Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-07

We very much fear that our erst-
while friend is not good sport
Phillips Brooks once said: "The Lord
smiles on a cheerful loser"
Friendly contests are interesting for
a while but, just as sure as there Is
acid In a lemon, some one has to be
loser If another wins. It is even so in
game of checkers or lawn tennis.
In the contest just closed, a surpris-
ing interest was manifested. The pro-
moters of the amusement connected
with the Journal were amazed at the
countrywide interest Of Kennebec
Journal READERS. State Of Maine peo-
pie everywhere. who have the Journal
to keep them in touch with Maine res
idents and affairs, entered into the
contest with the old home folks with
The most friendly spirit. 1t was the
only game they could play with the
friends in their former neighborhoods.
But, as result of this wide participa-
ton. there were something like 100
losers.
Now If that 100 had seen through
glasses colored by disappointment, as
our woolwich friend seems to have
done the end of friendly contests
would have been reached for this and
all other papers; because in the face
of such popular bias no friendly con-
test would be possible. Happily. hu-
mainly is not constituted that way, for
we are receiving many expressions
of approval and good will and urgings
to run some sort Of a contest during
the Winter months.
To talk seriously with our mistaken
friend, which Is her right and our
pleasure. we would say that in all the
years OF that have passed since the
present proprietors assumed control
of the affairs Of the Kennebec Jour-
nal in 1887, and in all the friendly con-
tests of those years, never has ques-
ton Of the fairness and impartiality
Of those connected with the paper
arisen. The publishers are proud of
this fact.
Again we would say to our former
reader that the awarding Of prizes
was not made by the Journal but by
a committee made up of men above
question as to integrity. keenness and
dominating sense of justice. Their
signed statement, after deciding the
winning contestants, regarding the
careful clerical work, should satisfy
our Woolwich friend that every en-
deavor was made to serve all alike.
Indeed. we hate to think that she in
tended to suggest such thing. but
the tenor Of Mrs. Gps letter seems to
be that the Kennebec Journal or the
distinguished judges of the contest
should have juggled the returns or
awards in such a manner as to retain
the best prizes within our State. When
she considers her letter in that light
We are sure that she will see how RI
dtculous Is the suggestion. Nor has
she the right to assume that the
prizes going out of the State did no,
go to State of Maine people For it is
fact that nearly all those people who
read the Kennebec Journal and live in
other states or countries, are former
residents of Maine or are deeply in
terested in Maine or some of her peo-
pie.
Inc addresses Of every one of those
winners in other states have been
published and repeated ANY party
interested to learn more fully about
them could easily do SO. So far as we
are concerned, no person in anyway
connected with engineering the con-
test or with the Kennebec Journal, has
any personal acquaintance with or
knowledge Of any one of the out-of-
state contestants. To our best know
ledge and belief the same is true of
the judges who awarded the prizes.
None can regret more than the
Journal itself the fact that State of
Maine contestants failed to produce
as many correct answers as did those
living in other parts of the country.
But every picture, good or bad. was
as fair for one as for another. Our
only explanation of the result lies in
the suggestion that the people of
Maine have taken part in so few con-
tests. while in many parts of the coun-
try similar contests are running all
the time-and very many people par
ticipate good naturally. ready to
clash wits with others and to accent
defeat with smile.
We are sorry that our friend has
allowed her judgment to be biased by
disappointment. but we shall endeavor
to struggle along without her SUBJ
scription until she has had time to