Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-02

"oih was Iildt OF great crusader
bent upon arousing and crystalzing
public sentiment and making his party
the true exponent OF that sentiment
He finished his work. He succeeded
most magnificently. And having sue
ceeded he realized, with the foresight
that always characterized him, that
the contamination of the work he had
so nobly begun required the patient
palnstaklng labor of great, we'll
trained, judicial mind. He looked
about for d successor, and no president
in recent years has had greater infu-
enco in the choice of his successor. He
knew his man thoroughly. 1t was no
idle EXPERIMENT. And for these men,
none Of whom appealed to him as fitted
for tile work, to seek personal gain now
by invideous cpm parisons of this sort
is credible neither to them nor to him
whom they profess to admire beyond
all others. They convict him either of
;tlack of ability to understand his man
or Of a selfish desire to enhance the
glory of his administration by COM
parison with its successor. | cannot
subscribe to either conclusion.
In the last analysis. those who are
now willing to destroy the party's use
fulncSS in Congress and to procure it's
defeat at the, polls while still mas
uucra'linc under its colors are entitled
only to 50 much credit as the sincerity
and unscltishEess of their acts warrant
Their sword would not be of deep i'll
terest to US in Maine if they were not
to bC used against us in the campaign
hOrn 'Hhav chOlll6 hp oi only Sllch
weight as the words and opinions of
any person seeking Office by opposing
the Republican administration would
command. The majority always has
and always must determine the party
policy, and the opinions of him who
cannot subscribe to it's determinations
are entitled to no more credit if he
claims to be acting within the party
than if he were professedly outside.
Yon will not find the Democracy
fighting under the colors of any record
Of it's own. 1t has none that it would
not rather forget. In this State it has
ceased barking back to 1882 for COM
parsons of State expenditures. AT last
they see the futility of denying that a
score and more of years has shown a
wonderful development of the State
and it's policies, even though they had
no part in it politically. Now they seek
capital by contrasting the disburse-
ments of the present administration
with those of the last as a standard.
And they do well in their choice of a
standard. They could have chosen
more inspired by greater wisdom and
ability and courage and fidelity to du-
fal trihl1f o
in their choice of it for purpose of
comparison, and We accept their test,
as the voters Of the State did in con-
tinuing the party in power when they
selected as Gov. Cobbs successor our
present excellent chief magistrate.
Let us examine briefly the record of
the present administration. which we
are about to present to the pubic Tor
its endorsement. Our opponents pre-
sent the charges. as they have right
to do. 1t is our privilege as well as
our duty to meet them as presented.
We are told that the total expendi-
lures have been largely increased by
the present administration. Their" Is
truth in this. I have no disposition to
undertake to color the facts. 1t is my
desire and the publics right that they
be presented exactly as they are. The
only question is whether this increase
has been legitimate and for the public
good. If the monies of the state have
been honestly and wisely disbursed.
the public has had the benefit of them
and will not complain. IT they have
been corruptiy handled or handled for
the benefit of individuals or privileged
classes, the administration should and
will be condemned.
7 would like to see published COM
narrative statement of the itemized dis
h,,rsentents covering long period of
years so that every voter could see at
a glance Just where the increases have
come. This is no idle statement. be-
cause the State Treasurers PUBIC re-
ports are accessible to every CITIZEN
and every citizen is at liberty to make
such comparisons If he will am not
talking of what cannot be Nefllieo'
And this verifica ton. although teafeus
to make, would be- complete retuta'
tion of all charges against the RepuD-
,ican marty, present and past. because
n, would. demonstrate that the increases
from, wear to year have arisen solely
from a SuCcPSEl V|NSSA~So PN''Ns
taxing classes of wealth not previously
reached. compelling them to share III
tho nublic burdens and distributing
their contributions among the towns
and cities of the State. either directly
in tho support of public institutions
and the discharge of public obligations
s,cb as schools, roads and the ike
or indirectly in the support of charlta-
HE and benevolent institutions. the
furthering of agricultural interests ana
kindred enterprises.
The increased expenditures by the
State. have not ben made possible oy
an. increas Sc in. the rate of direct taxa
tion upon the wealth of the citizens
That rate. on the contrary, has I'M
derspne. a substantial decrease. since
the. Democratic party, was last III
newer in. the State. The. ability OF
the state to distribute more among the
people has come about solely through
the development of a system OF IN
direct taxation that has brought to the
state treasury constantly increasing
Sums of money, which have been paie
hack to the people for benefits tha'
the whole public wanted and Whicf
they must otherwise have done with
I,out or paid for by further assessint