Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-11-13
Gov. ELECT PARkHURST and
WOMAN SPEA kER ADDRESS
AUGUSTA REPUbLI cAN CLUB

/ nOOVOtn
The Augusta Republican club at an
enthusiastic meeting Friday evening
in Union hall decided to continus az
| an active organization and to hold
regular monthly meetings throughout
the year. 1t was felt that the SPLEEN
did organization of Republicans. NUM-
bering 1900 members. should not De
| allowed to disband, and that perpet-
uation of the Augusta club might be
| the signal for continuing the entire
| State organization which has never
been in better shape than at present.
The lines of activity to be pursued
| will of course, be different from the
pre- campaign work. and will include
studies in citizenship and topics OF
general political interest. go
Mrs. Jennie Flood Kreger of Fair-
| field and Governor elect Parkhurst,
who were. the speakers of the eve-
ming. were both most heartily in
favor of continuing the Republican
! organization. Mrs.. kreger pointed
| out that smaller towns in the State
| look to Augusta for political guidance
| and that the women in particular,
although they voted remarkably Well
in both elections, still have much to
learn of political theory and manage
ment. Mr. Parkhurst expressed the
/ thought that division into political
groups along lines of principle Is
necessary and wholesome that these
| groups should be maintained.
! The meeting was called by Willis
E. Swift, president of the club, for
the purpose of considering the ques-
| ton of continuing its life. Mrs. Guy
| Gannett spoke very strongly in favor
! of it, saying that she felt the COM
plete organization already perfected
| should be retained and should take
f.up the study 6 citizenship and other
| matters, particularly those of inter-
est and education to, women voters.
! She said she had recommended the
starting of Republican clubs in cities
and towns throughout the State.
even though the campaign is over.
Blaine s. Viles agreed with Mrs.
! Gannett that the organization for
both women and men should be, re-
tanned and in this city would have
|
| speakers during the legislative ses-
| sion. Guy Gannett said that interest
was lively in the smaller communi-
/ ties and that the Augusta club might
! be used as a model as its organiza-
! ton is so complete. Miss Marguerite
/ Brooks declared that l"even if y we
| don't want it, we ought to have it,"
1t was then voted to retain the or
| ganization and to elect a president.
j vice president. secretary. treasurer
/ and a committee on committees. A
nominating committee consisting of
/ Mrs. Guy Gannett, Miss Brooks and
! Mrs. Z. A. Hussey was chosen, to re-
port at a subsequent meeting to be
called by the president, Mr.. Swift.
Mrs. kreser
/ Mrs. Kreger was then introduced
and spoke most interestingly out of
her experiences in campaign work
and out of personal fund of delight
full philosophy and wholesome com
mon sense. IT,. '~t'% 70
You can't keep these Republicans
from working" she said. and told of
meeting women after women who tell
her that their church sewing circles
and literary clubs are studying civics,
constitutional government. the League
of Nations and what not. The thing
! to do, she declared, is to get this work
into organized form and keep it as
! clubs of Republican men and women.
The whole Republican party feels
{ that it is being put to the test as
, L. LA cit hnc
/ before been so critical. Reconstruc-
ton is at best an unpleasant task,
but if done with good judgment the
result is better than the original. she
asserted. '-.~
/ Mrs. Kreger declared that the Maine
victory in the elections was due to
the excellent methods of organiza.
| ton followed, and she praised Mrs.
Gannett's tireless work in most gen.
erous terms. .r- -. ~.
Our government, she. said. is found
ed on the basic idea that each ,indi-
vidual is a living unit and has a re-
.sponsibility. We do not realize. our
heritage nor appreciate our citizen
ship enough, but rather take it for
granted. .g .,-,-...-.
4
Speaking of her campaign work,
Mrs. Kreger said she had constantly
tried to impress on the women voters
that principles of party count for
/ even more than the men who up.
hold them. Women must not look for
perfection in candidates, but, must
seek the best available, the best man
| for the job in hand.
| Party government was inevitable,
even though not provided for in def
mite words in the Constitution, she
said. for there are always two sides
to every question. There have al
ways been parties and there will al
ways be- In the last analysis public
opinion roles the country and il, the
people give the reins7 of government
to one set of people. they reserve the
right to take them back from those
people who do not govern wisely. She
told of her impression Of the two kind
of voters she had seen while on duty
at the polls, on election day and of
what she thought were the reasons
| for the difference between adherents
of the Republicans and Democrats
| parties. lisa