The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-05-05
The Ramrodders.
A Novel of Maine Politics by Holman D

With the recent issue from the press
of Harper & Bros, New York, of 1.-THE
Ramrodders" Holman Day has to his
credit trio of novels depicting Maine
fife and character. We do not include
'"The Eagle Badge" boys story, but
none the less interesting to grown-ups,
or railroad story, which is the only one
of his books that has not come to our
desk. In esquire Phin'' he portrays the
humorous side of country life. liking
Spruce" is an epic of the logging woods
"a strong story, we'll sustained from
first to last, redolent of the spruc e
and fir, true to nature, and master
ly in its delineation of character. 1t
is. and deserves to be, a classic. In his
latest work, ''The Ramrodders, Mr.. Day
has drawn upon his intimate knowledge
of Maine politics., acquired as partici-
pant in campaigns, as newspaper man,
and through his extensive acquaintance
with politicians. The reader will natu-
rally in taking up the book endeavor to
identify the characters with those known
to have been active in politics in this
State; but as to this the Portland Press
quotes Mr.. Day as saying:
All my characters are purely imaginary
and are intended to be types rather than
portrayals Of persons in real life.
should like to have that understood, for
many people when they read the book
will naturally begin to try to pick out
whom have meant by this person and
that. For instance some might suppose
that Thornton, the aged politician, might
be picture Of Major Dickey of Fort
Kent but the character is not Major
Dickey at all. | have located him in the
atmosphere which surrounded the old
Aroostook legislator, but the man himself
is purely imaginary. Thornton is type
of the old school politician, personally
honest, but who played politics according
to the rules of the game as they saw it.
He is one of the old guard who ruled by
force and who would stop at almost moth
ing to win.
His grandson Harlan, l have intend
ed to represent the new school of public
men, the kind that has developed more
particularly since Roosevelt's time; who
are disciples of the square deal and who
believe that legislation should be in the
interests Of the people and that they
should have something to say about their
own business.
"Presson, the chairman of the State
committee, is another type of which
there are many in Maine, as there are in
every other State in the Union. He re-
allies that the time of the politician of
the Thornton school has gone by, and
while he is less scrupulous and more
practical, in the narrow sense of the
word, than young Thornton he realizes
that the ideas and principles he repre-
sents cannot be ignored.
'There is parson who tries to get
into politics, and who is not overscrupu-
lous as to his methods, and another
preacher who is the typical moral and
religious bigot, but they are all charac-
book, except as types.
'In drawing my men and women I
have taken characteristics which l have
observed in persons whom l have known
in public life and applied them to my i'm
aginary ones, but no living person has
been lifted bodily into the book or any
considerable part of one. -
While it is undoubtedly true that mo
living person has been lifted bodily into
the book, or any considerable part of
one" it is not difficult to identify some
of the personalities that go to make
up certain of the composite characters.
But we must give the author credit for
dong this very skilfully-so skilfully
that it is impossible to complete the iden-
LITIGATION of any one of his characters.
While political novel it does not lack
the element of love-making, without
which it would be devoid of interest to
many readers. 1t abounds in epigrams
and stories racy of the soil; reveals the
intrigues and wire pulling of the political
game; depicts the scenes and incidents of
the night before State convention, pic
lures the descent of the woman suffra-
gists on the legislature, and handles the
vexed question of prohibition without
gloves. AS to its literary quality it is
hardly necessary to say that it is of the
highest.
1t is now in order for Mr.. Day to give
us novel of the sea, one not without a
glimpse of the deep sea voyagers who
have carried the Stars and Stripes to
every quarter of the globe and achieved
a record for skilful seamanship second to
none, but devoted mainly to the coasting
trade ard the fishermen, already cele-
brated by this author in song and story.
We recall in his book of ballads, Cup in
Maine, +" 'The Cruise of the Nancy Pr
Ia special favorite with the present wri-
teri "Cap'n Nutter of the Puddentame, ="
and con the Old Coast Tub" as indicat-
ing that Mr.. Day has no lack of material
for the book we hope he will write and
which we have ventured to suggest.