Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-04-09
GOVERNOR coBs'S SPEECH
Will Strengthen Him With the Peop

| The SOllG rock or law op"Oi "'iN
| law enforcement-or rather ne rear
| firms and emphasizes the position ne
| had already taken-aud he does IL IN
| " Ords that ring with the true note Of
honesty and sincerity. The people do
| like: "a man that aint afeared. mat
has the courap.4 OF his convictions. that
| stands four-suuare TO all the WINDS
that UioW and knows no VarlableneSS
| or shadow OF turning in the course ne
| believes to be right. We have seen IL
| over ana over in the case OF puhilc
| men-Foik, Jerome, Roosevelt. 10 meh-
| tion no others. 1t pays we Deile'e
| Governor Cobh'S speech will strengthen
| him much with the people. 1t is
piece of very plain speaking. and it
| Scatters the mStS ANA brings out the
| issues clearly.
| As already said, the Governor plants
himself firmly on the solid ground oi
| The constitutions, the law and the party
| dec laration Of principles. Logically
| his position is unassailable. Stat"Sirai-
| ly hc can be defeated in his cam
paign for recollection only by dtStr-
| ton The speech is in large part
| justification of the SturGis law. which
| he regards as an instrument, not per
haps he best possible but the best I"
| be had. 10 break up notification and
| vindicate the majesty Of the law. He
| rehe; rseS the political history leading
up to the Bangor convention Of 1904,
| incidentally denying the report that
| III Il New York speech he criticised
| the Maine laW-hOw that for many
| years the Republican party had stood
| in Maine as the champion of prohibi-
] ton 9na had made that its leading
| princiDle in state issues: how diSSaIiS-
| faction had arisen at the notification
| of the law in some localities, and as
| sign Of protest Democratic SheritfS had
| been elected in several counties; how
| in view Of these things il was deemed
necessary for lie party To rcatlirm its
| position; and how this was done in the
Bangor plank declaring explicitly
| that the party was still the firm cham
| pion of prohibition and enforcement
Mr.. Cobb took the platform seriously.
"It was upon that platform was
nominated" he says, land l accepted
| its statements squarely and without
| reserve.
| He made enforcement the leading
issue of his campaign, and was elected
| by 27.000 plurality. He took his cleo
| tion to mean Il protest against nuillfI-
cation and the casting of contempt on
the law. He found that the executive
| lacked means 10 enforce this particular
law. and he asked that means be pro-
| vidcd. The Sturgis law was the re-
suit The Governor highly commends
| the commission, stating his absolute
| ind implicit belief. in their integrity.
their good Judgment and their etfi-
| cheney" saying that 1T is not playing
politics but is attempting 10 uphold
land yindicate a law of the State of
| Maine" and assuming full RESPONSE
| biity for its acts DSsS tiSfaction at
| the work of the commission was man
IifrSted in some of the city elections,
but the governor maintains that the
issue is not the Sturgis law but the
| principle of enforced prohibition. of
which the Sturgis law is the instru-
ment. The Republican party faces u
crisis and he calls upon il to face the
crisis boldly and manfufly and stick
Ito its principles, believing this to be
the best policy.
| The Democratic party wants license
land local option. That is the motive
lat the bottom of the cry for reSubmis-
sion. But the governor reminds his
lralty that the Democrats cannot carry |
| the State on that issue without Repub-
| lican aid II" is deSirous that the |
party retain control because he con- |
| Siders the interests Of the State safer |
lin its hands, and he suggests that there |
lare other great questions To be set |
| tied, as tax reform, caucus reform, the |
lreferen,iun ard the matters of improV- |
ed schools and roads. He atfirms that |
lhc could not have done otherwise thar
lhe has done consistently with his |
promise ana his oath of office to take |
care that the laws be faithfully ex-
I,Cuted. lie stands on his record. NJ |
lis a candidate, for denomination: and |
he concludes his speech in these sir |
Iing words:
am profoundly grateful for all |
| the honor The Republican party has |
conferred upon me. and | nave done |
Imy best To be true 10 my oath of Office |
/ to my patty and To myself. | aad |
hoped to 50 conduct the affairs of my |
administration as tn enjoy the coal- |
d. nee of my party and the respect OF
| the people Of Maine, but | will willing |
| ly forfeit both if they are to be won
land retained. only by forgotten prom
Uses and broken oathS. If the party
has made y mistake in its platform
or candidate the remedy is in its Own
hands, but so long as | am governor
of Maine | shall oppose nulliiicati"n.
shall insist upon law enforcement
ana 50 long as the SturgiS law re-
mains on our statute books ana ofii-
Gals fail To do their duty, shall use
tEat law to enforce prohibition with all
the power, influence and resources at
my command.
| am not posing as reformer or as
a political martyr. or as a sentiment
talist: nor can any man hold the con-
science Of his party in his keeping.
But | can and do plead for one thihS
land it is this: That the RepuDhcah
party may bring TO the discussion ana
settlement of this great question Oh
law enforcement that courage spirit
of fairness and honesty OF PURPOSE
without which an appeal TO our ptopie
will be in vain, to the end that Repupii-
canism may control the politlcal ues-
TIMES of Maine and lead her TO gov