Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-29

II
! be resented by the victim; and he ca
in the next breath, say something sol
and sweet in a way to take the ski
off or to raise a blister.
As we said at the beginning, MI
PattangaIl gave a remarkable ad
ldress. in more ways than one 1t wa
strong, smooth, diplomatic and con
lvincing-to those not in a position t.
know and understand his amazing an,
ladroit sophistries. Mr.. Pattangall is
Mr.. Newbert declared, 'the mos
feared man in Maine" We agree witt
Mr.. Newbert, and would add that We
honestly believe Mr.. Pattangall to be
the most dangerous man in Maine.
| Mr.. PattangalIs suave defense of his
personally conducted and controlled
Democratic administration is as dan
gerous to the average voting mans
| honest convictions as is his subtle
knitting of the Republican party and all
its candidates.
Mr.. Pattangall is too wise to utter
blunt and outrageous lies regarding
policies or political opponents. He is
far too clever to make such state
ments as are being made by Senator
Gardner and Congressman Gould. He
would seorn the platitudes of Plaisted
or the ranting of State Senator Han
son of Waldo or Cyrus Davis of print
ing fame.
Mr.. Pattangall would not insult the
intelligence of his. hearers by assum-
ing that they did not know better than
some of the statements made by Gard
ner and Gould He would not claim,
IL he had been in Congress a few
months, that he. had accomplished
more Than Governor Burleigh had in
IA years. He knows better, and he
knowsI that the people would prompt
ly set him down as a bare-faced liar,
as they have some of the other Demo-
cratic campaigners.
But Mr.. Pattangall is more danger
Gus than all these men of careless
speech. because so few of his hearers
are sufficiently well posted as to know
where to discount his plausible state
ments. He declared that Fred
Plaisted doesn't know how to dodge,
and I'm afraid he never will learn
1t is certain that if Governor Plaisted
has not learned under the skilful
tutelage of the past master of dodg-
ing, Mr.. Pattangall himself, the Gov
ernor is a dull pupil and hopeless
case.
Mr. Pattangall so deftly touched the
sore spots in the administration
anatomy as must have been very
soothing to the Democratic loyalists
present. He SO adroitly lodged the
things he could not handle and look
well doing it, that one must admire the
clever manipulation of the political
keys to bring forth appealing Demo-
cratic music.
Mr.. Pattangall handled State fl
nances with such persuasive plausible
ity ass almost to convince one who
knows better that the Pattangall-
Plaisted administration has paid all
the bills of recent years and that all
former State officials have been graft
ers and crooks enriehing themselves at
the expense of the taxpayers. He
says he does not know whether the
Waterville Sentinel printed too many
ballots or not-"and / don't care"
Mr.. Pattangall, however, did not
touch upon the overcharges for print
ing too many ballots, nor the book
keepers errors"
Mr.. Pattangall was forcefully de-
of the stealing" which he
claims Republican State official
carried on by using the States funds, /
but he made no reference to the thou
sands of dollars which his printing
plant fraudulently obtained from the
State and continues to use, in spite
bf publicity and protest
$ MIR. Pattangall says Gov. Fernald
and cduncil knew of the mishandling
OF the States funds and they did not
inform the public of it, as the pubic
had a right to know. But Mr.. Pat
tangall did not tell his hearers why
he did not inform them of Secretary
of state Davis illegal contract when
he of the keen legal mind must have
known. He did not tell the hundreds
in City Hall why he did not inform
them of "bookeepers errors" which are
robbing the State, or of inflated
printing bills which are putting thou
sands of dollars into the treasury OF
his firm. vet he must have known.
He did not tell them that this money
has not been returned to the state
and that the only satisfaction the tax
payers can get is the assurance frora
the auditor that 'the State has been