Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-26

was unable to give the desired infor-
| nation This doubtless he regretted
even more than did the inquirer, for
| it would be worth while to know 3l.t
1 what the editor who made the most
| talk about the tax rebate in the last
| two campaigns thinks OF the fact that
the leader of the Democratic party In
the House should introduce and stand
sponsor for the bill which he has colt
sumed so much ink in denouncing. Mr..
| Montgomery might have escaped the
denunciation which Is being poured
| upon his devoted head. by declaring
that his introduction of the bill had no
Significance, that he was simply act
| ing thus because he had been reques--
ed to do SO. Many legislators do in
troduce measures, which they do not
personally approve, upon request. But
Mr.. Montgomery of Camden is not the
kind of man to sneak He believes in
the proposition He is not afraid to
say So And he is bigger man than Gil
his detractors in bunch. If they do
not find this out before the rumpus IL
ended we miss our guess.
| Whv should there be so much fuss
about so small matter? We think we
can answer the question. For the SAKE
of having an issue, and trying TO maze
it appear that the Republicans had
done something wrong, this matter 81
| a tax rebate was taken up by the DEM
ocrats They thought they could dc-
ceive the people, and cause discomfort
among the Republican followers, tnus
adding to their own vote Perndps
they accomplished something along
that line We think that some persons
who did not go very carefully into the
merits of the question did believe tnat
the rebate was wrong, and that the Re-
publcans were wrong in granting 1t,
and believing felt it their duty to re-
buke their party. The Democrats nope
to make a reputation for consistency
If they ever do have such a reputation
if is still to be made. Having taken
this position they feel the Importance
of maintaining the bluff to the bitter
end. The hollowness Of their preten-
sions is exhibited by the fearless DEM
ocrat from Camden, who is consistent
whatever wabbling his party may GO
Mr.. Montgomery believes in the prln-
ciplc of tax rebate for the purpose 81
building up new enterprises. In MS
home town. where he has long been the
leader, his party has carried out that
principle to the extreme. new in
dustry is sure of being favored II 1t
locates in Camden. Even the man VINO
builds fine cottage may be sure mat
for term of years, at least ms TAX
rate will not be burdensome MT.
Montgomery says he is in the poslt1on
of the old school physician who wrote
a book on bleeding. The practice went
out of vogue in the profession. but MS
patients were as rellglouSly bled as
thew had ever been. Some one asked
him once why he did not keep up to
date. in line with the advance in the
science, and give up bleeding too, and
he replied. Il can't do that. | have
written a book"
But Mr.. Montgomery is not alone.
Mr. Pattangall has written book Mr..
Gardiner has written book. All the
Democratic spell binders have written
books, and they can't go back on the
theories upon which they are authorl-
ties any more than Mr.. Montgomery
can. SO they think they will frighten
Mr.. Montgomery to give up his theory
by a system Of church mauling. But
it won't work.
1t is common sense in politics to be
sincere If the Democratic leaders IN
Maine had been content that the voters
of this State should divide upon the
issues which naturally divide men. Ma
tional or State questions in which
there is an honest division of opinion
and in which the line of cleavage NAT
urallv follows those of the two polltl-
cal parties, they would not be IN TINS
mess When the tax rebate Dill was
passed before it had the cordial sup
port of some of the best Democrats IN
the State One of them is now MEM
Der of the State Senate, namely Sena-
tor Osgood of Androscoggin. 1t WAS
not and did not pretend to be party
measure 1t never was a partisan
question, and did not become such even
with the partially successful effort or
the Democrats to inject it into the past
two campaigns as such. 1t is not
partisan question now 1t is ques-
ton of good judgment as to the proper
and best expenditure OF certain por-
ton of the States revenue. The open
ing I'D on an empire 20 years ago
nroyes to have been wise and bene-
fetal happening to the State of Maine.
It is not clear that there is any good
ground for the proposed rebate on the
old road. The stock and bonds OF that
road rule high in the market. The
proposition is on a good basis, is sound
and able to bear it's proportional part Of
the burdens of the State. The pro-
pOsed road into the wilderness is an
other matter. There is difference of
opinion upon that. There are sound
arguments for it. But it is not
political question, has no business in
politics. and we are glad that Mr.
Montgomery has the good judgment to
recognize the fact.