Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-11
Thursday. September II, 1918
10 CONGRESSMAN A. p. Gardner.


Prominent in the list Of campaigners
in the Third District contest was Con-
gresham. A.P. Gardner, of Massa-
chusetts, candidate for the Republican
nomination for Governor in that Com
monwealth.
Abandoning for the time-being his
own primary contest, he came to
Maine and did splendid and effective
service for Mr.. Peters. Like that gem
tleman, he is Republican of the Pro-
gressive type. and in commenting upon
Mondays election said:
Il attribute Mr. Peters success to
the fact that he came out ON a strong
liberal platform and announced that
he would stand with the men who are
trying to reconstruct the party"
There is little question that Mr.
Gardner win secure the Republican
nomination at the primaries. The
leading, factor in his contest thereafter
will probably be the attitude of the
Progressives, and for very much the
Same reasons that resulted in the cleo
ton of Mr.. Peters, it is extremely like
" that he will secure suffielent
strength from that party to ensure his
election.
Commenting at length on the Maine
election lesson and the similarity OF
problems in Maine and Massachusetts,
the Boston Transcript says editorialiy
under the caption "The Maine Elee-
tons Lesson
Massachusetts can i'll afford to ig-
more the lesson of yesterday S election
in Maine So plainly is the message
written that verify the voter who runs
may read. The Democrats went down
to defeat in the face of a divided OPP
position, but the Republicans owed
their victory largely to liberal lead
ership pledged to liberal policies. The
new congressman from Maine is as
far removed from the reaetionary Re-
publican as he is from the Revolution
airy Progressive. He has been elected
to Congress not only because he is
pledged to liberal policies there but
because he was possessed of a liberal
record in the State legislature. where
he served acceptably as speaker of the
house, In the State legislature he has
stood for wise and workable pro-
gremme of social legislation for the
effective control by the State of its
public service corporations. for work
mems compensa ton. for the rigid reg
ulation Of the conditions under which
women shall work, and for. the aboll-
ton of child labor. In the national
legislature he will stand for an honest
tariff embodying the protective prin-
eiple and subject at all times to scien-'
tific revision in accord with the rec
concentrations of a permanent. nom
partisan board of experts. Between
him ana his Progressive opponent ex
isted no fundamental difference upon
the tariff Both were unalterably OPP
posed to theory and practice of Demo-
cratic tariff making. as exempiified in
the new tariff bill which is expected to
pass the Senate by party vote late
TO-DAY. Between him ana his Progress
sive opponent on other questions the
etit 10" VI Fbt
pose than of method. The decisive
defeat of the Progressive candidate, to-
gether with the overwhelming ma
jority of the bureaucratic vote,
shows that on national issues the ma
jority of Names people are united,
and that on State issues they are rap
idiy seuniting. -
What Maine Republicans have ac-
complished in this special congressfon-
al election Massachusetts Republicans
ean duplicate in the coming State cam
paign if they will take to heart the
message from Maine and line them
selves up under liberal leadership and
go before the people with a liberal plat
form. Their opportunity to do n, thai
will come at the primaries on Sept
%. As Maine Republicans selected d
man of liberal record in State affairs
to lead them in their congressional
fight, so the Republics ms of this Com.
monwcaith have an opportunity to sc.
lect a man of liberal record in Con
tEress. to lead them in their fight fol-
governor Congressman Peters OF
Maine and Congressman Gardner OF
Massa chusetts belong to the same
StUbOs OI ItepuUHCdUlSHi. bOtff are du-
vGcates Of a partisan tariff COM
mission, both believe in the protective
principle honestly applied. both recog-
nize the duty of the State to turn its
attention to problems of social welfare
whose solution can at least be assist
ed By sound Legislation; both favor the
hberaiizins of party administration.
If the nomination OF Congressman
Gardner were ever in doubt, the result
In Maine should make it certain. Al
the risk Of his own success Mr.. Gard
ner has spent week campaigning
sf0r asufIgressnnan Peters. and in larg
f9s SENSE for the whole Republican par
stn. yHAehl hid much at stake in tina
.nieciions sF1e Is hardly to be believed
ti,as dhy Republicans Of Massachusetts
uilliiforfeit a fair opportunity of sue
cess IN the November election by fail
ing TO nominate the liberal candidat
for governor ON Sept. % With Gard
ner at the head of the ticket the Re
publican ms can look for the return o
mary men who left the party last yea
for the purpose Of registering their pro
test against conditions then prevailing
THE -omina ton of Gardner win spel
the reor2a MIA ton the revita LIKING