Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-21
The Election.
portland Press. }

portland Press.)
! According to the revised figures or
] the election there are more than 10000
/ voters in Maine who disapproVe OF
i'the policies of the Democratic party,
/ both State and national, and there
are not quite $4,000 voters who en-
/ dorse these policies. But the majority
! which should control the State divided
its strength, not because of any dis
agreement as to principle but because
/ of a disagreement as to the name
which should be applied to them. or
/ these IS, 600 voters II per cent. call
| themselves Republicans while the 9TH
ers choose to be known as Progress
sives. The candidate they placed up
on the ticket which was voted on
/ Monday, when they were not CRITICS.
! ing one another or appealing to those
| who think alike to act together in
supporting them at the polls, We're
devoting their energies to preaching
the same doctrine. In spirit both fac
lions of this majority party are pro-
gressive, both endorse good govern
ment, both subscribe to the funda-
mental prime pie of the protective tar
if. both revere the same men who
&
both factions have stood ready at any
time to support for the presidency the
same man did their leaders give them
an opportunity to do so.
Divided on Monday they turned the
affairs of Maine over to minority
party with whom they have nothing
in common. against whom they are
both arrayed and whose victory at
~. l,a
pity of the campaign which has just
ended in a reverse for what is really
the majority party in this State. The
Republican party in this election had
candidates who stood for the best
there is in government. The Progress
siVes likewise presented a ticket that
would have appealed strongly to an
united party. The State suffers be-
cause of this division which will con-
tinue until those who promote 1t
recognize the folly of their course and
make such concessions as are neces-
sary to harmonic and work together.
This may not be the time to talk
of harmony or amalgamation while
the leaders of both factions of this
ajority party are still smarting from
the stings OF defeat but nevertheless
it is the time to make plain the lesson
which is to be learned from the cam
paign which has just ended The
split in the Republican party was
oecasioned at Chicago because of a
quarrel over the party organization
and the methods pursued by that or
ganiZation, against the will and con-
trary to the Judgment of the rank and
file. That split has weakened the
strength of the majority party in this
country in two elections. In one the
control of the national government
was lost and because of it minority
party rules and enforces policies
which threaten the prosperity and
we'll being of the country. In this
last election the same thing happened,
only this time it was the State which
was turned over to the minority TO
rule. The II per cent. who choose 10
be called Republicans do not like this,
nor do the 2S per cent. who prefer to
be called ProgresSives. But the same
thing will happen again in other cleo
lions unless something is done to
heal the breach. One thing which all
Republicans can do, and should do,
and that is try to convince the % per
cent of the voters who sincerely en-
dorse certain principles in govern
ment that they likewise stand ready
10 promote these principles and incor-
porate them into law when they have
an opportunity to do so. Mere lip
service during the heat of a campaign
will not carry conviction. The testi-
mony must come from performance;
from the determination to hold the
PARTY organization high above the
reach of the grasping few and within
the control of the many; the nomina-
ton of such candidates for office as
have shown by their acts that they
are in sympathy with the spirit of
progress and who are known to be
quick to respond to the will of the
people. These things the rank and
file of the Republican party can bring
about and will bring about. When
the 23 per cent. of that party who vot-
| ed another ticket on election day are
convinced that these things have been
accomplished the greater number of
them will undoubtedly return, solidify
| the majority and turn defeat into
| victory.