Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-14
Ieok to the Men of the Ranks.

more frequent demanu lor uecus' NV
words; for men of dependence VINO
are unequivocal in their pledges 10
what the people demand. The Re-
publican diplomatist who keeps REF
heating you can catch more flies with
molasses than you can with vinegar,
goes on appealing to ProgressiVes
with honeyed words, always forgetting
that thev are not flies. and care not
rap for his molasses or his vinegar.
The rank and file Of both the Re-
publican and Progressive factions
want honest men for candidates; they
want facts, and they want deeds. They
stand for the same great principles
and they are not convinced that every
man who opposes their views, is a
scoundrel They want to go to the
pclls together, and to maintain the
around they have won for good gov
eminent side by side.
In other words, the rank and file are
about done with arbitrary leaders.
They have had enough and to spare
Of the arrogance and dictation of self
constituted bosses of either faction.
The fortunes of both factions are to be
taken in hand by the voters, and by
them conventions, platforms, ana
pledges are to be run and made ef-
fectiye.
If the Republican party exercises
its Judgment instead Of its resent
ment, in this hour of rebuff by Fro
gressive leaders. 1t will heed the voice
of the rank and file, and will make Its
vows and select its candidates with
an eve to the desires of the common
voters in the Progressive as well as
Republican ranks. The men of the
line of the Republican faction are as
progressive, as honest, as far-seeing.
and as determined to clean out the
rubbish, as is any man In the Progress
sive forces. But the days of the
"standpat" leader are in history. Ad-
vanced thought has left them maun-
dering on of the remedy for crises in
their hours of triumph. Principles
are the same. but methods must keep
up with world progress.
The Republican party has gone more
than half way to heal the breach. and
has been curtly rebuffed in a way
suggesting that they are unfit to as
sociate with Progressive leaders. We
believe that rebuff to have been
grave mistake. If Progressives are as
strong as they pretend, they could
have dominated the old party of rec
ord achievements which was offered
them on a platter. If they are not as
strong as they boast, then they can
not expect to add to their ranks by
gratuitous insult of Republicans. nor
can they do more than to defeat the
professed aims of both factions, and
reinstate the common enemy.
Hon. William e. Borah of Idaho. was
Progressive. and is Progressive,
but he always has been a Republican.
He sees. as does every intelligent and
unselfish man, the certain outcome OF
extreme stands by either faction. He
is doing his best to avert that sure
disaster of which We are now getting
only a foretaste. Senator Borah thinks
that those who saw disruption of
the Republican party in its failure
last November to carry more than
two states misread the signs. Ana
lying the wreck Thursday night at
the Lincoln Day dinner Of the Repub-
lican Club of New York, Mr.. Borah
characterized the process within the
party as evolution, not dissolution.
The subject of Senator Borahs ad-
dress was THE Republican Party
and at the outset he made 1t clear
that he spoke for those who think
this name an asset not to>-be surren-
dered, but one under which the voters
in a grim and conclusive way, have
shown that the organization of par
ty at all times must be the servant
not tiie TudSter- Inc lefTlD!e wreck
last fall, he said, proved that politi-
cal parties, regardless Of their tradi-
tions and past achievements, must be
kept and conducted on high plane
and held in touch with the demands
and needs of the hour"
The revival Of party strength ant
the resuscitation of party power tha,
Mr.. Borah professed to see in tn,
more recent election in Michigan
Maine, New Jersey, Maryland ant
other states, where he said third par
ty voters had returned to the Repub
lican ranks, were attributed not t,
organization or leadership. but TO tn,
fact that those who had dared +
tear down had dared to rebuild. ant
to do so upon broad lines and in har
mony with the true historic bent o
the organization; with past achieve
ments, and future obligations.
There is no mistakfng what a
this means. 1t means that the voter
Of the party are too independent
condone what they conceive to be
mistake or wrong. and too wise
abandon permanently the name. tn
traditions. the prestige and homo
that they and their forebear6 hay