Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-16
7
ISomerset's Mixed Politics.

When Somerset Democracy set OUT
to down John Mooers and win sweet
revenge. for his defiance of THE
Team and his respect for law, they
mislaid some of the figures of the
combination of party loyalty and ODE
dienee Every day the splits in the
ranks are growing wider and the feel
ing in the law-and-ord crowd is be-
coming more bitter against the rum
and boss rule crowd. In Somerset
county, perhaps more keenly than in
conviction that Maine Democracy has
been crucified to crafty the personal
ambitions and greed of small ring
of politicians. prominent Bingham
Democrat was heard to say, on Satur-
day of last week, that if the party had
dumped the Pattangall- Davis Plais-
ted Gardner combination and had re-
fused to follow banner of rum. row.
dyism andAcontempt for law, it might
have retained the respect of the peo-
pie of Maine.
The rank and file of Somerset De-
mocracy hardly know where they are.
They are disappointed and resentful;
they are unable to decide who is most
to blame There are different views,
of course, and severe wrangles be-
tween members of the party, but the
real bitterness is between those who
believe in law and order and those
who blindly follow the man with high
boots, spurs and whip. Some think
the Waterville crowd is TO blame
and others that the Governor himself
is the author of Democratic woe. A
letter from Frank L. Ames. Esq, a
Norridgewock lawyer, to the editor of
the Kennebec Journal gives glimpse
at one phase of the present situation
and the friends of Sheriff Mooers are
gle:
Editor Kennebec Journal:
| When the Democratic county
eomittee of Somerset county met at
Madison, on September 80, there
| was an implied promise from Gov
crnor Plaisted to all hands con-
| cerned, that he would be bound by
| the choice of the county commit
| tee. The implied promise failed.
( The county committee and myself
| are given "a silly drop. The enclos-
| ed item explains why the congra-
| tulations which | have been re-
| ceiving from all quarters, were
| Spoken too SOON"
| NO BOSS OVER SOMERSET
| DEMOCRATS.
| Sheriff John A. Mooers has
made the claim all along. that the
| Waterville crowd dictated the pol
icies of the Democratic party in
Somerset; that claim cannot be
sustantiated. We now have proof
positive that no Waterville crowd
dictates in Somerset. This is
shown in the matter of the recent
appointment of judge of the
Western Somerset Municipal Court.
Governor Plaisted protested to
/ be uncertain which of the four
i candidates to appoint; with his
knowledge and assent and at his
request the Democratic county
committee of Somerset met at
Madison on September 80, to rec
ommend a candidate for this place
All the candidates supposed the
/ decision of the county committee
would be final, the actual appoint
/ ment being a matter of routine
: with the Governor The commit
tee heard all the candidates and
finally endorsed me by a unani-
nous vote.
The Governor must have expect
ed them to endorse someone else,
because he did not appoint me
Thus it is plain that Somerset
= Democrats-the county committee
anyway-are not ruled by any
down-river boss. But this is not
saying that the Governor is not
Whether the joke is on me or on
e the county committee, let the pub
ri lie decide.