Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-26
Office Holding and Politics.

The organ of mud and mirth stern
ly rebukes the partisan activities Of a
Republican office holder who is max
ing an occasional speech upon the
stump in this campaign. AS the or
gan Of mud and mirth is the mouth
piece of the coterie of bosses who own
the Democratic party in Maine, this
rebuke may be considered as an Of
fetal, though somewhat indirect, re-
buke to the Democratic office holders
who are doing the same thing-and
doing it very much more strenuously
than the gentleman in question. The
rebuke. in fact, is probably delicate
reminder to Sheriff Plaisted and
County Attorney Beane that they must
not mingle in practical politics during
the next few weekSof course they
have not done so during the past few
weeks-but must stand before the peo-
pie as illustrations of the beauty of
divorcing office holding and politics.
To be sure, County Attorney Beane is
chairman Of the Democratic State
committee and Sheriff Plaisted holds
the proud position Of county boss of
his party, but in view of the indirect
warning from their party organ they
will no doubt resign those positions.
cease their active campaign work and
attend to the duties Of their offices.
Yes. no doubt!
Or perhaps the Democratic editor
in his rebuke had in mind the condi-
tons over in Androscoggin county
where. as in Kennebec, the people
few Democrats to office. There the
chairman of the Democratic county
committee is clerk of the Lewiston
board of overseers OF the poor, a posi-
ton that would require his constant
attention during the working hours Of |
the day. The old member Of the
Democratic State committee is Sheriff |
Hastings and the new member is
County Treasurer Millett The chair
man of the Democratic city committee
of Lewiston is tax collector of the
city. Possibly he can do both Jobs at |
once and not neglect his duties to the |
city. but somehow it is hard to be-
lieve 1t. Then there are the four
special liquor deputies who have de-
voted all their time for many months |
to Democratic campaign work at an |
expense to the people of $4,000 yearly. |
Perhaps these various Democratic Of |
during the time they are running the |
party machine of their county, but !
no announcement of any salary re-
nunciation on their part has yet been |
made. Perhaps they will feel that |
they must either resign their offices or |
cease political work when they real |
iZe that the rebuke of the organ Of |
mud and mirth to a Republican official |
was really meant for them. Perhaps |
they will.
How completely the little incident |
discloses the absolute hypocrisy of the |
Democratic leaders. They rant loud
ly and long about honesty and virtue
in public office when they are on the
outside trying to get Inland when
they get inside the chapter of the in
famous state Steal is written, the |
most unsavory episode in the history
of Maine politics! They are filled
with righteous Indignation at the
sight of Republican office holders ac-
lively engaging in the management of
party affairs-and then the public is
presented the spectacle now afforded
by the Democratic office holders in
kcnncbec and AndrOscOggin! Their
vrtuous attitude before election, their
pledges and promises. their prctense
of high ideals-how hollow and mean
inglcss!