us dream that that
or;ginally referred to the open space
If the amphitheater, strewn with sand
,arena,, for the purpose, chiefly. Of
,bsorpirg the shed blood of the gladi-
l,ors engaged to make a Roman holi-
aay. TIE forum of debate, again.
rss the place out doors in the
principal opel.-air place that became
,be civic Center-the marketplace,
whlre orators discussed public ques-
lions and lawyers became skillful
.forensicaly," as the word came to be
from this source. The 'rostrum," Of
Ten equivalent to our PLATFORM and
sometimes used in the colloquial
sense of mounting the rostrum," was
The place where the people of Rome re-
corded their votes, also in the market
Mace. for the candidates running"
for office 1t was so-called because
me rostra or prows of ships, taken in
naval fights adorned this point of van
tage. from which speakers also held
forth. These prows of ships were
formidable affairs; and man who
was aggressive in his campaign was
no less a man Of prowess than of am
bition.
ID And what does ambition mean?
i Nothing more than a "going about"
tambitio) soiicitously among those
who had votes to bestow. Ambitio, as
il was called. was legitimate; but am
bitus was not. for this meant the Civ
ing of brides in the going about seek
Ing votes, and strict laws were made
TO prevent it.
The candidate himself was so-called
because he was distinguished by wear
ing a white robe-emblematic, pre-
sunably. of his candid. truthful repre-
sensations in his ambtary pursuit-Or
canvass. The candidates, indeed, had to
conduct themselves above suspicion. -
so that they would not suffer by others
them for close inspection, for these
words-candidate, candid and candle
are Of the same batch.
The canvass, by which we under
stand the means employed in seeking,
by personal or other influence, the
promise OF votes, really meant "sift-
ing out of those who were favorable
10 candidate from those VINO We're
not; the word coming directly from
canabis the name of a coarse cloth
used for the purpose of making sleeves,
and which gave the name canvas, q
cloth, 10 us. TIE story told by this
word is no more curious than can be
told by many other words.
Cdmpaign like arena. revertS to the
idea Of the place where the real strug-
/ gle takes place campus. field; from
/ Which source we have also the neceS-
sary champion.
| Hut these. however interesting they
| aFe. have nothing of the local flavor
that makes words directly attractive
We have "A series of words of another
more homey order. but even more ex-
ressNe, that are always worthy OF
notice: such as presidential timber
political BOOM" taking the stump,
'iogroling.' upon the fence,
'barrl" 'snag,' platform anG
plank '-niost of which are easily
'raceable to their sources, as well as
TO contact with affairs of practica
legislation. lobby" the origin Of
which makes an unusual story.
Timber. translated into it's equiva'
is't term. the word first used fol
WOOL becomes familiar as material
80 mat. as colloquial expression, il
really an exact synonym; for thu
Other more classic but developed. i
may be noticed much in the sam,
mode. Ii has a smack of the lumbe
camp but 1t has a much more finished
Nisni.icance than that embodied in th'
F'"er material wood or lumber. Blu
one word we have direct from the Ium
oer market, according to respected au
"lorities is BOOM which is pic
'dfes1ue as well as sonorous, though
" Goes not derive itself from any ide;
VI sound, rs of sounding the praise
VI Il lavorite son: for in river parlanc
'4''IAs ''ii tpillI'llltt StItNtUc
1'ross the stream as dam to hold tn
h'"'ihg logs accumulated behind il
NJ trst ii would hardly appear to con
"'h much political force within 1t
de'h"rm wrapper. but, lil1ening tn
accumulated logs to hard-won vott:
"'n the boom to the capacity of tn
'dhdldate to hold them together unit
lection day, we surely get pretty clos
the heart-sense of it. Surprising tn
VooM across the river (and of the car
'uate> was to break Tor bursO wha
"al'ering of logs tind votes) ther
Would he,
!" liver parlance. also the candidat
81 .o enjoying boom must be care
~ rot to endulge too much in g-rol
s. else he may strike snag frol
incl he may have difficulty in e,
sae'lng himself. When we leave Il
.ner We virtually take to the stum
a.'u We are, in this term, transporte
once to primitive. pioneering TIM
zen the stump was the platform VI
IN, winch the candidate stood. 1t w;
.ostrum from which the local or;
W. hurled his shafts: and the VOL
''S oil the days of the hardy al
Hearty frontiersman. 1t was to tai
somet'me ere the logs in the riv
"ou'd be manufactured into the planl
.u IN modern political platform.
-. iensth. the candidate having &
A." ms supporters on the right side
e iellce, and his barr'l having be,