Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-13

ciples by helping the party in every
way. The heart of our party is
sound and true.
AS President Cleveland once said.
I'VE face a. condition not theory"
II we Republicans are to win in the
coming campaign, the people of
Maine. must be, given to understand
that the Republican party is not I'M
der the, domination of any group or
influence. All small and petty
schemes and 'spiots- must be thrown
into the discard. and the Republicans
of Maine must unite in the support
of President Coolidge and his admin
istration.
seq $50 sku kIux Khan ..
The most uncertain element in
Maine politics today is the ku klux
Khan whose members claim to be
10000 American" and who openly
state they will control the next leg
islature and elect their own" gov
ernor. This organization is growing
daily and opposition seems to
strengthen it. It's program is well
defined, its leaders aggressive.
Opposed to the Khan are several
groups with divided leadership and
mixed motives. These groups, al
though uKlan, with propriety
consider themselves equally 10000
American" Ons both sides of this
unfortunate division are Republicans,
and as result the Republican party
is endangered. l do not question the
good citizenship, the loyalty or the
Americanism of any of those of
whom l speak, Khan or Khan,
and have may friends on both sides.
/ meet all on equal ground, with
everything open and above board,
and deeply regret that religious dis
sension is rampant throughout the
state and that the split between
races. sects, and creeds daily grows
wider
Secrecy
Secrecy is deplorable and the mask
is q two-edged sword. Within the
year three gentlemen came to my
office at Augusta and Introduced
themselves as "klansmen." I greeted
them cordially as Citizens" or the
State. told them that my Office was
open to everyone however exalted
or humble, but declined 20 receive
them as members of any secret order
on secret mission. AT first they de-
INJURED. but as I insisted and wanted
no misunderstanding Of my position,
they finally yielded and were re-
cetVed simply as citizens" With my
office door wide open. We mad a
pleasant conference upon public af-
fairs. If the good men ana women
Of this State will come out In the
open and frankly discuss their diff
ferences, an end soon would come to
present distrust and suspicion.
We all believe in law ana In its
vigorous enforcement by the regular
ly constituted authorities. Such en-
forcemcnt l support to the limit of
my ability. and the time VIII not
come during my administration when
the secret will of any organization,
he it Catholic or Protestant, Will be
substituted for the orderly process of
law.
Governor Bakers Three Issues
The principal issues between Khan
and Anti Khan, between Protestants
and Roman Catholics and their SYM
pathisers are three: No public money
Tor sectarian schools; revision of our
lax exemption laws; and the Bible III
the Public Schools. The official rec
ords OF the Legislature show that the
first was originally brought out and
advocated by me in my inaugural ad-
dress. 1t received the necessary two
thirds vote in the House. 81 70 81, hut
in the Senate failed of passage by
seven votes. The second and third
were both drafted and introduced at
my suggestion and became law.
These issues can be discussed calmly
and reasonably and the 1925 Legis-
latIrc, if Republican, will no doubt
give them wise and careful consid-
GRAFTON.
Protestant schools will suffer more
than Catholic, if the nom sec,arian
amendment is passed. for the Com
missioner of Education reports to me
that Methodist, Baptist and Quaker
academies will lose S18,57732, while
those of the Catholics lose but $500.
Moreover. no money is paid by the
State to parochial schools These
questions. however, are or great i'm
portance for Il principle is at stake
and our public schools must pe pro-
tectcd against encroachmenr
General T.. S. Grant once SAID mot
one dollar appropriated for the sup
port Of schools shall he appropriated
tor any Sectarian school"
He meant either Catholic or Protest
ant. ! regret on Armistice Day to sec
the children of our public schools
marching under one school banner
and separated from these OF the
Catholic schools marching uncer an
other. But after all. over both
groups flies the American flag. tlfey
all are American children, and the
same loyalty and love OF country
beats in all their childish hearts.
10th sides have erred An unfor-
tunate attack was made Oh our pub
lie schools, which revoked Il reply.
Our people noW are in hostile camps.
They forget that there arc otncr I'M
portant issues at stake in Name In
years past. the dividing line between
citizens was party" RepuH.can and
Democratic. Party principles were
involved and tho records or aGmin-
istrations We're scrutinized Today,
racial and sectarian animosItics seem
to lave taken the place OF parties
and to have become campaign ISSUES.
1t is most dcplorable tina, these
should dominate the politics, si5ua
ton.
Tolerance 10 Gone
Maine formerly was state Of Toll
erance. Party harmony and respect
for each others opinions. religious
and political, prevailed. That com
mendable condition has passed and
now families and communities are
divided. and there is an uhdercurrent
of discomfort and suspicion SO un-
relenting is the conflict that every
candidate for Office. from lowest to
highest, is put TO the tost-"ilan or
Anti Klan?" In the State House
men holding administrative positions
about whom there is no faint OF sec
tartan prejudice are being threatened
with defeat unless they declare
themselves. Certain departments arc
criticized because of the religious be-
liefs of some of their employees. II
this continues, our voting lists no
longer will be marked with capital
ar" or 3D., but with letters den0ting