Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-23
Editorial Comment.
The Republican Heir.
Bangor News.)

-NtWSl
As a var.cty show the display the
Maine Democrats are making in their
desire to secure one or two more cahu'-
dates for the United States Senate, anu
the desire of every individual candidate
to sidetrack. eliminate and utterly crush
all other aspirants for the place-in
broad sense the antics of the Name
Democrats are very funny, and provoca-
tive of broad laughter. What could be
funnier, for instance, than the spectacle
of Master Stetson of the Maine Grange
travelling over the state and holding
meetings at country schoolhouses for the
purpose of singing the sad wall of THE
Gypsy's Warning" whenever the name
of Hon. Charles +. Johnson of Water
vile is mentioned in connection with the
senatorship from Maine? Maine Demo-
Gratis have heard the acknowledgements
Iaydec, tr-ruSt heem not! so often and
so plaintively now that most of them
have the tale committed to memory. AT
best, it is a Democratic fight, in which
the minority party can take no part, and
whether the winner be Plaisted of Au-
gusta, or Gardner of Rockland, or Han
son of Calais, or Johnson, or Pattangall
of Watervile matters little to the Re-
publicans, as all are good and clean men
not so good as pure Republicans. Of
course, but very good, very good indeed
for Democrats, not one of whom is now
alive who ever had any experience in the
United States Senate.
There is deep concern felt among loyal
Republicans of Maine however, as to the
name of the man whom the minority par
ty will present for the Senate. 1t is not
only customary-it is practically i'm
peratlVe-for the minority party to pre-
sent some good name for every public
Office Of import at every election. Ii is
one of the solemn duties. which devolves
upon the party rs an organization. In
Maine it is not probable that there will
come q deadlock between johnson and
Gardner, so Il member of another party
may slip in and win the prize though
something of this kind happened in ILL.,
nois a year ago, when Lorimer of Chica-
go, caught cut both the Democrats
ana the Republicans ION fouls and
holds his seat today by a form of trick
cry.
Seriously. then who is the man the
Maine Republicans will name to lead the
forlorn hope before the Maine Legislature
in joint session in the dark and early
days of next January? Senator Hale
would be the obvious person-the one
name to come first to the mind of every
Republican. But Senator Hale withdrew
from the contest-withdrew on his
own initiative-withdrew months be-
fore any election had been held-with-
drew, presumably when he believed that
4 Republican majority would control
both branches of the Legislature: so to
put his name forward at this time, and
under present conditions, would be to
heap an insult upon the name that all
Maine has honored many times in the
past. and whom Maine delights to honor
today.
And barring Senator Hale, who is the
leading Republican in Maine today, who
from his own claims or from popular
favor, can he spoken of in connection
with the United States senatorship?
Does not Former Governor BurleigI. or
Former Governor Cobb stand closer to the
sentiment of Maine Republicans than any
other person who has been named ?
Though the Republican party can no
more than give a nomination neAt Janu-
ary-more's the pity!-the very naming
carries party weight and prestige with it.
and even these may count for much when
the summer of 1912 comes around and
once more Maine Republicans will as
sembie in State convention and name 4
candidate for Governor of Maine