Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-19

There is young Republican in
Augusta from whom Maine expects
much in the years ahead. He is going
to be the next speaker of the Maine
House of Representatives. Not yet 40
years old, his political rise in the last
seven years has been nothing short
of meteoric.
1.-THE name Of Burleigh Martin sug-
gests two of the ablest l eaders
that Maine political history has ever
known. 1t is small wonder that he
exhibits extraordinary capacity as a
party organizer and vote getter, for
he bears these names by the privilege
of kinship.
Grandfather a U. S. Senator
"His grandfather was the late Ed
win c. Burleigh, United States Sena-
tor from Maine when he died decade
ago, and was long the head of the Re-
publican organization in this State;
and his father was the late DR.. Rob-
ert Martin of Augusta, dynamic
young leader of the Maine democracy
when it was climbing out of the grave
in which the civil war had buried 1t
full generation before.
In the last few years the vote
getting ability of young Martin has
been the envy of political candidates
all over the state. If there was ever
any question of the regard In which
he is held by the electorate here
abouts, or of his ability as an or
ganizer or vote getter, it was dis
carded with a vengeance at the state
election last month.
Mayor Ernest L. Mclean, Demo
crat. running for Governor against
tod hn Rifxy hxr q vote
of 2609 to 2055, enthusiastically, the
county as we'll by a substantial mar
gin. At the same time that Mclean,
a Democrat. was piling up a majority
of 554 in this city. young Martin.
running on the Republican ticket for
reelection to the House Of Represen-
tatives, received a vote of 1886,
against 1471 for the higher of two
Democratic representative candidates.
Naturally, Mclean received
complimentary vote in his home city,
but it is easy to see that with the
city and county both going Democra-
tic, the majority of 1855 which Martin
received was something more than
complimentary. 1t was q genuine
tribute of the regard in which Re-
publicans and Democrats alike hold
him.
Graduating from Bowdoin in 1910
and from the Harvard law school
three years later, young Martin came
back to his home city to practice law.
His inheritance combined with his
personal inclination, and in a few
years he was in politics.
First he served in the common
council, and then in 1918, only eight
years out of college, his political ship
left port for deeper waters. The Re-
publicans of Augusta wanted can
didate for mayor. None Of the older
political leaders cared to make the
fight. The salary is not high and the
other rewards few. But Martin saw
in it a chance to serve the city and
at the same time an opportunity for
advancement So more because there
was nobody else available than any
other reason, young Martin received
the nomination.
Declines denomination
ITO the surprise of everybody, Re-
publicans and Democrats alike, he
swept the city. He served as mayor
in 1919-20, one Of the youngest that
the city ever had, and one of the most
successful. He declined nomination
the following year and stepped into
state politics.
HE has already served two terms
In the state legislature, and has just
been elected for the third term. Now
he is a candidate for the speakership,
and that office is conceded him. To
be sure, there is opposition-few
offices in this state are allowed to go
by the board without contest.
Cautiously enough, the opposition
in this case comes from a former
Bowdoin classmate, Robert Hale Of
Portland, former Rhodes scholar
from this state. More than three
fourths of the Republican member
ship in the House have already given
pledges to Martins candidacy, with
several members still to be heard
from, so his election as speaker is a
mere formality.
Few men In Maine ever inherited
greater political sagacity than young
Martin. Senator Burleigh, his grand
father, who had been governor of
Maine for four years and long in the
national House of Representatives
before he went to the Senate, battled
his way to leadership Of his party in
Maine by demolishing the Joseph H.
Manley machine, which was the logi-
cal successor of the earlier Blaine
machine.
'Tn those days the party machine
was an organization worthy of the
name. The leader led; his lieutenants
did his chores for him, and the rank
and file of the party followed Loyalty.
Burleigh was considered a rank
outsider when he moved to Augusta
from northern Maine, where he had
carved a fortune from the timber
lands. He bought the Kennebec
Journal and was on the road to the
governorship and to Washington. 1t
was quiet battle for Burleigh was
never the noisy sort. He was not a
speechmaker and attempted very few
public addresses in all his public
career
But he had a rare genius for or
ganization. He knew everybody and
remembered them. He kept his prom
ises. He harbored no resentments.
He was always square. His lovable
personality and his painless methods
in getting results won him the loyal
support of men who had begun by
being his bitter enemies.
Supreme in G. o. p. Affairs
after he was governor he regulat-
cd tho c1,ooaSSior1 fay, -, ~,