Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-25
Mr.. PattanaaH's Reply.

Mr.. Pattansai:'s Reply.
Hon. W. R. Pattangall asks space to
say a few words to our readers. We
gladly grant the privilege and assure
him that we shall meet him half way,
and more, in our efforts to confine this
campaign to facts and honest differ
ences Of opinion. A plain statement of
facts should not be abusive, even If
weasel words are omitted. II we
slams" at Progressives, and the Re-
publican party, we had no intention Of
more than dealing with him in his poll
teal capacity; and in that capacity we
had never suspected that Mr.. Pattan-
gall was thin skinned.
If Mr.. Pattangall as Boss-in-chief of
Democracy in Maine, can clear his
party of the faint Of free rum" (Which
means favoring the privilege to sell
bad booze at anything but free" fig
ures) he will do the State a real SER
vice.
Yes, we have noticed that Democ-
racy nationally had at last awakened
in a measure to its tariff for foreign
revenue only folly but hasn't the cour-
age to come out manfully and ac-
knowledge it. In spite Of the war that
came to it's aid, it has been driven to
ADOPT one after another Of the policies
and measures that the Republican
party has tried and proven, to save the
administration from disaster. We have
and other means that were sneered at
only three years ago, adopted. We
agree with Friend Pattangall that the
Democratic party is no longer free
trade" party, and we ask him to agree
with us that his party doesn't just
know where 1t stands, tariff ically. It's
tariff policies have been discredited and
the country has been assessed millions
in direct taxes to keep the government
going, while the party was discovering
that it's free trade" policies were relics
of dissolved fetish.
And office? Well, we had reference
to deserving Democrats" which have
been cared for with little regard to
civil service. Mr.. Bryan knew Of this
Democratic cardinal principle
We believe that public criticism has
done much for the Democratic party in
the last three years. We believe 1t is a
better party than it was three years
ago. because it has learned to its bitter
cost that many Of the things it swore
to, and by, in the last campaign were
not so. We would ask Mr.. Pattangal
if he doesn't remember some of the big
versed itself in the last three years
But Democracy has a long hard road
| to travel. even now, before it reaches q
place where rum free trade" and
deserving Democrats" are forgotten
by the people. Not even those Pro.
gressives who stood for nothing higher
| than a desire to attain notoriety" car
yet have full faith in Democracy's con.
version to protective tariff, enforced
laws and real service to the people
! Our friend seems to have started Out
| to convict us Of trough stuff but un.
der his clever manipulation of words he
has embodied about as much Of
| abuse" as does Governor Curtis ir
some of his more direct answers" tc
criticism. He need not fear any at
tempt to "misrepresent the personality
| and purposes Of the men who are lead
ing the Democratic fight" Facts arr
quite sufficient. The offering of facts i:
not abuse" even If it does cut closer
than rumors and fiction, but the fac
that Names outlawry thinks Safety
First" lies in Democracy is far enough
| for us on the rum Tissue.
| We entirely respect Mr.. Pattangall'.
conviction that Progressives will turr
| to Democracy as solution Of the two
party country problem We shall no
undertake to convince him Of his error
but we are just as thoroughly con
vinced that he has misjudged the de
sires of Progressives, and that he will
be a disappointed man when the vote 1!
! counted.