Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-05
Palmyra Again.

Editor Kennebec Journal:
have been reading in your issue of
Aug. %, a letter written by Allison p.
Howes of this town in which, think,
he has misrepresented the strength of
the Progressives here. He gives a list
of names of men who were elected, the
day MIR. Gardner was here, to serve on
a committee, and also states that there
are several more Progressives in town.
Nov / may be mistaken in my es-
innate, but | have served on the Re-
publican committee for several years. I
know pretty well who the Progressives
have been in the past and have can
vassed the town to some extent this
summer and 1 should say that there
were not 20 men in town who could be
counted on to vote that way.
l notice that Mr.. Howes, in speaking
of their strength in this town. reverts
to the same trick as do the Progress
sives all over the State. He gives the
Roosevelt vote of 1912 ignoring the
election of 1918 when only is votes
were counted for Lawrence
Palmyra stood for Roosevelt in 1912
as she probably would today. But these
men voted for Roosevelt thinking that
of the three candidates. he would make
the best president. Many of them
We're Republicans who had no inten-
tions of leaving the party and when
at the next election. the roll was
called they We're in their old places
ready to answer
On the evening of Monday last, l at
tended a rally here and spoke with one
man whose name is on that Progress
I I4a 81
and one man other whom he named
were not at the meeting when that
! committee was elected and that their
namse were used without their kno--l-
edge or consent. He was one of those
men who voted for Roosevelt and has
since been identified with the Progress
/ slve party but. this year, he says, he
will vote a Republican ticket am
conhdent that there are other names
on that committee whose owners did
not give their consent to having them
used.
90 not Wish to unduly criticize Mr.
HoWes. | think every man has a right
TO ms own opinion, and that he may
consistently change his mind if. at any
time, he sees what he considers good
reasons for so doing. But as | never
nave been able to learn that he has
given any reason for taking the stem
he has l can not understand WHY he
mas LETT the Republican party and is
now working to defeat the Reelection
or Governor Haines, for whom no
worked so enthusiastically two wears
ago Mr.. Howes has represented tho
Republicans of this town. in the Loo
1slature, both as representative and
senator. In sending him there we 20.
publicans, felt that we were SELECTING
young man who was clean and hon
orable and that he could worl, to hot
Ter advantage than one who had NOT
mad his educational advantages Mr.
Haines also recognized his ability 70
Gently, by appointing him to renr.s mt
the farmers of this vicinity at a no
tlonal convention to be held at Gort
worth, Texas, during the coming DOT
Inc republicans of PALMYRA have
been loyal to Mr.. Howes in tho no.
ana would nave been in the future had
ne renamed with US, but, as we can
learn OF no just cause for his 6eser
tlon, we can but decide that il &c for
the reason that so many of the SOCIAL
ed Progressives of Maine have tal,a,
the Same step. Because thew have
wanted some office that the Ren,hli-
cans could not or would not give
MY opinion Is that man who can ho
prevailed on to renounce his merit,
Tor any personal reason is not MI
OF the stuff Of which leaders should
be made.
Yours truly,
s. B. MILLETT,
Chairman Republican Town Com.
Palmyra, Sept. 2, 1914.