Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-13

congress III I0b "a hdiTe DlStIiCts
as busy and as busting as the little
busy, busting, buzzing humble bee.
Representatives of the Old Guard in
Democratic and Republican parties
alike have seen the s. o. s. call en-
blazoned across the political skies;
picked men have been looking to the
life lines; preliminary meetings and
consultations have been held; innum-
cradle letters have been written;
communications of all shapes and sizes
and from every angle of vision have
been published in the public press;
telephone and Geographic communi-
cations have Kept the wires warm;
mysterious whisperings. ghost-like
lamentations, enthusiastic and wild
jesticulations have been INDUCED in;
and last but not least of all, ones,
the immortal Jones who was not born
to die, he of freight bill fame, Jones
who always pays the freight. has been
pushed to the front. And all to what
purpose? Why, to pull off a bigger
convention in Portland and Augusta
than was held by the volunteers of
the Progressive party in Bangor on
the Gath day of March last. Now this
is not theory. This is not idle fancy.
This is no dream.
Less than two years ago five men
met in Augusta and issued a call for
the organization of the party in this
CITY, And now the two old parties are
straining every nerve and pulling ev-
cry string to hold conventions that
will in some degree measure up in
numbers and enthusiasm to the con-
ventions of the Progressive party. In
the language of the street, this is go
ing some.
When political party less than two
years old can become the envy and
the rival of two old parties, one of
which has the federal patronage to
bestow and the other the State pat
ronage to bestow, it is going some.
The Progressive party dead! The
wish is father of the thought. Our old
friends arel ike the boy who whistles
to keep up his courage when he is out
after dark. The Progressive party is
alive and very much alive, and l wish
to give some Of the reasons for it's
constantly growing good health later.
The Democratic convention held in
the city of Portland on the 10th day
of April needs no consideration at our
hands. Our Democratic friends have
troubles enough of their own 1t is
perhaps sufficient to say that it was
harmony convention. 1t will go
down in history as the great hand
shaking convention. No prince or po-
tentate ever ruled with a more mas
terly or iron hand than did the mas
ter mind of the Maine Democracy in
the recent Democratic State conven-
ton in Portland. When we stop to
review the events of that convention
and the one-man power TO which it
responded, we are reminded of a verse
from the Yarn of the Nancy Bell
the product of the pen of Sir William
Gilbert:
"oh, 1 am a cook and a captain bold,
And the mate of the Nancy brig,
And bo-sun tight, and midshipmite,
And the crew Of the captains gig.
A few weeks later our Republican
brethren gathered in convention in
this hall. 1t was not a harmony con-
vention. 1t was a harmonious conven-
ton. 1t was a harmonious convention
even before it left home. 1t gathered
10 do the bidding, not of one man, but
if as many as three and possibly 10
men, and it did it. 1t was a big con-
vention, a good old-fashioned conven-
ton in which each man played his
part according TO schedule time and in
which there was no trespassing on
the grass plots. 1t was beautiful
exhibition Of executive skill Not a
voice was raised from the body OF
the convention except to make thu
stereotyped motions which had beer
planned the night before. Two some
what rebeliious gentlemen who at
tempted to act from the DOR were re
minded that delegates We're 10 be seer
and not heard. 1t was a well man.