Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-19
Jour POLITICS CLEAN
SAYS EX-G0V. BAXTER
FAVORS PRIMARY

shu SsAS stshtbsHts
Among those, who addressed the
Republican meeting of the Congress
Square Hotel Portland, Thursday
evening, was Ex-Governor Baxter.
1T is a pleasure to be here this
evening where there Is such an opti-
mistic atmosphere" he said in open
ing. candidates for Office always
are hopeful before the Primaries
and / doubt If there is anyone pres
ent who does not fully expect to
win the nomination. That is as it
should be, for one seldom wins I'M
less he has good courage and goes
about with a smiling countenance.
| have been through 1t all myself
and know just how it feels.
A Primary is in the nature of a
sporting" event and should be en-
tered into in that spirit. Although
at least one-half of the candidates
present are doomed to disappoint
ment / have reason to believe that
they will take their defeat in good
part and when the election comes
will do their best to help those who
are successful. There is no other
way to keep alive an active Party
organization. Everybody respects a
cheerful loser and is glad to help
Sutu d OHe WIEN duOLleE OCCdSlOH
offers. There should be no bitter
ness in honorable defeat.
1 remember several years ago.
was candidate for the Speakership Of
the Maine Legislature and had rea-
son to believe tht l would secure
the nomination. During the last few
hours before the vote came l found
my cause gradually slipping but did
not relax my efforts. When the
count was taken 1 was considerably
behind my opponent but promptly
stood up and moved that Mr.. Bon
ney'S nomination be made unanimous.
That same evening a telegram from
my father, who was in Boston came
to me and in it he said do not be
discouraged, failures are stepping
stoneS to success. He was right.
My defeat was a disappointment,
but no doubt was the best thing
that could have happened for 1t
feated as Speaker in 1917, l became
Goveror in 1921. This may serve to
cheer up those Of you who are go
ing to lose next Monday. Your de-
feat may lead you on to even higher
positions than those you now seek.
People often ask me why l am a
Republican. My reply is because
believe that the affairs of the State
and Nation are handled more salts
factorily and for the greater interest
of the greater number by the Re-
publicans than by members Of the
other party. My opinion is based
upon the history of the State and
Nation during the past seventy
years since the birth of our Party.
I am not Republican just because
I ljira ba INIT haagncn 7 hp-
lieve in the principles for which the
Party stands and in the integrity
of it's leaders.
We all agree that the welfare OF
the State should come ahead of that
of the Party, and that the welfare
of the Party should be placed be-
fore that OF the individual. We
should not, however, become often
sively partisan for all thinking peo-
pie must recognize that in the Dem
ocratic Party there are men of as
high ideals and as public-spirited as
those in our own. The Democrats
are just as loyal to our Country as
we are, but they travel a different
road toward the same end good
government. There are honest diff
ferences of opinion between us.
! Even though we recognize the good
points IN our opponents we 90 not
intend to turn over to them the af-
fairs of our State and Nation.
l have said that the Party is
bigger than the individual. and in
dividuals who are candidates for of
flee and who hold positions of pub
lie trust should always keep this in
mind 1t is not always easy, how
ever, to subordinate ones self to the
Party and to overlook wrongs that
have been done us by our party as
sociates. Where a man has wronged
us or been ungrateful when we have
helped him into office. It is human
nature to resent it. The lines of bit
terness, however, too often deepen