Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-04
THE HOUSE CAUCUS.

The Republican iveS-elect
met in the hall of the House and the
caucus was called to order by Mr..
Weatherbee of Lincoln. at 1.45 o'clock.
and Mr.. Littlefield of Rockland. was
called to the chair. Mr.. Smith OF
Madison, was made secretary of the
caucus. The first business being the
nomination of q Speaker, Mr.. Reed of
Portland, was recognized by the Chair
and placed in nomination the name
of Hon. Morrill, N. Drew of Portland.
In nominating Mr.. Drew, Mr.. Reed
said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Caucus: desire to present as can
didate for the Office Of Speaker of this
House a gentleman from Portland. who
is well-known. l believe. to nearly all
the members here present. l have pre-
pared no set speech. l have before me
no list of his qualifications, but very
briefly / will refer to what he has to
recommend him.
Born in the county of Aroostook.
educated at Bates College. Androscog-
gin county, near the center of our
State. and living by doption in the city
Of Portland. / may say he represents
in certain sense the North and the
Center and the West; but in a broader
sense he represents no section and no
town. A prophet not without honor in
his own country; in the county Of his
birth he was twice made county at
tOrney, serving four years, serving in
that capacity with distinction and
honor; elected from the same county
a member of this House, twice he has
served here to the entire satisfaction
of his constituents; thoroughly ia
miliar with parliamentary practice. he
is amply able to preside over the de-
alterations Of this House. to conduct
its business with dispatch. and l can
assure you, as I believe you all know.
with the greatest possible degree Of
fairness.
I make no apology for presenting to
to you the name of a man from Port -
land. He has represented the city Of
Portland here at your previous session.
Portland has presented other candi
dates. Portland has been frequently
hOnOred by the choice of some of its
citizens to the same position which
we now ashland that not once nor
twice nor thrice. / believe in the his
tory Of this State. but never has it
asked yet for this position unless
ii was able to furnish man large
enough and broad enough and strong
enough to do honor to the position.
present to YOU the name of Morrill, n.
Drew as 4 candidate for Speaker; and
] believe if the members see fit to nom
mate him they will feel satisfied with
their choice and will find we are not
asking anything for ourselves which
is not also an advantage to them. CAP
plause.)
The nomination of Mr. Drew was
seconded by Mr.. Kinsman of Augusta.
Mr.. Morrison of Bar HarbOr. Mr.. Tup-
per Of Bangor. Mr.. Merrill of Skowhe-
gan. and Mr.. NewcOmb Of Passport.
Mr.. Thomas of TopSham, placed in
nomination Hon. Harold NJ. Sewall Of
Bath.
Mr.. Thomas said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Caucus:
Sagadahoc presents a candidate and
bases his nomination here on two
grounds. absolute fitness and reCogni-
tion Of a fair geographical distribution
of this honor and of what SagadahOC
has done to deserve it. In the pro-
majorities Sagadahoc and the city OF
Bath rank second to no county or city
of the State and the second district
rank easily the first. They have never
wavered not even in the times when the
party was shaken to its foundations and
when her wavering would have cost the
nation the services of William +. Frye
and Nelson Dingley. Sagadahoc had
hn Gt.,t .~rx H.
has never had this honor since. Port
land has had this office no less than ter
times.
In presenting her candidate she
names one well-known to the State
and the nation whom he has botf
served faithfully. Twice he has beer
member of this body. He has showr
himself man Of convictions ant
never afraid to avow them. He ha:
never lodged vote and never hest
tated to speak for fear of imperilline
future political honcrs. Those of u.
who were members OF the last House
remember well how he headed the
abolition of fees and against the moS
powerful opposition won out. the House
substituting the minrity for the ma
jOrity report nearly two to one. This
was the first skirmish in that battle
which we will carry to finish. this
winter.
He does not believe in parsimony bu
in liberal and fixed salaries. He be.
lieves also in liberal treatment of the
poorer communities and that the State
should continue it's policy of tighten
ing burdens. He believes in good roads
in bridges and in schools, and that the
State should give these increasing aid
and attention.
In the nation he has held higher
honors than this you are asked to be-
stow and won them by hard service
In the policy of expansion in the Pa
cific he was a poineer. He represented
our country at the time of threatened
German domination in Samoa. and
sngly and alone stood for American
rights. He won the emnity of the
party to which he belonged but wor
the friendship and confidence of John
Sherman. Benjamin Harrison and
James G.. Blaine. For his services
here for his services TO the party in