Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-14

II 1
new note will be sounded. This does
not mean there will be no partisan-
ship in the speeches made in Maine
and elsewhere this summer and faI.
There will be. 1t is inevitable that
such shall be the case. This parti-
sanship, my friends. will be differ
ent brand from what you have here
tofore known. | say this with full
realization of what it means. | feel
that you will agree with me when |
have done.
First, this government of the peo-
pie is a government by party. The
trainers of the Constitution intended
it should be. Upon no other founda-
ton can a democracy be secure.
Upon no other foundation can the
people rule. Without political parties
YOU could never elect a Governor,
Legislature, President and Congress
, with good results. To get the best
there is in republican form of gov
eminent you must have parties and
the freest and fullest franchise. To
those who question this assertion /
say: Look at Mexico? Our women
folks talk Of near silk dresses and we
know by the name the kind of mate
rial to which they refer. Mexico is
near republic. Our political parties
are the bulwarks of stability for oar
nation. Without them we would re
| in the condition of Mexico
! We cannot and must not blind our
selves to this fact that ours is a gov
/ crnment Of party. 1t is one thing to
say we must be non partisan In our
support of the administration in its
prosecution of the war. quite another
to assert we must abandon our party
affiliations. | have no patience with
the man who. for political reasons.
attempts to hamper President VIII
son in his labors as commander in
chief of the army and navy. Such a
man is as dangerous as any alien
enemy or spy. And the man who
cries that non partisanship requires
we must vote the Democratic ticket
or else hamper the administration
deserves only our contempt. The
President himself recognizes the es-
scntiality of party division in this
country and he does not hesitate to
take political craftsmanship into a
campaign and make it a feature of
the war program. For proof of this
! refer you to Wisconsin. Did the
President hesitate to send Vice Presi-
dent Marshall, Senator Lewis and
other Democratic leaders in Washing
ton to that state ana urge the defeat
of Mr. Lenroot, Republican candidate
for the Senate" Certainly not. The
election of n Democrat in place of
LenrOot was urged because a Demo-
crat would support the President.
! Was not that craftsmanship?
/ | say it was 1t was craftsmanship
on the part of the President because
no man in Congress had more earn
estIy, more loyalty and more readily
supported President Wilson in the
dire days Of need since April 6. 1917.
than Congressman Lenroot. Did not
such a record justify all in assuming
that if he crossed from the south 20
the north wing of the great capitol
building in Washington he would CON
tinue in that course? Under such
conditions had President Wilson and
! the Democratic organization been
willing to subscribe to the same
brand of non craftsmanship they are
50 zealously asking we Republicans
TO adopt. would not the chief execu-
tive have sent his lieutenants to Wis
consfh to urge the election OF Len
root?
: | leave the answer to that quc.y,
gentlemen. with you.
/ No. my Republican friends, when
the President urges us to adjourn
politics and to observe non partisan
ship, he does not expect that Demo
Gratis shall forget their party tics. If
he did he would tell the voters to re-
turn to Congress all members VINO
have supported him in his war efforts.
] Have you heard that he has written
former Congressman McGilicuddv,
member of the Democratic National
i Committee from Maine, urging him
: to do what he can to re- elect the four
Republican Congressman from Maine
and myself?
| have not.
We will not
/ IL VIII not surprise me to see my
distinguished senatorial colleague
! Lewis in all his sartorial gorgeous
ness, come TO Maine and urge you