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

all the speakers were heartily APP
plauded. Hon. Charles Sumner Bird of
Massachusetts,, Progressive candidate
for Governor in the last campaign,
was given an ovation on his entrance
to the hall, having arrived on the 2.34
train from Boston.
The convention was called to order
about 100 by Judge Thompson, who
introduced as the first speaker Hon.
! E. d. Merrill of Foxcroft, candidate
for Congress in the 4th Maine District.
Mr.. Merrill said:
e. D. Merrill.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
| Convention:
| 1t is we'll that We disinfect this room
with pure Progressivism today for
| the nauseating odors of the incense
burned at the shrine of the Republic
| can Bosses on April 9 by High Priest
| Peters still fingers in the atmosphere.
| In his record endurance run he COM
! bined all the beatitudes into one
! Blessed be the Republican Party and
why? Because according to Peters
| from said Party has come all the BEN
| efactions ever bestowed upon man.
! kind then follows the list-there are
| but two left unclaimed-Lydia Pink
| hams Compound and the Ten Com
northumberland L. P.'s Comp. he
would have fathered but women not
| having a vote 1t was not worth While
| and for the omission of the ten COM
mandments i can only suggest that
| Peters and the other Bosses never
! happened to observe them. But let
! not waste time today talking about
! them when they are getting roasted
| by that organ of their own party, the
Boston Transcript, which accuses
them of playing politics-calls them
| peanut politicians and says they listen
! too much to the talk of the street in
! stead of characterization such men as
| Lodge, Root-and those in our own
| State, Davies and Hyde, all Repub-
| licans, are giving them the brad--we
can afford to wait until the campaign
/ opens on the stump to open up with
our solid shot. They stand about as
much chance of getting the election in
| Maine as a tallow eat OF catching an
| asbestos rat in hades-How about the
| Democrats? Time does not permit to-
| day-but their vulnerable points are
well known-we have some wallops for
! them-never fear-we've had the hand
grip in the center of the rlng-the real
| battle will soon be on-but today
| wish to bring to this convention, Mr..
| Chairman and fellow Progressiyes,
! greetings from the Progressives of
| Piscataquis county. where two days
from now we shall be assembled for
| the purpose that has called you to-
| gether today. And l assure YOU that
! from my knowledge of the candidates
whose names will be presented to that
| convention for the various county Of
| fees, clean, able, devoted Progressives,
will be nominated, of whom no voter
need feel ashamed, whom any honest
man can intellectually support.
| For the first time in a state cam
| paign since | became a voter, I am in
and fighting for party whose plat
form and candidates i can endorse
with my whole soul, intellect, and
! strength, with the appreciation of my
| conscience without single equivoca-
| ton, mental reservation or secret eva
sion of mind in me whatever.
| AS a Republican there were so many
scars and open sores to cover-so
| many tender spots on the political
! body to be proteeted-so many putrid
| inward organs whose exhalations
smelled to high heaven that would
fain have escaped but the other party
was in like condition and so l held
| onto the old diseased hulk, mainly
| because I was born, politically, into
| il and could see no relief in change.
| But-as pure white lily is projected
upward from the black muck, so in
! 1912 from out tie political mire there
/ nd m r.
+ ty strong IN its devotion to its avowed
mission. the alienation of political ills
! and the restoration of the government
to the people. The Progressive party
is a welding of many forces previ-
! ously working along parallel lines for
the betterment of social and political
conditions and the general uplift of
humanity, into a practical, powerful
! instrument which will in the hands
of the people, through popular govern
ment and effective legislation, make
come true the dreams of its pioneers
who have brought from the mount OF
vision the faith that or the plains of
everyday life the battle for human
rights will be won by the enlightened
conscience and devotion of the COM
mon people Therefore IN this year
| NAt~
fight with the vigor and enthusiasm
of emancipated manhood, glorying in
the fight for the fights sake, because
it's the fight of humanity, of right
against wrong, of justice against in
Justice, whether victory comes this
year OF in 1916 is not so vital. The vi
| tai thing is that having enlisted we
hold steadfast to our principles, de-
termined to paraphrase the Immortal
Grant, to fight it out on these lines II
it takes q dozen summers.
We as nation are fast approaching
crisis, social and industrial, appaii-
ing in it's menace, that nothing but
the enactment of the policies for which
the Progressive Party stands can
avert. Therefore confident in the JUS
tice of our fight let us press forward
with unbounded devotion and conse-
Grafton to the end that government of
the people by the people shall not
perish from the face Of the earth.
The next speaker was Rev. Henry D.
| 90 city