Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-26
Let Us Face the Facts.


should be interested in its aspects and
its significance. That was big con-
'yention: it was an enthusiastic con-
eyention; it was a confident convention;
as whole it was fired by high pur-
pose: it brought indictments against
both old parties that cannot be ignored
or turned aside with pooh-poohs.
Let us face the facts.
In Maine today are three parties.
THAT alone is a so per cent menace to
good government in the prospect of
minority rule. But there are bigger
reefs in the sea of progress. The Re-
publican party, standing as the en-
bodiment of Americas marvellous de-
fxelopment in the last half century,
and in Maine as the proponent of pro-
hibitien, woman suffrage, child labor
laws and all human betterment re-
straints of unwholesome natural ten
denotes and unnatural human cussed-
mess, is confronted by the prospect of
having its construction overthrown.
Gentlemen may attempt to discount
the facts and allay their own fears;
they may sheer and explain; they may
scout the idea of danger and delude
themselves with practical deductions
from this and of that, but let us say
10 you in all sincerity, that Maine is
today facing grave crisis; that the
Republican party cannot deal with the
situation too carefully, too seriously
Or too promptly.
Astute and clever politicians are
logical and glib in their deductions;
they are worth listening to, while the
clear-sighted and far-seeing man is
doing his own thinking. No one man
tan see it all or understand it ALL The
editor CLEANS many facts, the political
leader vastly more, but the infiexible
laws of the infinite calculator remain
unchanged and must be taken into ac-
sount
John E. Warren of Westbrook, form
er State senator, the courageous veter-
an who stands unainchingly for that
he believes is right, regardless of per-
sonal punishment, sounded a warning
to the Progressive convention that ev-
cry thinking man in Maine should
heed. While jeering hundreds proved
to the disinterested onlooker that Pro-
gressiYes are animated by the same
human instincts which they so bitter
ly denounce in the "old parties" this
white-haired veteran told them that
in their arrogance they were discarding
the wheat with the tares; that in their
haste to paint their righteousness on
the sky, they were trampling under
foot the gold of Gods SERVICE that
while they were proclaiming their high
moral aspirations. they were over
throwing the constructive good of a
public servant without word of COM
mendation, seeing only the bad in their
former associates: that the outcome of
that very convocation, If as successful
as il promised, must result only in
the reinstatement of the openly con-
1Progressives and the high aims of Re-
-publicans as evidenced by the past
years work in our State.
than three score years of the revela-
4tions of the good and the bad in hu-
rnanity, had put his finger on the raw
sore. Under it the Progressive body
squirmed and shrunk away, then took
cowardIy refuge in shameful jeers and
cat calls, denunciation, rude jokes and
actual abuse That demonstration hurt
Let Progressives face it now as they
should have done in conventional
adignified manner, giving every mar
opportunity to be heard and then calm.
ly meeting his grievance or his logic.
But in that sorry incident, or tn,
even more striking one of the prohibi.
ton dodge" the Republican party o,
Maine today can suck little comfort
They are confronted by situation
and the remedy lies not in experiment
tation--it is in such plain, unequiyoca
setting forth Of principles and pledge