The Republican journal., 1912-04-18
A RINGING SPEECH
The Address of Warren c. Philbrook ch,;r.
man of the Republican State Convention
in Bangor, April 10th.

The Republican party of Maine meats
today in State convention under two nm :.
usual circumstances. For the first time
in all it's history it is not accorded the
privilege at such gathering as this of
naming its standard bearer in the an
preaching campaign, and for the first
time in all its history it finds not only the
chair of the Chief Executive but also
that of the presiding officer in both
branches of the Legislature occupied bv
representatives of an opposing party.
While we are thus prevented from per-
forming a pleasant duty, and one always
attended with much interest and enthu.
siasm, yet we are still charged with i'm
portant tasks and the true spirit of mill
tant Republicanism will arouse interest
and enthusiasm at all times and in all
places. Because we are charged with
important duties which will require much
time and careful consideration you will
not be long detained by remarks from
your temporary chairman and, because
those duties are important, spirit of
harmony and sole attention to essentials
are to be earnestly invoked.
| The first circumstance just alluded
to arlsesnfrom the primary election law
which is intended to give all voters an
opportunity to express their preferences
as to the nominees of their respective
parties. To what extent the opportunity
will be embraced remains to be seen.
One thing seems to be certain. There is
either lack of information or lack of in
terest in our cities and larger towns re-
garding enrolment as a qualification
for the June primaries. Not only must
you be registered voter, under regis
tration laws in effect before the passage
of the primary election law, but if you
live in a city or town of two thousand or
more inhabitants you must also be en-
rolled as member of some political
party if you desire to vote in the June
primaries. Many of us were enrolled
under the provisions of Chapter PA of
the public laws of 1908, and it is the
general opinion that such enrolment is
sufficient for the purposes of the new
law, but no one should assume such en-
rollment to exist in regard to himself
He should give personal attention to it.
There is also provision in the new pri-
mary election law for enrolment on
primary election day before a ballot
clerk, but the better course is to enroll
before the day of the primary election.
Believing thai large Republican vote
at the primary election on the seven
teenth day of next June will be the most
convincing evidence to prove the inten-
ton of that party to win at the Septem-
Der election is the only excuse for calling
attention to this matter at this time and
place. The second circumstance just
alluded to- namely, the ascendancy Of our
political opponents to power, is especially
important from party standpoint. 1t
would not become any individual to at
tempt to give all the reasons for party
ills or to prescribe specific cure for those
ills. The calm, deliberate, broad minded
judgment of the majority of those whose
experience and observation are entitled
to consideration and weight should be
the standard by which we are to govern
our future conduct. For every result
there must be cause. If the results
are unsatisfactory, then causes must be
investigated. Above all things let US
not deceive ourselves by believing that
any institution or political party can live
alone upon it's history. The great men
of the past did their work, and did it
well. We must have great men in the
present. Nor does it follow that the
conditions of yesterday are necessarily
acceptable to the people Of today. Your
boy will not wear a stand up dickey collar
and black stock simply because his
grandfather did, and all the admonitions
and arguments at your command will
not change his mind or make the ancient
dress attractive to him. The young men
of Maine, through whose veins the red
blood rushes swiftly and strongly, are
even now holding the balance of political
power in this State. Shall the Republi-
can party draw that rising army around
its standard or shall our political OPP
ponents win their fealty. This conven-
ton, and future conventions, and the
plans and policies which we formulate
/ and adopt from time to time, will supply
the answer. Social, business and econom-
ic factors enter into the public life Of to-
day which must be reckoned with before
the problems of today can be satisfactor-
lily solved. The Republican party must
be alert to consider those new factors if
it would be influential for the future.
Still waters soon become stagnant and
so will man who is simply stand pat
ter and nothing more. Rational pro-
gression is with US and has come to stay
Safe anchorage should not be deserted
in the face of an impending storm, but
the mariner who always waits for the
soft signing of a summer breeze will be
slow to reach his final port. Some shrink
from conflicts and the clash of arms, but
real advantage is seldom obtained with
out some effort The coming campaign
should be hailed by the Republican party,
both in State and Nation, with delight
commensurate with the struggle re-
quisite to victory. Today we shall Sc
lect committees for State, district and
county. Let US do so wisely. We shall
announce our policies by party platform.
Let US do so fearlessly. We shall choose
delegates for the great council of the
party to be held in Chicago. Whether
those delegates be favorable to that
magnetic American commoner, Theodore
Roosevelt, or to our present gre at Chief
Magistrate, William Fl. Taft, let US
choose them enthusiastically and when
this convention adjourns let it be known
that it has been good for US, and for our
party, that we have met and talked and
worked together.
Time forbids any extended review of
past achievements by either party. In
the State during the LAST Is months pub
lie measures have been framed and pub
lie policies have been formulated by those
who have claimed the right to criticize
our management Of public affairs in for
mer years. We may have made mis-
takes, and, we probably did, for we are
human, and as such, liable to err. But
while we may have incurred some
dahtc in erectino necessary nuhlic hnild-