Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-03

Esaszszg II 5FEa siss7ss- 1922 * NJ - - B
splendid natural qualifications OF the
Democratic caH1lidate for mayor, and
s3fea fstasive peWer OF his: personal
ity l am, Notwithstanding, either fool
ish enough or ventufes0me enough to
challenge few of the conclusions to
he drawn from stated facts. knowing
that n regiment Is sometimes stronger
than division. company more for
midable than regiment and man
in the ranks like myself the match for
a leader when armed with facts and
logic. the equivalents of rights and
truth.
That there may be no suggestion Of
personality and that the issue may be
clearly seen and fully appreciated let
me say here publicly. as | ever have
privately. that one of the cleanest.
courtliest, kindest and most efficient
men | have met is Fred W. Plaisted
For year ] ct.aie into personal con-
tact with him and his administration
and he and his associates and the
heads of his departments will get
from me here Just what they get i'm
private, respect and esteem.
have no patent royal to those quail
ties. they possess no monopoly which,
will forbid Republican from sup
porting RepuDlicanism, and opposing
Democracy. -r !
That is the issue. the real vital last
| analysis issue OF this campaign. Par
tisan politics you cry, SO be it. Why
deny what you know to be the truth !?
A great man has said that France
before the Revolution was 'despot-.
ism tempered with epigrams," we are
| living in republic tempered with
| catch phrases and the shabbiest and
| most threadbare of the lot is nom
craftsmanship in municipal affairs.
There never was, there never can
be such thing in government
where political parties are necessary.
| where the ward committee contains
the germ of the national organization.
So lest any misinformed Republican
under the guise of non partisanship,
or any well-informed Republican I'M
der the excuse of nOn-partisanship be
led to accept. Democracy, face and
state the issue. -., f. 81
| The issue for you to determine is:
"Shall the city of Augusta pass into
| the political control of +. w. Plais-
ted and his Democratic associates. in
order to build for him a formidable
| machine for September next"
! No thinking man is there who does
| not know that one week from Monday
| is sounded the first note of the fall
| campaign.
But in each municipal contest there
are and must be certain local issues,
individual and peculiar to the partic-
ular election then pending. Some
times these are emphasized to the OBJ
securing of the main question. the basic
issue forgotten, the incidental chafes
and controls decision of the main prop
| osition.
TIC face these and successfully wage
battle or retreat is the task of parties.
To face these the Republicans of Au-
gusta cheerfully respond and to the
Sharp stacato charge of excessive
taxes, accept the issue. We ask why !:
| Why are taxes high? If it is a matter
of party responsibility let that party
stand or fall that fails to convince.
| Judge Maher then took up the mat
ter Of the purchase of. the. Leonard
farm for cemetery purposes showing
that it was needed by the cemetery
| condition at the time with only one
tier of lots left in the Ben Venue strip
bought five years ago. The price was
a fair one. The farm included a house
and barn and $50 acres and was as
| sessed by a board, two out of the three
| of whom were Democrats at $4,000,
while the price paid was $500. The
farm also contained running water
with which Mt. Pleasant was never
adequately supplied and repairs upon
the house have been made so that it
will rent for $24O a year.
aside from the business wisdom of
| the proposition, where were the voices
and the votes of the three Democratic
aldermen, all candidates for re-elec-
ton, and one chairman of the commit
tee on burying grounds. when the
question was decided" asked the
speaker.
He next took up the matter of the
stone crusher. which he said he was
informed was bought at cost of $1,000
and used 20 days under Mayor Plaisted.
AS to it's being needed he pointed out
that the city's nine miles Of splendid
road were not automatically repairing.
Where could it be better placed than
on that same Leonard farm. where
there are stone walls enough available
to macadamize every west side street
except Sand hill? The order to- pur-
chase the stone crusher passed the
board of aldermen. May IT,. 1909. every
man present. Where were the Demo-
cratic chieftains. Aldermen Williamson,
Cote and Skehan. that they did not
raise their voices in: opposition?
The gentleman. who eloquently and
forcibly presented Mr.. Plaisted in
nomination at the Democratic conven-
ton must have been amazed to hear
his chief criticise this purchase, for he
was Democratic alderman from Ward
l and member Of the Kennebec Con-
struction Co. who sold the .crusher.
Then was the time to act by your votes
when the stone crusher order was
passed, Democratic aldermen. Now
you can hardly criticise.
A paper entirely friendly to Mr..
Plalsted quotes him with having stated
that when he went out of office in 1909
ne left $35,4OO in cash to the Republi-
cans. splendid accomplishment,