Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-29
Editorial Comment
AN AFFAIR OF HONOR.
cortland Pressl

4
basis of a division of the spoils. 1t
would not take many votes TO do this.
1t is openly advocated by the Bull
Moose organ, the Lewiston Journal
Such a plot would involve not only
trade on the Speakership the fixing
up of the committees accordingly, and
the parcelling out of the offices, but a
trade on the senatorship as We'll Be
fore it is carried out, however, those
Icontemplations it should heed the in
| junction to stop, look and listen" 1t
behooves them to be careful whittier
they are heading. Let them be as
sured that they cannot enter into such
4 transaction without a sacrifice of
honor. If they become held up as
objects of eNecration for faithlessness
! it will be their own fault. They are
under certain obligations implied and
expressed, and they cannot break
these without Jishonor. They were not
elected TO make a trade with the Dem
oerats, but to do certain things and
carry out certain policies. 1t would
be nothing less than base in them
to betray the trust.
Let us rehearse few facts. which
cannot be repeated too often or held
in mind too firmly. The Republican
party of Maine held a State conven
ton, some months ago. The party
was not then divided as it has since
become, although then divided be
tween the partisans of President Taft
and Col. Roosevelt. As it turned out,
the Roosevelt supporters were the
more numerous They controlled the
convention. organized it and chose
Roosevelt delegates to the National
convention. That was all right. No
body found fault with it, but all bow
ed to the principle of majority rule. A
platform was adopted, enuneiating
definite policies. There was no divi-
sion over the platform, and it was
accepted as binding upon all who took
part and upon the party in whose
name it was framed by its represen-
tatives. In those days also the first
State primaries We're held under the
new law for the direct nomination OF
State and county officers and mem
pers of Congress and for the advisory
nomination of candidates for United
States senator. Mr.. Burleigh carried
the Republican primaries and received
a very large plurality of the votes for
United States senator After the Re
publican National convention and the
split at Chicago, the Progressive party
was organized in Maine, but with the
distinct understanding and provision
that it was not to take effect until
after the State election, but the two
divisions were to stand united as
against the Democratic party in the
endeavor to redeem the State from
the rule of that party and for the pur-
pose of carrying out the principles de-
clared at the Bangor convention. All
this was done according to the pro-
gram, and what has happened since
has nothing to do with it.
| Now if the policies of that platform
are to be realized, it follows that those
! who were elected upon that platform, no
matter what their views on national af-
fairs must stand by the platform. They
make a clear majority of the House, and
it is for them TO organize the House. IL
| they play into the hands of the Demo-
| Gratis and allow them to organize the
1 House and help them elect a Speaker, it
will be destructive of the desired poll
| cies aside from the baseness of the &C
| ton. The Speaker selects the commit
| tees and it is the committees who first
consider proposed legislation and who
have very much to do with shaping and
directing legislation. Committees named
by Democratic Speaker would of course
not be over friendly to important meas
ures advocated by the Republican-Pro-
gressive platform. Such measures would
have little chance with committees NAM
ed by Democratic Speaker. The prop
osition is TOO plain to require much ar
gument We hold it to be a self-evident
5 truth that every man elected to that
Legislature upon the Bangor platform is
morally bound 10 stand by that platform
and do all he can to give it effect, and
that any other course is dishonorable.
An effort has been made to create
prejudice against Hon. John a. Peters
of Ellsworth a leading candidate for
Speaker, on no ground whatever except
that he remained loyal to his party and
supported President Taft, and that is no
ground at all. There is no more reason
to oppose Mr.. Peters for this than there
would be to oppose Hon. Carl Milliken
of Aroostook for President of the Sen
ate because he supported Col Roosevelt.
j would be mere prejudice and the mark
of a narrow and little mind. Mr.. Peters
has not been obtrusive or obnoxious in
the assertion of his political faith. He
has simply exercised the rights of an
American citizen. There is no question
of his qualifications and fitness. He is
a man of ability. He has served in the
Legislature with distinction and has pro-
NOTED progressive measures. He became
candidate for the Speakership before
the party split had taken definite and
pronounced shape, and received many
pledges of support BY the Lewiston
nurser of spleen his name has been
coupled with the names of its black
beasts of politics in the nation with
whom he never, had any more connection
than with the war in Turkey. 1t is any
thing, no matter how unjust unreason-
able and far-fetched to work up preju-
dice, Shall Mr.. Peters be turned down
in favor of a Democrat and the Bangor
platform wrecked to crafty a petty
spite? Shall the platform be betrayed?
Mr.. Burleigh carried the senatorial pri-
maries. The primaries were full, free
and open, and there was never the slight
est question of the fairness of his VIC
tory. The platform pledged support of
the nominees and llntil of late there had