Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-12
Shall the Day of Our Annual
Election be changed?

HhOSOhOh w Who'll
Mr.. George F. Talbot and the Portland
Argus. uniting their forces, have made q
solemn demand on the people of Maine
70 change the day of their annual election
from the second Monday Of September to
the first week in November. And they
make their demand with a tone of AFRO
gauce which implies, II it does not directly
declare, that no man can oppose their de-
sign except from corrupt or selfish motives.
At tho risk of offending two such great
powers as the Argus and Mr.. Talbot, we
venture to call attention to some leading
reasons why the day of our State election
should remain as it was fixed by the found
ers of our State, who declared in our Con.
stitution that 1.-The election Of Governor
Senators and Representatives shall be on the
second Monday Of September annually,
FOREVER"
Before finally decreeing to change this
We trust the Argus and Mr.. Talbot will
hear some arguments against it
arguments which if not persuading them
70 retain our present election day. will a,
least cause them TO look leniently on those
benighted men Of former generation,
who mot enjoying the Examinations of the
Argus. or the wisdom of Mr.. Talbot. Sc
lected the second Monday of September
for annual town meeting.
First. The Second Monday of Septem-
ber was not fixed as the day of our State
election by chance. 1t was the result Of
elaboration and investigation. Mr.. John
Holmes. & leading member of the Consti-
tutional Convention, declared that "the
object of the Committee was to fix on a
day between the former and the latter har-
vests, as the least busy season. and they
considered the second Monday of Septem-
Der ~ coming nearest that purpose" An
amendment was offered to make il the
third Monday" but Col. Moody Thought
it best - it stood; the third Monday COM
ing 20 near the equinox. the weather
would not probably be so favorable" The
amendment was rejected. and the second
Monday" was then concurred in. with ap-
parent unanimity. 1t does not appear to
have been stated In the Convention, but II
was known 1t the time, that meteorologi-
cal observations over Q long period, had
established the fact. that the last half OF
August and the first half Of September pre-
scented pleasanter weather, more free from
storm and rain, than any other thirty days
Of the year,-thus assuring as far as hu-
man calculation could, the best of wealth
or for "town-meetIng." and for the public
discussion and canvassing that precede
the voting in any Republican government
The wisdom Of selecting the day has been
abundantly indicated. as on the fifty
eight annual elections under our State
government 1t has rarely happened that
We have had anything else than the fAirest
and p!easautest Of days. For the last
twenty-five years there have been few
election days that were even cloudy, and
in that long period only two in which
travel In town or country was in the leas,
degrees unpleasant. But there is no need
Of sdducing statistics or parading tabular
statements. or making extracts from al
manacs 10 prove what every voter in
Maine knows, viz: that our annual cleo.
ton day ID. almost without exception
pleasant xnd cheerful, warm without being
hot. especially fitted for invalids to venture
out and 1t . season when roads are always
6ns both tor walking and riding.
Second: Maine has always held heI
Presidential election in November, as Mr.
Talbot and the Argus now demand
the State election shall be. We appeal Ia
the common experience and common
memory Of the voters Of Maine to sustain
a. in the assertion that nearly always the
Presidential election falls on an unpleas
mt day-bad walking, bad driving OF
muddy roads with rain or sleet or snow
pelting the adventurous voter in country
town who may have possibly, three. iou,
or Eve miles to travel, in order to reach
the town-house. The precise day advo.
Gated BY Mr.. Talbot and the Argus IL
"Ths Tuesday after the first Monday in
Novsmber"-varying thus from the second
to the eighth Of the month. Pray tell us
what has. been the weather in Move mber
this gear from the I'd to the 9th. The
snow storm Of last week would have been
apleasant accompaniment to rural pop
ulation vending their way over roads
made rough by storms, to the distant poll
ing place. n.
Third: It lie not only important that we
should have good weather on the day we
vote, but scarcely less important that good
weather should be enjoyed during the pre-
csding weeks, when the public canvass Is
progressing and the discussion is held on
public questions. To hold our elections in
November necessarily throws this discus
sion IN the last fifteen or twenty days OF
October. Will Mr.. Talbot or the Argus
pretend that outdoor meetings can be
held In Maine during the last half n,