Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-22
Teaching Tories" New Tricks.

Teaching Tories" New Tricks.
For a party that bases its reasons
for existence on its desire for honest
government and cleaner politics, the
Progressive party, through a few
leaders and organs, has shown the
world that it is wise to all the
sophistry, deceit and triekery ever
charged against the worst political
boss in American history. Indeed
nothing that the worst enemies of the
old party tories, the "old guard,
the .reactionaries." the .larceniers,
Big Business, Special Privilege,
.Spoils system" or the Limousine
Element" has ever said of them has
once equaled in Maine the practices,
in the first few months of existence, by
the Bull Moose organ and marked
few of the party agitators and pro-
meters. If the reliable and indie
pendent old Boston Transcript can be
believed, Bull Moose methods in that
state are as deplorable as they
proved in the Maine campaign just
passed. The Transcript says
For ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain" the Progressive poill-
clans are peculiar. They profess 10 pre-
fer Gardner to Benton as the Repuplical
onponent of Bird in the coming cam
paign on the ground that Gardner -
1.-THE weaker candidate" And then they
pretend to support MN by iauiicii,i,s
against his candidacy front-page at
tack dlIustratedl. In the course OF this
attack they hold Gardner fespohslble
for what they are pleased to regard as
the sins of Repubicanism through
long period of years. This attack they
conclude with a reteration that they
are supporting Gardner i'll the Repub-
liean primaries and hope ne VIII "la ~
order that the victory OF biie may pe
the easier. =.
. terest for registered Progressives or
Democrats. who are barred from the Re-
publican primaries 1t is evidently in
tended solely for Republican voters. AS
suming that any Republican is gong
TO Progressive headquarters Tor adV1ce
as to his candidate for the Repuphcan
nomination, how many Will be influenced
by today's attack on Gardner to support
him? More we venture TO believe, thah
the Progressive leaders expect, as many,
in fact, as are possessed OF wits enough
to penetrate this palpable hiuh- II the
Progfessives were as DESTROYS OF bilhs-
ing about the nomination OF Gardner as
they profess to be. would Trey NOT at
tack him outright as the most fofniuapie
candidate. or support him outright as tile
most progressive among Repubheaiis .
To urge Republicans to nominate MN
heeanse he is the weakest candidate
and then launch against his can
didaey a bitter attack. is to let the cat
out of the bag and add 10 ti1e saSets Vi
the general situation.
az course there are men with memories
long enough to include the events OF the
early part of 1912 who knew at the time
and are unkind enough to recall today
that this same Gardner was slated to
become the general manager or the
Presidential candidacy OF a gentleman
who no longer trains with the q. y. T.,
and that this same Gardner steered clear
of such an alliance after certain mem
cradle speech at Columbus with the
Fundamental features of which this same
Gardner had the common srftsc
agree and the courage to disagree
openly.
one week from yesterday will occur
the primaries for governor. Inc Hen,ie-
leans are engaged in an open, free-for-
all contest for the nom .Iiat.Jn. a. Ns :
complying with the letter and the spirit
of the direct nominations law. The
Democrats and the Progressives have no
contest for the head of the ticket; their
candidates for governor were selected
by their respective ORGANIZATIONS weeks
ago, and the rank and file of each party
or bolt their party.
whether there will be a fourth candi-
date in the field will depend upon the re-
b suit of the Republican primaries. III
Gardner is nominated the indications all
point to a three-cornered race, IN whlch
Gardner will command the solid support
OF reuniting Republican party ana Will
attract in addition thousands o. ln'.--
pendents and of Cleveland Democrats.
Gardner is looked upon by Republicans
as thoroughly sound upon Fundamentals
He is hailed by many former Repubn-
cans as liberal enough TO sympatni~.
with their own ideals. They welcome the
opportunity to return to the party under
his leadership. If Gardner is defeated
for the nomination the friends of Cover
nor Foss are prepared to launch MS can
didacy on an Independent ticket and the
race will then be between Foss and Bird.
with the chances strongly favorlng the
reelection of the governor
The reason for this is not far to find.
The row in the Democratic party has al
ready assumed large proportions. Racial
nately playing havoc with Democratic
harmony Many Democrats will prefer
TO support Foss because they believe
that he stands better chance than
Walsh AS between Foss and Bird thous-
ands of Republicans will prefer the gov
ernor 10 the Progressive candidate, be
cause of the national significance which
would attach to a Progressive victory.
Under the circumstances the belief that
Gardner will be nominated is not strange.
Ut Is founded upon the assumption that
the Republican voters of Massachusetts
prefer fair chance of victory in Novem-
her TO certain defeat The Democratic
and the Bull Moose machines know well
enough that the way to defeat the Re
publican ticket in November is to defeat
Gardner next Tuesday, and they are
working industriously to that end.
: ------s-ss~-~---