Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-06-24
CONGRESSMAN PETERS SPEECH.


Congressman Peters received an enthu-
, siastic greeting when he was introduced
by Chairman Foss as the next speaker.
He impressed upon the committeeman
present the important bearing which the
coming election in Maine had upon the
country at large, republicans all over the
land waiting to hear the message from
Maine.
1.-The republican party" he said, chad
been the most potent political power for
real progress in this country. The re-
publican party has advanced every princi-
pie, written every law, passed every
statute which has been necessary to the
harmonious development of this country
from disrupted and weakened condition
to the most powerful and successful
nation on the globe. The principles OF
the party will endure after individuals
| who assisted in promoting them are for
gotten.
sit is because we believe in these prin-
| ciples, and believe that they will endure,
that we are together in this council of re-
publicans. The bonds that hold us to-
| gether and make us earnest in the cause
are not because few of us are candidates
for office, or expect to be in the future;
not because of pleasant association,
friendship, nor pique or resentment at
some other party or group of men. We
are here because the great enduring prin-
ciples we stand for demand support, de-
mand action. Nothing can be accom-
| plished without cooperation, organiza-
| ton and effort.
| "There has been much criticism of late
directed toward party organizations some
OF it just. l remember when few men
ran the republican party. That was be-
fore the day of the primaries and the
| secret ballot, when the attitude of the
citizens was altogether different. Whose
fault was it? 1t was yours and mine and
that OF the great rank and file which took
too little interest in matters political to
lay their hands on the wheel. 1t was our
own business that we should have at
tended to, and we let others run it.
81 believe in organization, but the
orders should come from below and not
from above. The rim of wheel plays as
important part as the hub, and should
be counted on accordingly. In the very
old days everything emanated from the
hub. Nowadays the spokes and rim
have their share OF the work and re-
sponsbility. No longer can orders go
out and the voters be yarded up on cleo
tion day to carry out given program. II
the election isn't won before election day,
it is lost. You can haul an army of voters
to the polls, but they will vote according
to previously conceived convictions. l
hope and expect the time to come when
public sentiment, crystallized into law,
will prevent the hauling of voters to the
polls by candidates or their agents; and it
will come as soon as a more active interest
in public affairs brings out the voters on
their own feet"
Mr.. Peters then quoted figures from re-
cent special elections and registrations in
various states, which proved to him be-
yond question of doubt that the people
have decided to use the republican party
as an instrument to work out their will.
"a regard some of the policies of the pro-
gressive leaders as pernicious, such as the
recall of judges and judicial decisions.
Eliminate those things, and all the policies
advocated by the progressives are covered
by the republicans.
"The progressive leaders do not expect
to win. l challenge anyone in Maine to
controvert that assertion. They are fool
ing the people for their own personal gain
and advantage.
"We are going to have good old fas h
Toned fight with the democrats. The
democrats have passed some laws affecting
the whole country, and on the issues thus
raised the campaignwill be fought"
Mr.. Peters then spoke at some length on
the disastrous results of the low tariff, and
OF the laundering foreign policy OF the
democratic administration. He paid a
tribute to Col. Roosevelt who, as Presi-
dent, wrote one of the brightest pages in
this country's history when he secured
the canal zone and made possible the
building of the Panama canal. "And now
this country" he said, Through Presi-
dent Wilson and Secretary of State
Bryan, proposes to apologize to Colombia
for taking the canal zone, to give her free
tolls forever through the canal, and pay
her S25, 0O0,0 00."
In closing, Mr.. Peters said that when he
first went to Washington he heard whis-
pers among the democrats that it looked
as if the republicans would, at the next
general election, reduce the democratic
majority in Congress. The estimates as
to how many republican Congressman
would be elected gradually increased with
the increasing blunders of the administra-
ton, until, when he left Washington two
weeks ago, it was being freely predicted
that the democr ltic majority would be
wiped out.
CHAIRMAN PARKHURsT.
Col. Frederick II. Parkhurst, of Bangor,
chairman Of the republican State COM
mittee, was the next speaker. He got
, right down to the business Of the gather
; ing, and impressed upon the committee