The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-03-19
THE REPUBLICAN STATE CONVEN-
TON.

TIE call for the State convention of the Re-
publican party in City Hall. Augusta, Thurs
day pril 9th, is an invitation for all electors
Of Maine who opposed to free trade and
other Democratic policies, who believe in the
liberal and progressive Republican platform of
1872 who are prepared to join in drafting
platform liberal in principle and fully respon-
sive to the requirements of present political
conditions, and who will accept such platform
solemn and binding contract with the peo-
pie Of milne, to select and prepare what is, in
effect, constitution to govern the action of
the Republican party, it's committees and rep
reseatatives in office during the next two
years.
at will be the first convention under the
primary law for the sole purpose of drafting
and adopting the party platform or constitu-
ton and the choice of party COMMUNICATION
in 1913 there was an active contest over dele
gates to the National Convention" says Chair
man Parkhurst Of the Republican State Com
mittee. "The voters should choose delegates
who, by capacity and instruction, will be pre-
pared to act intelligently and faithfully upon
all the questions that will arise in the conven-
ton.
"The members of the committee accept the
limitations placed upon them by party service.
Thy are the servants of the party member
ship and are conscious that it denies them the
right Of attempting to control the choice of
Candidates or declaration of party princi-
PIES. After the platform is adopted and can
didates chosen at the primary, it is the COM
mittee's duty to inform the voters of their
its and solicit support for them. The
term of service of every committeeman is, by
law, limited to the assemhlage of this conven-
ton and one of the most important duties de-
volving upon the delegates is the choice of
committees, who will administer the affairs Of
the party during the ensuing two years.
The Republican party, through its mem
bership, has given to Maine amended and bet
direct primary, a more equitable distribution
of the tax burden, conservation of natural re-
sources. State aid for schools and roads, State
care of feeble minded and insane, State de-
partment of agriculture. which, with the Uni
versity of Maine, is SO efficiently helping our
farmers, and other constructive, progressive
| and liberal legislation.
"1n Chicago. in June, 1912, the National Re-
publican Convention before the birth of the
Progressive partly pledged the Republican
party to legislation favoring the protection
| of American labor and industry, permanent
non-partisan tariff commission, Presidential
preference primaries. currency reform, legis-
lation in relation to problems of social well
fare, parcels post, publicity Of campaign con-
tributions. and other reforms, including the re-
duction of the high cost of living in the light
of facts presented after scientific investiga-
ton.
'That the platform declarations of the last
Republican State Convention, held four months
before the birth of the Progressive party at
Chicago, were accepted as binding and con-
trolling party action is evidenced by the fact
that the Republican members of the Legisla-
ture Of 1913 by the action of the State Senate.
where there was Republican majority, and by
the vote of the Republicans in the House of
Representatives, where control was possible
only with the cooperation of the five MEM
bers who acknowledged active allegiance to
the Progressive party. supported and tried to
make effective every plank in the platform
calling for action by the Legislature.
sin connection with these past achievements
of the Republican party and its platform de-
clarations of April and June 1912. it will be of
vital interest to the voters of Maine to re-
member that the platform of the Progressive
party. which was declared and adopted on the
7th day of August, 1912, thereafter declares
for and attempts to appropriate for the sole
benefit of the Progressive party these broad
and general principles which the Republican
party had long supported and for which it
stands today"