Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-10

BIG Guns of the Party,


trip of auto party of candidates
around the county, says:
Mr.. Decker had two big guns" in
his touring party besides the many
would-be big guns" These were
Former Governor Edwin c. Burleigh of
Augusta and Hon. William T. Haines,
candidate for the Republican nominal
ton for Governor. When it comes to
campaigning the youngsters can learn
something of Governor Burieigh. If
there is any man in this State who
knows better how to meet people and
get next to them when he does meet
them he must be a dandy If he can
/ teach Governor Burleigh anything
about this subject 1t must be re-
membered that Governor .Burleigh is
! 6S years old but you only know this
| because he tells You SO. On this trip
with the Decker party he was the most
active man in the party. Six feet and
more in height, ever ready with a
/ laugh, d story and a pleasant word
! full of fun as a boy and with twice
the energy and enthusiasm OF most
men half his age Governor Burleigh
/ proved a great surprise to those who
met him, this week, and who made the
! trip with him on this swing through
the country.
| He is a remarkable campaigner. He
has a wide acquaintance and mem
DRY which is so good that he calls by
| name the men he meets and hasn't
seen for years and knows all about
them, their families, interests and af-
fairs. This is what makes Gov. Bur
/ ioI Ill hi 10
| the Office he seeks He does not in
dulge in speechmaking. but while the
other fellow is talking Gov. Burleigh
i is making friends in his own way.
| TO illustrate some of his campaign
methods. not with unfairness 10 him.
but as an indication of how politics
used to be played by some of the old
| timers who knew more about politics
than the younger generations have
| learned, few little stories may be of
/ interest
| Near the border line OF Casco and Ma
pies, where the Crooked river is spanned
| by a bridge, Gov. Burleighs automobile
was held up by punctured tire. While
! the chauffeur was repairing it Gov. Bur
| leigh and his party aiighted from the
machine and walked about by the river
! bank and roadside. In a little old farm
! house near the river lives Benjamin
| Jones. d veteran of the Civil War an6
| himself man of so years or more II
| there is anything about this farm which
| Mr.. Jones prides himself upon it is an
! old elm tree, over 100 years old, he says
| it is. which stands by the roadside. This
| tree is really worth seeing and when
Gov. Burlegh alighted from his car he
spotted it right away. Walking down
to its base, Gov Burleigh was looking
the tree over when Mr.. Jones came out
of his house. ~ beautiful tree. sir,
said Gov. Burlegh. Mr. Jones allowed
that 1t was and told some stories about
it. He was nightly we'll pleased to
| think that Gov Burleigh had singled out
this pride of his farm and when the gov
ernor walked away asked someone who
the tall man was. When he learned il
was Gov. Burleigh, Mr.. Jones was de-
lighted and, hunting the governor up, he
engaged him III conversation again and
they chatted away about things in gen.
| eraI until the ear was ready to proceed
Right between ourselves it's pretty
| safe bet that Mr.. Jones goes to the pri-
| maries and votes for Burlelgh. and that
| he takes some of his sons and relatives
along with him. although Gov. Burleigh
| never mentioned politics all the time he
was on the Jones place.
At Harrison, Gov. Burleigh got a fine
reception and here again he showed the
youngsters how to do things and how to
| do them right. y man in Gov. Burleigh'
car told him that the governor ought to
stop and speak to "A man on the out
skirts of Harrison who is a powerful
| factor in the Grange. The car was turn
ed about, the man WAS found to be in
the house and Gov Burleigh started tC
get out of the automobile. Don't bother
to set out said man to the former
governor. This man will come right
down here to see YOU in minute But
the governor got out of the car Just the
same,
There is an illustration of the way
Gov. Burleigh meets people," said Judge
Philbrook. You and | would have al
lowed that man to come out here to meet
us. lie gets out of his automobile and
goes out to meet the man. Our way
would be ineffective. Gov Burleigh 5
way conveys to the man he seeks to
meet the right impression. that of a dem
oeratic spirit and the payment of de-
cided compliment"