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


iect of Five Hundred Mile Mileage
Books. This and the concluding chap
ter on the Bangor Plan are the most
popular and eftenest read and re-read
of any in the history. There isn't
dry line in them.
Meanwhile another party in another
capital has been making history, Ma
tional and Inter national in scope. 1t
doesn't read very well. And, as one
chapter after another in the unhappy
serial is written and read. almost the
entire country seems to be crying out
in unison: Your hand, Colonel. We'll
come home Get ready. Back to the
White House again" And many
stand patter, many bourbon is join
ing the chorus.
Stand by. you real men of Kenne-
bee It's the same fight over again.
II we were right in 19l2-and we were
if we are going to be right in 1916
and we are-lets be right now.
Hon. Charles Sumner Bird of Wal
pole, Mass, Progressive candidate for
Governor of the state of Massachu-
sets in the last campaign, was then
introduced by the chair amid great
applause. He said in part:
Charles Summer Bird.
Just one word, fellow Progressives,
about my campaign in Massachusetts.
AS you knew l was an amateur in
politics and never had made a politi-
cal speech or held a political office
My candidacy was considered a joke
and l was described as "a rich man
athirst for Office.
Our opponents described US, as they
did Progressives elsewhere, fanatics.
neuroties, standing on a crazy quilt
platform.
1t is amazing that a party could
have accomplished what we have in
the face of the virulent and united
opposition of most of the newspapers,
backed as they have been, by the
corrupt and privileged interests, de-
terminea TO kill us at any cost, and
thus perpatuate the rule of the bosses
in politics In Massachusetts the
most contemplate untruths were cir
culated about us and we were denied
opportunity, space in which to reply
to our detractors. l was led to de-
clare then what l have often said
since, that a pure news law is more
necessary than a pure food law, and
that newspaper which attacks a po
litical candidate, or party, should
be compelled to give to that party, or
to that candidate, an equal space in
which to reply to the attack
Nevertheless, in spite of such oppo-
sition my vote was close to that of
Colonel Roosevelt and in 1913 we put
the Republican candidate. the self
appointed architect of New Repub-
licanism. which is nothing more or
less than political straddling, third
in the race; what is even more sig
nificant l received more votes than
in the presidential year Off 1912. 1t
was a great Progressive victory and
not. as ha been said, merely a per-
sonal tribute to me. 1t was a clear
and emphatic expression of Progress
sive ideals and aspirations by a peo
pie, who for the first time were fully
enlightened and awakened as to what
the Progressive party and platform
stood for. 1t expressed the aroused
constituencies of the people resentful
at the broken pledges and untitled
promises of the old party bosses.
The watchword of the Progressive
party is human progress; the in
dustrial, social economic uplift of the
people. For the first time in the po-
litical history of the country a great
party has put in its Platform def
mite pledge to place human rights
above all dollar rights. and for the
first time has specifically stated in
that platform, in definite and concise
terms, just what it proposes to do.
We are the first of the great political
parties to offer a definite. social, well
fare program which we believe to be
national rather than a state prob
lem, and which has been shamefully
neglected by the leaders of the old
parties.
The Progressive party stands for
nationality and those matters which
affect the welfare of the nation. We
believe that those measures which vi
tally affect the welfare and lives of
the entire community, should be han
died by the national government and
should not be left to the uncertain and
belated action of the state govern
ment
Child labor, by our party, is treat
ed as a national issue, the neglect of
which will devitalize, to a considerable
extent, all the members of the ma
ton. 1t is a national crime and curse
for which all of us should hang our
heads in shame. The working of two
million little children in factories,
mines and sweatshops, toiling long
hours and under insufferable condi-
lions, is more serious, disgraceful and
devtalizing than African slavery ever
was. Never has the black child, in
the history of this country, been treat
ed in so shameful and dehumanizing
manner, as the white child, en-
ployed in gainful occupations, is
treated today. l have often said,
what l repeat now, that an indus
try which feeds and grows upon such
labor is parasitical and should be
swept out of the nation. 1t is under
mining the foundations of our social
fabric and in it's wake are misery,
crime and race degeneration. We ex-
pend millions to protect and conserve
the forests, waterways and birds of
the country, and little or nothing to
guard from industrial exploitation. our