Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-14
The cubernationaI Canvass.

lOElultc VI Tic ktcpuUACdAS VI MduAc,
to be strong in men well fitted
for the duties of important public
Office, and men moreover who
enjoy the confidence and esteem of
their fellow citizens. 1t is to be ex-
pected where several such men are
competing for the same Office that
there should be more or less diff
voters of the party. 1t is better so.
Under such circumstances the In
dividual voter makes himself felt with
greater force In the convention, with
the result that the candidate ulti-
mately selected is the one, whom the
majority of the rank and file Of the
party desire. When a convention has
done it's work, and selected it's candi-
date nothing remains but for every
true Republican, whoever may have
been his first choice to line up behind
the choice of the convention and give
him an earnest, honest and hearty
support The rule of a Republican
form Of Government is the rule of
majorities, and any man who enters
into political contest, and submits
his cause to the decision of the
majority of his party in the primaries,
or to a majority of his fellow citizens
at the polls, is in duty bound
to accept manfully and with
good grace the result of their
verdict. If he is unwilling to face the
situation in this broad spirit he has
no moral right to enter a contest for
popular preferment.
Three men are now in the field for
the Republican gubernatorial nomina-
ton, and as the time for the conven-
ton draws near the indications are
that there will be no others, although
every citizen of our State who desires
to compete for this high honor has an
absolute right to put his cause before
the people.
All of the three gentlemen now
prominently mentioned for this honor
are men of high character and I'M
questioned ability. Any one of them
would make the party a good candi-
date. There are good things to be
said of all of them, and no one will
hurt the feelings of the Journal by
saying them. Any one of them who
secures the nomina ton in the conven-
ton, may be assured of our consistent,
and hearty support in the important
campaign which is to be waged in
September-a campaign which will
involve not merely the local interests
of, our State, but also the broader
national issues that lie at the basis of
the country's progress and prosperity.
This we conceive to be true Repub-
licanism-a willingness to place party
principles above questions of personal
preferment, and to join cordially in
securing their supremacy at the polls.
The three gentlemen now in the field
for the Republican nomination are
Hon. William T. Haines of Waterville,
Hon. Bert E. Fernald of Poland, and
Col +. f. Boothby of Portland. All are
good men. All have been honorably
identified with the business and politi-
cal life of our State. Any one of them
would make a good Governor. There
are good things to be said for all of
them, and we trust that nothing else
may be said of any of them, in Repub-
lican circles. Let the contest be
waged upon it's merits, in a fair APP
peal to the people without prejudice.
and without bitterness. Let the party
be left in position to give the man
successful in the convention a hearty
and united support. 1t is not The
purpose of the Journal to admit to its
columns one word that will make it
difficult for 1t TO support heartily and
effectively the man whom Republican
voters of Maine, shall select for their
Standard bearer in the approaching
campaign. In that important contest
it expects to see the Republicans of
this State lined up in solid front
against the common enemy, and giving
their candidates a united and
enthusiastic support.
No one OF the men now in the field
for the gubernatorial nomination needs
any introduction to the people OF
Maine.
All three of these candidates are ma
tives of Maine and all are gentlemen
of attractive personality. Mr.. Haines
was graduated from the Maine State
college, now the University of Maine
in 1876 with the first honors of his
class. He was graduated in 1875 from
the Albany Law School, and was adj
initted to the bar in the same year