Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-12
"Just Rebuke to Governor MiIIiken."

Governor Mllltken mas Deen re-
elected governor of Maine but in the
process has received the worst drub-
bling from members of his own party
that any Republican governor has
had since the formation of the Re
publican party in 1856.
In the cities and in the towns, Gov
! ernor Milliken's name was cut by
Republican voters, and in every
| county this was true. While Senator
Fernald received a plurality of more
than 10000, the plurality Of Governor
Milliken was less than half of this.
standing somewhere between 5000
and 5000, as compared with a plural
ity Of 1880 two years ago.
| Had the result depended upon the
| cities Of the state or even upon the
larger towns the term of Governor
Milliken would have ended with this
year, but the small towns had seen
the hand of Chairman Hays, who
came to Maine to make a patriotic
address and summoned the leaders OF
his party from all sections to receive
a lesson in politics. and they did
their work, although they found Mr..
Mllliken a heavy burden. So wide
spread was the refusal OF Republi-
cans to vote for the governor that the
Republican politicians were very
fearful Of the result.-Bangor Com
mercial.
Democracy seems to be taking de-
teat very hard. Democratic politi-
clans and press must have been
grieveusly disappointed; they must
nave really believed they were to
win, that their campaign of personal
attack upon the Governor was a
winner and that the people did not
know enough to require Of them
either assurances or even a glimpse
of character.
Democratic politicians and press
were badly deceived by a very few
Republicans of the disgruntled, sore
head, or personal liberty" variety,
who talked much into Democratic
ears of the opposition" in his own
party to Governor Milliken. Some Of
these men of his own party who
/, have been getting square" for two
years. have done lot of pussyfoot-
ing with the purpose of defeating
Governor Milliken for reelection.
They have worked insidiously for
r:onths and, by their own confession,
have PIT money where it would help
! The Democratic chances.
! In upper Democratic circles these
! Republican back biters have been
mistaken for the whole Republican
party. And both of these unworthy
clements forgot to count the reliable,
quiet spoken, Christian citizenship of
! Maine Gin all parties) who have been
asking for leaders of courage enough
! TO ignore political profiteers," to
! deal with law nulliiers and to stand
four square against evil Of all sorts.
Democratic leaders, and Republic
cans for personal uses only, de-
ceiyed themselves into state OF
mind that leaves them bitter in de-
feat. They are struggling to dodge
the patent fact They have been hit
by their own crooked stick. They
are sore and unsportsmanlike.
That Governor Milliken's chances
were in danger from this Deluden-
dorff drive, with it's gas attacks and
muddy trench methods, is shown by
the vote. A comparatively few be
lieved the falseSSooogs they heard
They voted wi ong , ut they will re
greet it when H.. full, truth comes tc
them-and they are not all Republi-
cans, either
4 On the other hand, the falling off
I'm the remarkable vote CT two
.xss ago is not so large as our con-
Htemporary pretends. Reckoning the
thousands of absent voters, even
Governor Millikens vote this year is
we'll up to the proportion of two years
ago, in the State as whole. Many
II sections showed even a bigger Re-
X publican plurality than in 1916.
II Is that a "rebuke" from the safe
and sane rural people Of Maine? We
mther guess not, when the booze and
personal liberty vote of several city
sdctions is subtracted. The shoe
appears to be on the other foot. The
"rebuke" comes to those who re-
sorted to poison gas and scrap-ot-
paper tactics in attaining political
advantage.
How did that political war horse of
Lewiston come out in his drive for
Washington? He filled his famous
Lewiston-to-th the Sea canal with
U-boats ordered to sink everything
moral and decent and to play the
very devil FUSED advisedly) with
Milliken for cleaning up Lewiston
Was the Governor or Mr.. McGilli-
cuddy 'rebuked"?
Over in Penobscot county Bangor
plan Democrats and personal liberty
Republicans went out after Milliken's
skin for carefully and deliberately
stripping the camouflage off nulli-
fer, and strafing the booze outlaw.
Who was "rebuked"-the Governor or