Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-20

has to "step on err a bit more,
cover more ground. shake more
hands, tell the same old story few
more times and kiss a few more
babies.
There's story of a certain Maine
man who was campaigning for one
of the highest offices in the gift of the
State. He owned several expensive
cars-it was in the times before
sedans, coaches and coupes were so
common-but he felt that none of
these should be used in a campaign
among the common folks. He had
never driven a Ford, but he bought
one just the same. He used it one
day and half. threw discretion to
the winds, turned the Ford over to
some friends and climbed back into
his own big car with his chauffeur.
So far as the stage effects were con-
cerned, he was all right, but not
knowing how to run Ford. he was
in greater difficulty trying to keep
the engine cool than he was in trying
to keep the political pot boiling.
Personal contact,-that's the thing,
says the candidate today. The auto
| mobile is the only thing that will
give him the contact he desires, eX-
cept his messages through the news
papers. But he feels that the voter
should have a chance to look at him.
see whether he shakes a hard fist or
| fish-tail grip and acts like human
being.
During every primary campaign in
| Maine, the automobile is at the
front. Would-be sheriffs, county
clerks, county commissioners, rep
| resentatives to the Legislature,
congressman. Governors. Senators
| and all the rest hop into either their
own cars or the cars of some friends
and get out into the country to cam
vass for votes.
After the primary is over, 1t is still
a case of business as usual so far
as the campaigning is concerned.
More speaking meetings must be
held. A candidate for State office
may have to speak in Augusta in the
morning, in Bangor at noon and in
PASSPORT at night. He is able to do it
with a few impromptu meetings in
between if he sticks to his political
automobile. BY using the automo-
bile, on carefully thought out
itinerary, candidates have actually
spoken in fourteen different towns in
the State of Maine in one day. n
In one campaign of recent years, a
every town in Knox county including
those places on islands off the coast.
He used only three days for the
work, but the motorboat came TO the
aid of the automobile. Even as it
was, he was up at daylight each
morning and didn't get back to bed
until midnight.
Just to show how the automobile
can not only bring the speaker but
collect the audience Is proved by an
other incident. Back in 1914, Hon.
j. Hampton Moore. congressman from
Pennsylvania and later mayor of
Philadelphia. was scheduled to make
a speech in an Aroostook county
town.
He boarded train of the Bangor
& Aroostook and was peacefully
headed for one of the towns far up
country. THE train stopped at a
small station. A local. Republican
worker got aboard. located Mr.. Moore
and said:
Here's where YOU get off for
i speech
I've had no word of it," replied
Mr.. Moore. I'm scheduled for Carl
bou.'
"Oh that's all right" remarked the
committeeman. We'll get you there.
The county committee has Just told
me you could give 9. speech here"
SO Mr.. Moore left the train
climbed into rather decrepit look