Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-04-21

nomination of a temporary secretary,
and John R. Trask of Mexico, secretary
of the county committee, was nominated
and elected.
Before introducing the temporary
chairman of the convention, Mr.. Blanch-
ard spoke for few minutes, saying In
part: We have met to perform SOL
emn duty in selecting our standard bear
ers. In our party are many good men.
1t Is incumbent upon us to pick out
good, clean men, our best. Some have
been been mentioned as possible candi-
dates for nomination. II is your privi-
lege-for this is q Progressive conven-
tion-,o vote for candidates who have
not been mentioned if you so desire.
The thinking man now looks over the
list Of nominees before he decides how
to vote, and the party whip counts for
little. We also need our strongest men
because the old parties have the news
papers, while we have only one. The
System generally gets the papers sooner
or later, and we may wake up some
morning to find that We have lost our
one. He paid his respects to the Repub-
lican organization, asking, "Do you
think the Republican platform recently
adopted represents their real thought?
1t doesn't more than it has in previous
years." and reviewed the history Of
the convention of 1912 and the action of
the State Committee in sending F. Mar
ion Simpson to Chicago to represent
Maine. References to Roosevelt, to
Gardner, candidate for governor. and
Wheeler, candidate for congress, were
greeted with applause. Mr.. Blanchard
then introduced as temporary chairman
Of the convention Alton c. Wheeler of
South Paris.
After saying that he was not prepared
to make political speech, as he was
merely substitute for q better man
who was not able to be present, Mr..
Wheeler said in part:
As listened to the remarks of the
chairman Of the county committee,
said to myself that new era has arriv.
cd, because that is along the line of
good citizenship, which is good politics,
and good politics is nothing more nor
less than good citizenship put into &C.
ton.
What's the reason for the existence of
the Progressive party? II you read the
Bangor papers, you may read that 1t is
made up of disgruntlsd politicians
that there are no Progressives in Ban
gor. Yet we had an idea that Progress.
sives had considerable to do with elect.
ing the present mayor of Bangor-and
We discovered on the occasion OF our re-
cent convention that Bangor was far be-
yond the reach of the vision Of William
Tecumseh Haines. We still believe that
the prohibitory law was made to be en-
forced in sixteen counties. The plain
evidence shows that the governor has
not enforced the law In all the counties.
1t was the common understanding
that the Sheriff of Pepobscot County had
to place his undated resignation In the
hands of the governor when he received
his appointment. II that Is the case,
why did he stay 10 Office twenty-four
hours after the Progressive convention
had met, and the fact was published to
the world that liquor was being sold in
Bangor on the old open planp
There's one reason for the existence OF
the Progressive party. Another IL the
necessity for the recall, which even labor
| organizations have found 1t necessary to
apply to their officers. An officer or q
member Of committee is not chosen to
carry out his own Individual ideas, but
those of his constituents, and when he
fails to do that, he should be answerable
to bis constituents.
Again, they say the Republican party
have cleaned house, and they are now
the only real progressive party. Do you
L L la kkok no Int
who lives in Augusta, the governor of
Maine, or the chairman of the Republic
can State Committee are really progress
sive? The votes of Senator Burleigh on
the Alaskan railroad matter have always
been contrary to the Roosevelt policy OF
conservation for the benefit of the peo-
pie, and In favor of private interests.
| II Republican legislature has passed
progressive legislation, let's give them
credit for it, but let's also take account
Of the things they didn't do. Two i'm
portant pieces Of progressive legislation
before the last legislature were the
workmen's compensation act and the
fifty four-hou bill. The ffty.four-houl
bill was safely slowed away In the waste
basket, and the workmen's compensa
ton act, not being approved in room q
at the Augusta House, was turned down
These two things are In the Republican
platform this year. Do they mean 1t, OF
would they turn them down as they did
before?
In the Republican platform there is g
prohibition plank, In which perhaps
sixty-five per cent of the delegates be
Iieved. The other thirty.fve per cent
II not q larger fraction-do not believe
in 1t. Enough Republicans voted witt
the Democrats in the legislature Of 1911
to pass the resubmfssion resolve.
Mr.. Wheeler gave an entertaining de
scription Of the debate when the resub
mission resolve passed the house, ant
said, I'm from the last town In Missouri
and you've got to show me that there
aren't as many Republicans ready t
slide off the platform as there were be
fore.
The Republicans say they have purget
the temple since the ill-odored conven
ton Of 1912, and that southern represent
alton Is to be reduced. Chairman
Hilles says We don't want to reduce !
too fast, let's take of just little
, What's the use to clean tho kitchen Ant
leave the front ball dirtyp
, In the Augusta convention they ha'
I an unprecedented reform"-men wer,
actually allowed to get together and tall
over the platform. That reform, so fa
as II goes, was copied from the Progress
sive convention at Bangor, where th
l platform was adopted In open forum.
The reception OF the Roosevelt resolu
I ton at Augusta was significant. II th
rank and file of the Republican party 81
, progressive, let no one cherish the illr
sion that tho leaders Of the party arc.
Mr.. Wheeler closed with reference
5 the tariff % not an Issue, but . thin
q which should be business proposition
b and In regard to which the position
Q the Progressives favoring non-partisal
, scientific commission was the oorre'
ono.