Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-21
The Retirement of Cong. Kinds.

Rich in the respect of his fellow
men and expectancy of years, Hon.
Arsher c. Kinds announces his retire.
ment from public life at the end of his
present term of service for the First
Congressional district of Maine. He
will not be a candidate in the coming
campaign. His reason is as frank and
unequivocal as ever has been his posi-
ton on questions at issue. He feels
that his physical condition is unequal
TO the strain of another campaign.
Mr.. Kinds has held the respect of
political opponents by his unwavering
honesty of purpose. He has never
pretended to be that which he was
not, nor has he refrained from voicing
his honest convictions for fear OF
turning away possible supporters.
Men of all parties in Maine admire
his splendid mental equipment and
are justly proud of him as national
figure representing our State.
We regret. with all others not ac-
tuated by selfish motives, the loss of
the services in Congress of men of
Asher Kinds ability, courage and
character. His retiremnt at the
height of his mental strength is a dis
tinct loss to the First district, to
Maine and to the nation.
The Portland Evening Express and
Advertiser gives a succinct sketch of
Mr.. Kinds public career, as follows:
Asher C. Kinds has passed half of
his life thus far, in the National Capt.
tai. He went to Washington %
years ago with the late Hon. Thomas
B. Reed and was clerk to the speaker
two years. He became parliamentary
clerk until 1911. His experiences dur
ing the Is years that he filled this
position, established his reputation,
not only in this country. but in foreign
lands as well, wherever parliamentary
problems have perplexed politicians
and statesmen. Mr.. Kinds has aver
aged at least one letter a day for
several years, from far and near, each
containing one or more questions and
asking for his Interpretation of GER
tain peculiar disputes.
The House became Democratic in
1911. but in the meantime, Mr.. Kinds
had been elected as a member of Con-
gress from the First Maine District as
successor to Hon. Amos L. Allen of
Alfred, who died few days before his
term expired. Mr.. Allen had declined
TO run in 1910 and Mr.. Kinds was
nominated in the Republican First
District convention after a spirited
contest in which three other candi-
dates made a canvass for delegates.
Mr.. Kinds was reelected in 1912 but
i'll health had Handicapped him con-
siderably in that campaign. He has
been able TO attend to his duties in
Washington, but his application to the
hard work which devolved upon him
as parliamentary clerk and later as
member of Congress broke down his
rugged constitution. His recovery
has been but partial and his re-
luctance to undergo the exacting re-
quirements of another campaign leads
to his retirement from political af-
fairs which his friends trust is only
temporary.
No more faithful and painstaking
public official has brought honor to
this city of Portland and to the Re-
publican party than Mr.. Kinds. He
has been industrious from boyhood, in
his early school days, in Colby College
and as a newspaper man in this city
before going to Washington, first as
clerk and later as a member of the
House.
Precedents had existed in the con-
troll of the House through the medium
of the presiding officer many years
before Mr.. Kinds WIS engaged as a
clerk in that wing of the Capitol.
There was book of rules. always
substantially the same but with occa-
sional amendments, handed down for
scores of years. Speakers often car
ried these in their heads Or debate was
held to decide disputed questions. Mr..
Kinds found that even memory was at