Oxford Democrat., 1908-05-19

AT the Dewitt House the parade filled
the street, and Mr.. Swasey appeared on
the second story veranda, and extended
his thanks in we'll chosen words for the
demonstration. 1t was indeed demon
stration that might even have solaced
defeated candidate, when 250 of the
representative and leading men of his
county appeared to do honor to him like
this on the eve of the convention, and
Mr.. Swasey was visibly affected by it.
Every hotel in Lewiston and Auburn
was packed Monday night, and those
who went without previous arrange
ments for accommodations had difficulty
in finding place to hang their hat. All
the candidates for congress, as we'll as
Mr.. Fernald and Mr.. Haines, candidates
for governor, had headquarters at the
Dewitt.
The Sewall train arrived Tuesday fore
noon from Bath, and from that time un-
til the convention opened in the after
noon the city was lively. Not that
things weren't lively after the conven-
tion opened, for they were. A college
football game was way behind the times.
The city hall was packed to the limit
In one gallery were the Swasey "root-
ers' aud their band, in the opposite
gallery the Sewall rooters. At the
moment-and perhaps
when the moment was not
psychological-would come from one
side, ',Rah! Rah, Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Swasey" va
ried by "Ninety-two! Ninety-two! Nine
ty-two, For Swaseyw and from the
other side, Everybody yell! Every body
yell, S-E-W-A-L-L! Sewallw The noise
at times was veritable pandemonium,
but everything was goOd-humored, and
there was no disorder.
The convention opened at l As, and
Harry b. Austin of Phillips was made
chairman. The district committee was
chosen as follows:
Androscoggin, A. D. Cornish. Lewis
ton; Franklin, D. o. Coolidge, Farming
ton; Knox, Fred w. Wight, Rockland;
oxford, II. Il. Hastings, Bethel; Lin
coin, A. B. Erskine, DamariScotta; Sag
adahoc, Frank B. Nichols, Bath.
The preliminaries being disposed of,
nominating speeches were in order, but
there were not so many of them as had
been expected. Early in the day Tues
day it had become known that the name
of Hon. Jesse NJ. Libby Of Mechanic
Falls would not be presented to the con-
vention, and later it was announced that
Hon. Cyrus N. Blanchard of Wilton had
observers forecasted that this would
mean the nomination OF Swasey on the
first ballot, and so it proved.
The name of Hon. Harold NJ. Sewall
of Bath was presented by Judge Sanford
l.. Fogg of Bath, and seconded by Fl. II.
Chamberlain of Bristol, Ruel G. Robin
son of Camden, George S. McCarty of
Lewiston, and n. j. Hanna of Bristol.
The name of Hon. George c. Wing of
Auburn was presented by Mayor Irving
l.. Merrill of that city, and seconded by
John X. Webber of Auburn.
Hon. James S. Wright of South Paris
then rose to present the name of Hon.
John p. Swasey, and was greeted by
great demonstration. 1t is generally
conceded that Mr.. Wright's speech was
the great hit of the convention, and en-
thusiasm was unbounded. At its close
Mr.. Wright was overwhelmed with con-
gratulations.
Unfortunately the limitations of our
space prevent giving Mr.. Wright's re-
marks in full. We can only give the
following extract:
"To-day, as the representatives of the
great Republican party of the second
district, we have met to nominate a can
didate to succeed Mr.. Littlefield in the
next Congress, and considering the great
ability of those who have been our stand
ard bearers in the past, and of him who
now serves with such singular ability, it
behooves US to elect with care, to nomi-
nate a man who from business ability
and legal training, experience in matters
of state and devotion to the policies OF
the great party we represent, is able to
maintain the high standard which this
district has attained; l am not here to
criticise, but to name candidate who
we say is not only eminently fitted in
every way he may be measured, but is
also the logical candidate for the posi-
ton, nor would | abate one tithe from
the ability of any of the other candidates.
The candidate here nominated should be
a stalwart, brave Republican. He should
be an honest man, who on all occasions
when the interests of the people are in
volved, will cast his vote and raise his
voice in defense of the right. He should
be a man of broad and liberal ideas, well
informed on all the great principles and
policies of the party, owned by no man
or corporation, influenced and controlled
by no trust-a man ready and willing to
deal Justly by all. He should be man
who believes that all men should have an
equal chance in the great struggle of life.
The candidate whom shall name repre-
sents all those qualifications. He has
had a great legal training, has served
with marked success in both branches OF
the state legislature, and in the execu
tive council. He is not graduate of
Harvard law school, but has had 40 years
of the most extensive and successful
legal practice of any man in western
Maine and his keen wit and silvery voice
have been heard in nearly I'll the courts
of Maine. In the full strength of virile
manhood, with profound knowledge Of
the law, not alone from theory, but from
vigorous practice, rounded out and well
filled; generous to a fault, yet firm and
dignifed, we'll poised and qualified to
fill any and all important positions, and
particularly to look after the various
interests of the second district. Gentle
men of the convention, / present the
name of the Honorable John P. Swasey
Of Canton. Verify, have the people
come to this convention from old Ok
ford's hills in large numbers to press
their claims, they have gathered around
their candidate like the clans of Scot
land"
Mr.. Swasey's nomination was seconded
by Hon. Jesse NJ. Libby Of Mechanic
Falls, who made a bright and taking
speech, and further seconded by Frank
Ingraham of Rockport in single SEN
tence, ''in behalf of two-thirds of the
Knox delegation"
The count of the ballot gave Swasey
PIP; Sewall 1873; Wing II. This was a
total of 352, one more than the number
of delegates entitled to seats in the con-
vention. The mistake arose from the
fact that the town Of Greene by a
blunder, though entitled to only two
delegates, chose three, and their Gre
dentials were accepted by the district
committee. Under those circumstances
it was decided that the vote should
stand.
| Mr.. Sewall, who was on the floor Of
the convention moved to make the
nomination unanimous, and the motion
/ ma. seconded in behalf Of Judpe Wing