Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-08-28
!. Mcoillicuddy,s speclousnlss.

Mr.. Mc0illicuddy's Speciousnsss.
Hon. D. J. McGillicuddy Of Lewiston,
Democratic candidate for representative
to congress from the Second Maine Dis
trict, spoke at South Paris last Monday
night, combining his remarks entirely to
state issues, except when he pithily re-
marked at the close that it doesn't make
any difference who is elected to con-
gress, as long as the senate remains as
It is. The application of which remark
lies in the application OF 1t. Mr.. Nc
Gillicuddy Is to be given credit for elo-
quence and an entertaining style, which
kept bis audience. of all shades Of politi-
cal belief, interested and in good humor.
1t can not be further said Of Mr.. Nc.
Gillicuddy that he Is eminently fair and
candid In his argument. His talk 10
specious, and the common remark with
those who have not Analysed his state
ments at all is that It sounds all right.
But Mr.. McGillicuddy is q past master
in the art OF political sophistry, and 1t
would be hard to put together talk Of
the same length which would seem to
demonstrate so much, and yet be based
80 largely, as this was, on half truths,
distorted facts, and statements which
will not stand the test of truth.
In fact, Mr.. McGillicuddy overworked
the line, and presumed too much upon
the ignorance or thoughtlessness of hit
hearers, 80 that some of his arguments
are positive insult to their intelli
gence.
As would be expected, especially dur
ing that part of his speech in which he
paid his respects to the Republican
"ring," Mr.. McGillicuddy worked the
appeal to "the people" and their part il
the government pretty hard, entirely
ignoring the fact that If professional
politicians have to any extent taken the
reins of government in their own hands
the people have no one to blame bu
themselves for the condition. Blu
when he read list of men who he sait
were slated for certain Offices filled BY
the legislature, and rallied because "the
people" hadn't chosen them, he SHOULD
have given his hearers credit for know
ing that the people do not direct!
choose those officers, but entrust tina
duty to their representatives.
Then he declared that as result O
the present conditions, the few not only
manipulate the party, but the public
policy as we'll, and cited the fact that re
submission had been defeated in supper
of his statement. Perhaps by "the few
he meant the 1900 or so delegates repre-
senting nine.tenths of the Republican
party who voted against putting resub
mission in the platform at the Republi
can state convention. Evidently he hat
been warned not to work resubmissior
hard in this part of Oxford County, fol
he cut his remarks on it very short.
The matter of the initiative and refer
endum was gone into quite fully, and {
lot of alleged inside history was dis
closed in connection with it. Tn
Democratic platform demands the initia
tive and referendum, while the Repub
lican platform favors it "as applied Il
statutes" In this wording Mr.. McGilli
cuddy discovers q deep-laid plot of tn
wild land owners, who, he alleges, wer
in unsupported control of the Republi
can state convention. These wild LAM
owners, says Mr.. McGillicuddy, got thi
through because it would require con
stitutional amendment to increase tn
tax on wild lands. Therefore by no
favoring the application of the refer
endum to the constitution the platform
made it impossible for any Republica
member of the legislature to vote II
favor of any amendment to the constitu
ton.
Now Mr.. McGillicuddy knows bette
than this, and so do most of those VIII
heard him. The practical application o
the initiative and referendum principl
in this country is as yet in the expert
mental stage. 1t is good thing to try
and If 1t works we'll as applied to stat
utes, it may do to extend it to the coz
stitution. But in Republican form o
government constitutions are generall
and very properly safeguarded agains
the liability of frequent and unconsider
ed changes. So we believe the position
of the Republican platform regarding
the initiative and referendum is safe ant
sane. But whether it is or not, Mr.
McGillicuddy's statement that any Re
publican member of the legislature i
barred by it from voting in favor of an
constitutional amendment that he ma
approve, is almost too absurd for com
ment.
Mr.. McGillicuddy gave some figure
regarding the increase of state expendi
lures, which we have not in detail, an,
referring to the state printing, said tina
Mr.. Davis, the Democratic candidate TO
governor, is now doing the state print
ing for one-half what it has cost for tn
past twelve years. In fact, Mr.. Davis i
doing one class of the state printing
amounting to considerably less than hal
of it, and while he is undoubtedly dom,
1t cheaper than the old prices, how mucl
the saving will be 1t is yet too early t
tell.
And then Mr.. McGillicuddy struck Of
to the Bangor and AIoostook Railroad
tax abatement, and hammered it for al
he was worth. He briefly mentioned
the abatement in the case of the SOmer
set Railroad, and exercised his powers
of sarcasm on the subject as he is 81
we'll able to do, but he never mentioned
the Knox and Lincoln, or the Washing
ton County, or any of the other roads
which have been encouraged to build In
the same way, and which never PAID
dividends. The case of the Bangor ant
Aroostook is the only one really suited
to the workings of Democratic eloquenc,
in this respect, because the road has
from the first had prosperity which nc
one anticipated when 1t was built, and /,
is now In condition to answer the de
scription of "a rich corporation"
That matter has recently been review
ed in the Democrat, and the merits o.
the case do not require extended com
ment now. The point to which atten
tion is directed Is Mr.. McGillicuddy'f
declaration of ignorance in the matter
He says Mr.. Littlefeld says the matter
is fifteen years old, but he doesn't care
he never heard of it till this campaign
illustrating his position with story very
old and in somewhat questionable taste
Think of it! Here is Mr.. McGillicudy,
q prominent lawyer in the third city OF
the state, prominent Democratic poll.
tician, travelling over the district dis.
cussing state issues exclusively in bis
campaign for a national Office, and yet
hare ia an item of exnenditure of some