Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-11-23
Great Republican oet.Tosether,
LARGE AND ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING
AT THE COURT HOUSE.

LARGE AND ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING
AT THE COURT HOUSE.
In no 'off year" for long period haI
there been such meeting of Republi
cans as was held at the court house q
South Paris last Tuesday afternoon. 4
has not been uncommon to have two Of
three scores of the interested member
OF the party present at such confer
ence, but at this one the court room wal
nearly filled, there being two hundred Of
more in attendance. Not only was there
u good attendance from the immediate
vicinity, but they also came, by train
and auto, from Woodstock, Bethel, He
bron, Bucbfi field, Sumner, Canton, Rum
ford, Mexico, Lowell, Fryeburg, Porter
and other towns.
Also there was evident spirit of har.
mony and determination to do effective
work. A considerable percentage Of
those in attendance were men who acted
with the Progressive. party organic ,tior
in the last campaign in this state, and
who now express their intention to work
within the Republican party for the suc
cess of the principles which they favor
United effort was the spirit of the meet
ing, and no jarring note was struck.
Hon. Charles Z. Burbank of Bridge
water, Mass, was the principal speaker
OF the afternoon, but before he was in
troduced there were preliminary talks
by local men.
Walter L. Gray of South Paris, chair
m an of the county committee, called the
meeting to order, and after stating brief
ly the objects of the gathering, called tc
the chair Frederick r. Dyer of Buckfield
the Oxford County member of the Sec
ond Congressional District Committee
who had been active in arranging fol
the meeting. Mr.. Dyer spoke bri, fly
es pecially with reference to the situation
ir the Second District, where he empba
sized the necessity and the good prospect
of electing Republican as representa-
tive to congress in place of the presen,
incumbent.
| Mr.. Dyer then called on Hon. Frank
j. Ham of Augusta, chairman Of the
State Committee, for brief talk. Mr.
ing that in 1910 and in 1912 the party
put before the people progressive plat
forms. If we are to succeed in next
years campaign, we must then adopt a
progressive platform. We must take
that platform seriously, as a pledge to
be carried out, and no man should &C
cept a nomination who can not stand on
the platform. Our candidates must be
the best and strongest men, and must be
live men. He urged every one to vote
in the primaries, and said that in his
travels through the state, he had never
seen 80 much red blood in the party as
now.
Chairman Dyer then called upon a
number of representatives of different
sections of the county, and in response
10 his call brief responses were made by
l.. W. Blanchard of RumfOrd, Hon. John
A. Roberts of Norway, Alton c. Wheel
or of South Paris, and Hon. James S.
Wright OF South Paris. All urged unit
ed action, and expressed confidence in
the result of next years campaign In the
county and in the state. Mr.. Blanchard
and Mr.. Wheeler stated witout reserva-
ton that they had acted with the Pro-
gressive organization and had no apollo
gies to offer, should do the same thing
gain under the same circumstances, but
would now act with the Republican
party in opposition to the Democratic
party, and would support within the par.
" their progressive principles.
Hon. George d. Bisbee of Rumford
presented brief message from A. E.
Stearns of Rumford, a prominent Pro
gressive, who was unable to be present,
but pledged his support to the Republic
can party.
Hon. Charles E. Burbank of Bridge
" alter, Mass, was then introduced by
Chairman Dyer, and spoke for about
three-quarters of an hour. Mr.. Burbank
was elected to the state senate of Massa-
chusetts as a Progressive party candi-
date, and served as such through the
legislative session. In the recent cam
paign be acted with the Republican
party, took prominent part in framing
the platform, and was active in the cam
paign which resulted in the election of
Mr. Mccall.
Mr.. Burbank spoke as thorough be-
lever in the principles of the Progressive
organization, and devoted himself large
ly to a consideration of what conscien-
tious Progressives should do under pres
ent conditions. The work of the Pro-
pressives was necessary, he said, but
there is not one of the principles of the
Progressive party which is inconsistent
with the general principles of the Repub-
lican party.
There are two ideals of government.
According to one, 1t is the function of
the government to exercise sort of pO.
lice power, without interfering with in
dnstry or the general affairs of the
people-the laissez fare or let alone doc.
tripe. On this the general policy OF the
Democratic party has always been based.
The other view of government is that it
may aid commerce and industry, and
promote the general welfare of the
people in such ways as are practicable.
This is the view upon which the general
policy of the Republican party has been
based. With this view the special hu-
manitarian program of the Progressive
element is in accord. This is two
party country. A third party cannot
long endure unless 1t absorbs the bulk
of one of the others. The prosperity Of
the country depends upon the principles
VI tuO Poiey ohN ASs aS 1927
out our differences within the party
This meeting gave an opportunity to
the several candidates for Republican
nominations in state and district to meet
considerable number of the voters, and
they took advantage of it. There were
in town for the day two of the candi-
dates for United States Senator, Hon. b.
NJ. Fernald of Poland and Col. Freder-
lex Hale of Portland; three of the candi-
dates for governor, Hon. Timothy +.
Callahan of Lewiston, Hon. Carl E. Mil
liken of Island Falls, and Hon. Edward
w. Wheeler of Brunswick; and three
candidates for congress from the Second
District; Cyrus N. Blanchard of Wilton,
z c. Plummer of Bath, and Wallace Il.
White, Jr., of Lewiston.
Among the others from outside the
county were Arthur G.. Staples of the
Lewiston Journal, Col. A. B. Nealley
and Stephen j. Kelley of Lewiston, and
Hon. Harold NJ. Sewall of Bath.
Charles q. Andrews.
After final illness of only two days
following a year or more of gradual de-