Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-06

as only those can hate who have tried
to do an irreparable injury to their VIC
tim.
We announced in our 1912 campaign
that we were in favor Of a workmen's
compensation act, and it is upon our
statute books today.
Our child labor plank has been made
a law by a Democratic congress in the
face Of bitter opposition from southern
congressman.
We announced we were in favor Of a
public utilities commission and every
body knows the result.
Woman's suffrage has been written
into the platform Of the Republican
party, whether to be handled by them
as prohibition has been handled, time
alone will tell.
When Mr.. Taft was president Of the
United States we had a tariff commits
sion which the Republican party dis
| regarded. giving us the iniquitous
Payne Aldrich tariff; "the best tariff
obtainable under the circumstances -
as Mr.. Taft said at Winona.
We expected the Republicans at
Portland to claim they now believe in
a non-partisan tariff commission, but
whoever dreamed that free trade Dem
| ocrats, the tariff for revenue only
Democrats. the Johnsons and McGilli-
cuddys and organs and Wilson's would
be crying out for that same righteous
Progressive doctrine, a non-partisan
| tariff commission.
| Shades Of Thomas jefferson and Nell
son Aldrich, at last you may get to-
gether.
| We know that notwithstanding their
| promise Of friendship toward such a
policy, when they were in power the
Republicans broke their pledges DELHI
erately made, and we feel certain the
Cannon Fairbanks Penrose leaders will
! try to do the same again if opportunity
should be given. Therefore we have
met today to erect a signpost on the
highway of progress, that those who
travel the political pathway may look
back to 1912, and consider carefully
the effect of broken promises to the
people if ever they come to power
again.
That is what the people of the State
Of Maine demand, and that is why.
though some of them have gone over
to the old organizations with the hope
Of purifying from within, the great ma
jority are sitting today at their fire.
sides glad that we are here; glad that
we are putting this anchor to wind
ward glad that we are keeping our Or
ganization and holding over certain
men the fear Of that same punishment
they received four years ago.
Let us say to the politicians of
Maine:
We, the people want-the Massachu-
sets ballot and will have it.
protective tariff which is not the
Payne-Aldrich tariff, but founded on
business sense and reason.
The abolition of the drink evil with
out compromise in both State and ma
ton.
The carrying out of all those great
plans for human welfare which are
demanded in the program of our party
as outlined in 1912.
We want clean courts, supreme and
municipal, subject to no base influence
rejecting purity, integrity, spotless
ermine.
| Had a real American been President
when the first newspaper told us the
Lusitania would be sunk no notes
would have been written but a solemn
verbal warning that international pir-
acy would not be permitted except as
an act of war. And the Lusitania
would still be sailing regularly.
| But did the Germans stop? They
blew up the Arabic, a note: the He's
perian, a note; the Ancona, a note
| the Persia, a note. And in the very
week of Senator Johnson's speech, the
Sussex, a peaceful ferry boat, without
even % revolver, crowded with wo-
men and children, many of them Am
orleans, is sunk by a German torpedo
| and. gentlemen, an eXasperated and
Inundated nation is quietly informed
that this President who said he in
tended to hold Germany to strict &C.
countability will now refer the whole
| question to congress.
| Bryan quit, and God hates a gutter
! 1t would have been better if this Pres
ident had remained in that seclusion
he sought when he worked out alone
! this great submarine question and sent
| the first note to Germany.
Not Too Proud to Fight.
| The Progressives of Maine are not
"too proud to fight" They are de-
scended from those "embattled farm
ers," who fired the shot heard round
| the world"
We have been fighting for existence
amid winter SHOWS and summer
droughts, where the logs from our vast
forests are hurled like toothpicks
down our rushing rivers, and where
waves break with ceaseless roar upor
our rocky shores; we have carried the
| flag into every harbor in the world
and battlefields have run red with the
blood of those heroes from Maine who
fought for freedom whenever she has
| been assailed.
| Ours has been the task to stand ir
the front Of the "far flung battle line
to carry our commerce into every sea
and every cline. and we stand today
as we have always stood for the pro-
lection of every American in every
place where his business rightfully calls
him with our last dollar and our last
man. Yet the Progressives Of Maine
are not jingoes, we do not seek a quar-
rel. We do not carry a chip on oul
shoulder. When there were wars and
!