Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-23
wonder in the following parallel;
AS Patti Saw Gardner.


When Mr.. Gardner desired that the
neonle of Maine know of his intention to
seek his second gubernatorial nomina-
tion. he used the Kennebec Journal as
the medium best suited. In that issue We
find him quoted as follows;
II certainly am not a qnitter and eN-
pect to be a candidate for nomination Tor
governor before the next Democratic
convention. | have understood that ! am
not considered desirable candidate by
certain members OF my parry III IN ti9
Kennebec valley, but ! am not the KIND
of man that retires under fire, nor do l
propose to be thrown out OF my party by
the scruff of the neck by men who nave
been formerly Republicans
And, shortly afterwards, Mr. Pattan-
gall, in the February II, 1910 issue OF
'tThe Maine Democrat wrote the fol-
lowing:
SO long as Mr. Gardner held his peace,
1t was the part of all loyal Democrats,
even though opposed to his denomination,
to mold theirs for family duarrels should
be conducted behind closed doors, not on
the sidewalk. But when candidate IN
sists upon washing the dirty linen Of the
party in public and in the wash tub 50
strongly impregnated with the Republi-
can soap as the Kennebec journal the
and the wash hung out to dry where
everyone can see it. No one opposes Mr..
Gardeners denomination from personal
reasons. He is not an issue IN Maine
politics. His candidacy Is not the para
mount matter in the minds of the people
of Maine. The opposition to his candi-
dacy springs from just one fact, namely,
that his course before the Maine Legis-
lature and since, in reporting to the
Grange the work of the legislative COM
mttee, has been such as to positively
preclude any possibility of his election
and Democracy is neither making guber-
time, for fun, or bestowing them on any
body as a compliment. If Mr.. Gardner
had stayed away from Augusta last WIN
ter or, going there, SO conducted himself
as to bear out the reputation for integ-
rity and ability which he possessed in
1905 he would, without doubt, have been
the next governor of Maine. In pursu-
ing the course which he did he was either
prompted by dishonesty or inability to
cope successfully with a governmental
problem. We do not believe him to have
been dishonest. But inefficiency is only
less fault in n public servant than dis
honesty and to aequit him of dishonesty
is to convict him of inefficiency. This,
not because he opposed the passage of a
certain law. Men may honestly and in
diligently differ as to the merits of that
law. But because in seeking to find a
substitute for that law and to amend it
he failed utterly to grasp the problem
which he was trying To solve ana was
betrayed finally into throwing his infu-
ence in directions which gave the lie to g
decade of public professions. ConsiS-
tency does not wholly consist of always
having voted portions of our party ticket
Men may change parties and adhere TO
the same political principles, for parties
change front frequently as issues change.
True consistency consists in adherence
to one set of principles, abandoning them
only when convinced of their fallacy and
then promptly and openly admitting the
conviction. To pose for years as ~ adj
vocate of certain things, and then, while
still protesting to claim to a belief in
them, to join in opposing their being
brought about is not course which men
may pursue and still retain public conf
dence.
The Republican Press. leaders and par
ty are unanimous in desiring Mr.. Gard
ner's denomination. Why? Because from
the time the campaign opens to the hour
of the closing of the polls, they can
keep him on the defensive. If he is nomi-
mated, the campaign will be one of ex-
PLANTATION and, judging by reports of the
Grange legislative committee, of ex-
plantations which do not explain Per-
haps Mr.. Gardner looks forward to such
a campaign with pleasure. Some Demo-
Gratis do not. Some former Republicans
do not If the party desires such cam
paign it can have IT.. The way to get il
is plain. 1t can end in nothing but dis
aster, 1t would not be defeat. 1t