Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-02
Editorial Comment
Vote for Edwin C. Burleish.
(Bangor News.l

| IIltIt Stt1lS TO He every itSlSdl va
son why every Republican member of
the incoming Maine Legislature should
cast his vote for Edwin c. Burleigh of
Augusta as the preferred candidate for
United States senator from Maine to
be seated on March next
Naturally, if a legislator be a dyed
in the wool Democrat, and voted the
straight Democratic ticket in the pri-
maries, last June he can be expected
to vote for Obadiah Gardner of Rock
land for United States senator from
Maine soon after the Maine Legisla
ture assemblies in Augusta in January,
1913.
Regarding the Bull Moosers." Pro-
sressives" or Third Termers,' ii is
practically certain that all or great
ma iority of these men who have been
elected to the Forthcoming session of
the Maine Legislature We're Republi-
cans year ago now. AS the Progress
siVen party of Maine Was not born un~
til about six mopths ago. the conclu-
sion is inevitable that the entire men,
bership of the next Maine Legislature
must be either Democratic or Republi-
can; and If these men We're loyal citi-
zens of Maine, they voted either the
Democratic or the Republican ticket
at the June primaries.
Moreover, the man who cast a Re-
publican vote in the June primaries.
was of u certainty a Republican,
straight out Republican, who was in
honor bound to accept the party's
choice and abide by the decision of
the Republican primaries in Maine
That lawful primary vote taken, last
June. selected Edwin c. Burleigh of
Augusta us the Republican nominee
for the United States Senate to be vot-
ed for by the Republican members of
the next Legislature, The interpreted
tion of the vote was accepted as a. le-
gal and binding fact by both Hon. Her
bert NJ. Heath of Augusta and Hon.
Frederick Powers of Houlton. both Of
whom wrote congratulatory letters to
Mr.. Burleieh.
Now if the incomping Maine Legis-
lature has a clean Republican major
ity ON joint ballot, it would seem to
follow that Mr.. Burlegh must be elect
ed to the United States Senate. next
January. Mr.. Gardner. never having
claimed himself to be a Republican,
can lay no moral or legal claim to the
favor of one Republican member of the
Maine Legislature, either in the Maine
Senate or in the Maine House
1t was for this very purpose that the
direct primary law was enacted in
Maine-the law which La Toilette.
Roosevelt and Cummings have praised
SO highly, and contended for so long.
The early Australian ballot law.
which Maine enacted something like 20
years ago, was a great Improvement
over the former Maine laws, which
regulated the holding of elections in
Maine Again Names initiative and
referendum act further strengthened
and simplified The regulations for vot-
ing. The direct primary law of Maine
WIS the latest addition to Names le-
gal system of casting, counting and
declaring the ballots.
How any honorable citizen who vot-
ed for Mr.. Burleigh las Republican
candidate for the United States SEN
ate, last June, having now been chos-
en- to tho Maine Legislature, can recon-
ellie himself with his own conscience by
voting Tor Obadiah Gardner as a Dem
ocrat-conduct of this sort seems to
transcend ali known processes of hui
man reasoning. If Mr.. Gardner We're
an honorable gentleman, which most
of us believe him to be. he would not
consent To receive support from aliens
from his party. Conduct of this kind
smacks Of collision, if not of direct
giaft.
Few men in any political party are
as RICHLY upright as Woodrow Will
son of New Jersey, the Democratic
President-elect. When DR.. Wilson was
confronted with situation such as is
presented to Mr.. Gardner, today, this
scrupulously clean college man openly
reproached Colonel Harvey of Har-
per's. Weekly for performing the very
act, which Senator Gardner seems TO
permit and to rely upon for his re-
election to the United States Senate.
The man who enters a party caucus
or party primary and refuses to-
abide by majority rule, is an alien and
an outc&st from our modern democra-
cy