Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-11

Convention ! was Rep-S.!can.
hut I was staggered By their IN
sc-1loy,Ious steal. a2d Iett tham
and said I never would return
Until The old gang was turned
down. yy-ra- vii the old party 90
Il !, Genes hack into power VIII
The OLD gang rule i OF WI! !, De
led and ruled by r2eE with pro-
--ec sire views
an not : cynical tus al hon
e<- e-o,,.-e7. L NJ H.
P!tIsEeId, Ne Feb. 2.
TIE evident sincerity q or Pitts
fed friend requires q frank and sin
ce-e answer. He has presented his
rrob!er1 N t-si1essl!ke. -1aa-to-
man way, and signed Ms name 10 i
(Which we withhold OFT Q. respect to
his p,obatle desire 20 avoid puo!.city},
asa guarantee TIA: Re Is Unasha1aed
Of desiring information thaS might
serve % set him right politically. Re
asks Us what are the card.ral points
OF difference between the Republican
and Democratic parties. We believe
tia. re can po:n. E difference or,
rather, q volume u differences be-
tween the parties. ttat viii prove con-
v.rc.ng % z nan q his intelligence.
IL the arst place. We would ask him
70 recall the type OF E.eD who have
stood az the front and who have
shaped the policies and led TIE forces
Of the -wo parties within his meE-ory
OF within that recent period # lis
tory with which re = fairly familiar.
We grant that ne has known able,
earnest ard honest men il the Demo
cratic part who were imbCed with
II. idea tia. they could IL, il above
lis natural tendencies. and make It a
vital force in shaping the moral, in
dustr.al and CIVIC fortunes Of the
American people: and many CT these
men have entered hart and soul into
the POLITICAL affairs q the country,
with The hope q accomplishing that
purpose.
How bitterly some Of these nen
have been disappointed Is TO part q
our reply 70 or Pit,saeld inquirer,
Rather. ~e would ask him 10 compare
the number and the mental magnitude
Of these stars Of Democracy with those
who have been al the forefront Of Re
pab!;canisn in the last ha!t century.
We would ask him 70 90 over these
;llusrrious names carefully. from al
unbiased standpoint. and Judge for
himself where has lain the greater
volume OF intellectual power, Of ripe
experience. os deep insight into hu-
man affairs, % high moral purpose, Of
Christian progress, Of craftsmanship
and culture Let him ask himself Il
the Democratic party has ever had a
Lincoln, q Blaine. Mckinley, Ding
ley. a Reed, George F. Hoar, B
Lodge. d Root. L John Hay. d Roose-
ve!t, or group OF men 10 class with a
similar number which ne or ne could
name without a moments hesitation
Il ON the rank and file OF political
names on the roster Of American ser
vice n the last half century.
To our mind. this significant fac.
alone constitutes the most important
difference between the two parties
the character. the high dagree Of in
tel!igence. the splendid intellectual
equipment, the unquestioned moral
purpose Of the men who have builde,i
and maintained the parties within the
recollection Of our questiorer and our
selves. These men OF both parties
have shaped the policies. as we'll as
the purposes, Of the necessary poi!ti-
cal combatants that make for the well
fare Of our people, through the means
Of party competition And some Of
these policies for long years have
stood. and are bound to stand, as
marked lines between the parties. be-
fore the highest intelligence of the
American people.
Chief Of these. we would suggest 20
him. is the tariff policy, which has
been the sharpest ana biggest issue be-
tween these two great parties within
his memory and ours. Upon its ap-
plicatfon. we contend, has hung tn.
degree of prosperity and the rapidly
Of progress of the nation. Republi-
can statesmen-and we have no hest
fancy in declaring an overwhelming
majority Of the greatest minds tina,
have placed America in the forefront
of all nations-have believed. and still
believe, that a tariff policy which
stands first for the prosperity Of th>
country's industries ard labor. IL
bound to bring to all the pepoie the