Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-04

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reason why certain public service cor
porations hope that the utilities bill
will be defeated by the people on Sept
Ia is the provision contafne din that
bill forbidding any increase in rates
from Jan. l, 1918 until the bill takes
effect.
Standing of Democrats
There is nothing in the criticisms
that Democrats offer, or in the record
of that party while in power, to war
rant giving them serious consideration
in this campaign. They are on the
wrong side of the question in every
important issue and great majority
of the voters of Maine desire to pre-
vent their return to power. The only
hope of the Democratic party now is
that sufficient Progressive vote will
be thrown to enable them to elect a
Democratic congressman In the Second
District and possibly Democratic
Governor.
The Real Question
THE only real question Is, What is
the duty of the Progressive voter in
this campaign Ought he to stick to
his separate party candidates and so
possibly elect Democrat or is it his
duty to unite for this campaign at any
rate with the Republican party in the
support of those candidates on that
ticket to stand for good government
and progressive principles. L take 1t
that we ought to be able to discuss
| this question fairly and without CALI
ing one another names. have no SYM
pathy with the sort Of political argu-
ment that expresses itself in referring
to Progressives as sore heads" and
| "cranks,' or on the other hand to Re-
/ publicans as "torys" and "reacttonar-
les nor am impressed by the argu-
| ment that the Progressive who votes
for Gov Haines in 1914 for the same
reason that induced him to vote for
Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, namely.
the desire to promote good government
becomes by so doing a "turncoat" or
gutter"
Il believe that the average Progress
sive wants to do what is for the best
interests for the people of Maine in
the existing conditions.
A Fact to Recognize
First let us recognize the fact that
whether rightly or not large ma
jority of the men who voted for Theo
dore Roosevelt in 1912 have decided
to support Gov. Haines this year
Whether any Progressive wishes this
otherwise or not is of no consequence
1t is never wise to deceive ourselves
as to existing facts. 1t follows then
that vote for the Progressive can
didate for governor or for a Progress
sive candidate fer congressman can
only help elect a Democrat. Now this
argument in itself is not conclusive.
am ready to stand in a minority or
even to stand alone If am sure Of
being right, but every Progressive In
this campaign ought to ask himself
whether there is any principle at
stake of sufficient importance to war
rant his risking the election of Demo-
cratic candidates for the sake of main
tanning his allegiance to his own party.
An examination of the platform Of
the Progressive and Republican par
ties of Maine diseloses the fact that
there is no essential difference in prin-
ciple. The Republican party offers in
its platform all the essential princi-
Piles for which the Progressive party
stands.
rs there then any compelling advan-
tage in the personality of the Progress
sive candidates for Governor and for
congressman in the second district q
take these two because these are the
two instances where the Democrats
have the most hope of winning) that
should induce a Progressive to main
tain his allegiance to his own party
candidate even at the risk Of elect
| ing a Democrat.
Considering Candidates
In considering the candidates for
! Governor let us bear in mind that the
| one quality we need in the present
emergency is the rugged bravery that
enables a man to stand for what he
believes to be right regardless of any
personal interest or any outside in
fuence whatever. This quality Gov.
Haines has demonstrated that he pos
sesses and l submit to you in all fair
ness that Mr.. Gardeners record in the
Legislature shows his inferiority 20
Gov Haines in this particular. You
will recall that at a speech made in
the city of Bath in answer to certain
questions about his legislative rec
ord Mr.. Gardner in moment of I'M
guarded frankness states that his rea-
son for voting against certain progress |
sive measures then before the Legis |
lature was that he was inexperienced |
and voted in accordance with the die
tates of the party leaders. An examin- !
alton of his record as published in |
his own letter to the Kennebec Jour |
nal shows that his most independent |
action was during his first two terms
and that it was during the last two
terms of his service that he voted as
he says in accordance with the die
tates of the party leaders.
The Stand Of Sewall
While Mr.. Gardner was voting
against these measures in the Legisla-
ture Harold M. Sewall was fighting
for these very measures and showing
the great quality Of independence and
unselfish devotion to the public good
which he has shown in. every position
of responsibility during his public life.
He is now candidate for the Repub-
lican party for Congress in the second
| district and before voting for Mr..
Wheeler, the Progressive candidate. at
the risk of electing Mr.. McGillicuddy
praoroaefyo uafyar IN the second