Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-14
STATE AUDITOR:
Roy L. Wardwell
"Grsat Crowd" Shows Lack Of Inter.
eAt.

"Sroot CroWd ShoWs Lack or Intef.
est.
Three days ago our up-river neigh
Dor said that fully 1000 Democrats
were expected at the county and State
pow-wow at City Hall, Augusta, on
Wednesday. Two days ago the same
paper said everything was ready for
crowd of 1900. Thursday morning
Across the top Of the first page in
poster type that paper said: Demo-
Gratis Unmoved by Heat" Following
! that line came a two-column head in
large type: Most Enthusiastic Meet
Ing Kennebec Has Ever Knwon"
( Other headlines followed and the in
PRODUCTION by the Sentinel's exclusive
! peripatetic said: They gathered as
early as 10 o'clock in large numbers"
Then he told Of tremendous enthusiasm
and pep" Of the meeting.
But newspaper claims do not make
q meeting. In this case the false re-
ports sent out are fatty contradicted
by Democrats who we're there. Let US
have the facts concerning the grand
opening OF the Democratic campaign at
the Capital City. where all the salaried
and Topper officials, and
clerks from the State House could be
run In. from one who went to count
and analyze the great crowd"
At IL o'clock when the meeting was
called to order, after waiting half an
hour for additions to the great
crowd" an actual count revealed ex
actly l24 persons in the Hall, (which
number included speakers, newspaper
men. women. State House employees.
and boys passing Waterville Sentinels
and lemonade.
OF course this great crowd" may
have had more enthusiasm and pep"
than any other tremendous human
overflow that the distinguished Demo-
cratic writer had ever seen, but it was
strongly significant to others Of what
the party might expect in this cam
paisn.
At the very outset 1t is perfectly
Plain that Democracy canot muster
the voters. Leaders may shout, and
harangue. and urge. and pretend. and
predict. but the voters are not respond
reports OF Democratic or other meet
ings will not take the place of ballots.
We do not pretend to know who or
dered a campaign of Democratic mis-
statement, but apparently such orders
have been given, for the Portland Ar
gus in reporting the Republican meet
ing at Rumford. adopted the same tao
tics. The Argus called that meeting,
at which more than 300 voters were
present in a small town, "fizze," a
"pop-gun," flash in the pam" as
dead as a door nail
Yet a meeting of 1o4 people (many
not Democratic voters) at City Hall,
Augusta, was great crowd" and of
unparalleled enthusiasm.
The Argus said the Rumford meet
ing was held in n little grocery store
We are told by a veracious gentleman
who was present that the meeting was
held in the town hall. but as there
we're more than twice as many as could
get into the hall. an overflow meeting
was held outside. The three speakers
elternated in the hall and outside. 50
that two meetings were being ad-
dressed at the same tine.
That was q "fizzle," from the Demo-
cratic standpoint. and the Augusta af-
fair was the grandest success ever
recorded.
These few facts oonclusively show
the Democratic determination to mis-
cad every voter possible. and just as
conclusively prove the foriorn hope
lcssness Of their case Democrats We're
"unmoved by the heat" Wednesday,
ana the expectancy of 1000 to 1909
should have been fulfilled. The free
sandwiches were there and enough for
. great crowd to spare. The Tree