Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-05

l
} Gel express) were referred to a com
uittee with instructions to report t
| Congress at the earliest possible date
parcels post provisions were incorpor
ated, and the conference report wa
| agreed to by the Senate, on Angus
%, and by the House, on August "a
Those were exciting times. But where
| was Obadiah?
SO much by way of preface to this
| documents which have excited our ad-
miration. One of them is entitled:
Gardner Wins Fight. The Demo
cratic Congress Supports the Farmers
Demands and Forces the Senate to Ac-
cept Them"
The other is entitled:
"The Farmers Great Parcel Post
Victory. Obadiah Gardner the Hero Of
ftlnlfffrl fbt66ffis Secretary Farmers Ma
tional committee on Postal Reform and
of the Postal Express Federation"
His present headquarters are at 271
Water street, Augusta, Me. Mr..
Hampton's office is to instruct the
farmers of Maine as to whom they
should support for United States SEN
ator. He has this to say of MIR. Gard
ner's speech:
"He delivered his great speech in
the Senate-the greatest speech on the
Parcel Post ever delivered in the SEN
ate-and made his last appeal to the
farmers of the country and then turn
ed homeward to face the issue of the
election"
The statement that Mr. Gardeners
speech was the greatest speech on
the parcel post ever delivered in this
Senate is important, if true. Per-
ish the thought that the following
statement made by Mr.. Gardner him
self in the Introductory part of that
speech in any way accounts for it.
Said Mr.. Gardner:
Senators may not know that in the
40 years this subject has been before
the country no discussion of it has
ever taken place on this floor"
So that, competing with all the
speeches which We're not made for the
last forty years, Mr.. Gardeners speech
was the greatest. He is likewise the
hero Of the fight and as the fight
took place while he was stumping in
Maine, he also makes good as long
distance fighter.
But we are straying from Mr.. Gard
account of it's greatness, deserves
some analysis.
We should like to think that as Mr..
Gardner arose to deliver this great
speech an expectant hush fell over the
august assembly. newspapers Were
folded and put away, and pins were
heard dropping all over the chamber.
But alas the Congressional Record
Drutally destroys these fond illusions.
We quote:
"Mr. GARDNER: Mr.. President, my
excuse for imposing upon the time of
the Senate is because ! am obliged to
leave the city, tomorrow, and J will
be detained for some little time. (Oh!
Mr.. Gardner!) Consequently, felt IT
my duty to address myself, this morn
ing, to the subject ! wish to bring to
the attention of the Senate. | think
senator's will bear me out in the state
ment that ! have not used very much
of the time during the present SEES
sion.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore:
viii the Senator suspend for a mo-
ment? The Chair appeals to senators
not to indulge in audible conversation.
The Senator from Maine will pro-
ceed."
Mr.. Gardner's speech is loaded with
statistics and tables. That these
were the product of paste pot and
scissors is not at all to Mr.. Gardner S
discredit-rindeed, their value is per-
haps vastly enhanced by that very
fact. Mr. Gardner in his speech very
honestly credits them to Representa-
tive Lewis, in these words:
For the general analysis of the
controlling conceptions of the subject,
as we'll as the statistical and academ
ical data which l submit, l wish now
to give credit to his study without
further reference in the course of my
remarks"
And thus the great speech flowed on
| II it seemed to bear the ear marks oil
| the weeks of discussion which had
| preceded it in the House, that, again
is net at all to Mr.. Gardeners dis
credit. 1t is the old, familiar tunes
the annie Lauries" and the "Ho
Time in the Old Towns that evel
| awake the most responsive chord il
| the American breast.
That the Senate was spellbount