Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-20
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
The SentineI's Methods.
(POrtland EXpreSS.)

One does not need to be mind read
er to see through the kind of politics
which some of our friends of the Dem
ocratic press are indulging. II they
have a special fear of a particular man
they proceed to make a target of that
man. They seem to have no conception
of the fact that this campaign is to
be fought on any other than personal
lines, and they seem to think If they
can discredit the man or men Wnoin
they most fear it will help them to
win.
The other day a most malicious ar
ticle appeared in the chief of the DEM
| ocratic papers concerning George A,
Murchie of Calais. Mr.. Murchie is a
high minded citizen of Calais. he has
frequently been called to public serv-
ice and has always acquitted himself
well. We have never heard that he
has been indicted for breaking laws,
and he certainly has the esteem of the
people who have always been his neigh
bors for they have repeatedly made
that esteem manifest in supporting
him for public office. His own coun-
ty is solidly behind him today for the
nomination for Congress in the Fourth
District, and it no sooner became evil
dent that other support sufficient to
give him clear lead, and perhaps a
nomination on the first ballot. was
coming to him than the Democratic
mud Singer got to work with the
Wickedest attack upon a man that we
have seen in print for many day
1t was not question of policies but
one of personality purely that animal
ed the article from start to finisn
Hon. Bert NJ. Fernald, whose record
as a citizen is as clean and honorable
as that of any man either in private
or public life today has been the sub
ject of these personal attacks, inter-
woven with pure falsehoods and half
truths that are worse than lies, ever
since it became evident that he was
to be the standard bearer of the Re
publicans in this campaign.
Let any man become prominent in
Republican circles and that man is
marked for libel The latest illustration
comes upon the selection of Byron
Boyd for chairman Of the state COM
mittee. The Democrats have cause to
fear Mr.. Boyd He is a capable organ
iZer. His wide acquaintance and cX
pcrience especially fit him for the place
he is to fill, and the work he will have
to do. He has both the leisure and the
genius for the duties of manager of the
campaign, and instantly upon his Sc
lection he is made the butt Of personal
attack and ridicule.
What will the thinking people Of
Maine say to that kind of campaign,
persisted in? Must men be libeled be-
cause they belong to given political
party, and have remained within that
party for Il series of years, without
changing their coats? Will that kind
of campaigning affect the thought of
the citizens of 50 good a State as ours,
other than to arouse their disgust and
faSten them with sccurer bonds than
ever to the organization represented
by the men abused? Do they not
know that the campaign now on is Il
campaign Of principle and not of per-
sonality, that State and National is
sues are involved, that all this effort
to discrcdit persons comes from q
vicious source, which has no proper
conception of principle, and no devo-
ton to it?