Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-06

| .'SA11ihd sFesy sxp2LsEr Ste9 JIG
iess fhaa ore half VIA, il cost znas,
tne oid system to print the ballots alone
10 Asiae, BY tie same proportions, /
would be oeeessary to print 400 900 ballot,
which would cest, including a!ver
hnng and distribution, $500. Tn,
extra inspectors for the COO poisins
places would involve an expense Of
5000 more. making 1850 q the entirs
expense of carrying IN election urdsi
ine Austfslian system or little over si1
cents for each voter. The entire expe o.
OF putting the polling places in READINGS,
for me proposed Law will be five cents and
. Dali Ter each voter.
Judge Sssarns--Whsse did yoa obtain
this Information - to the expense Of the
system Ia nassachusetss:
Mr. Emerson From Hon. Josiah Quincy
Of Boston.
Judge Sseasns-Where did he ne. III
Mf. EHsrsoE-From the beads Of the
elnsrens party organizations.
Mr.. SNOW Of Portland then addressed the
Committee. He quoted from the inaugural
addresses Of the governors Of the State for
macy years back TO show that bribery had
Tor long time been known 10 exis. in the
state. The penalties against bribery had
been constantly increased ia s.ringency.
surely IL there we're 10 bribery 10 Maize
Ibis course Of action would not have been
demanded.
Mr.. Talbot OF Lewiston said be came
forward a. Republican to favor the meas
ufe. He believed it was bill to which
ais party could give Just a. cordial q sup
port as the Dem ocrstic party. He did not
'hink there was any reason Why the de.
manes Of the people for this law should
not be aeceded to. He believed ths. il
would be vastly beneficial in securing clean
snd hoDest elections. II would even be
relief TO party managers themselves by
rendering it unnecessary to resort to the
n ethods OF organization. which party man
asers have felt Obliged to adopt in times
past.
Hon. Il. VI. Heath said he came With a
good deal Of reluctance AZ he felt assured
that the committee was fully competent to
mar die this or aoy other question. His
only apology was that he mad csen asked to
do 40 By the committee. He thought thai
a ihsjonty of the people Of Maine we're in
favor OF the straight Australian system
Tns petitions in 1857 came from the cries
and largely from manufacturing cities
Ihe petitioners were gwen leave to with
draw, a: that tim. this action WA proper
and doubtless consistent With popular sen.
tinent To-day the Conditions were differ
emit He had no question but what
an Overwhelmingly large majority
Of the people Of Maine were in favor OF
the syste m. such being the case uhy not
have IL. There was no misiaking the cur
rent OF pupular sentiment. II appeared in
The Hoods Of petitions; IN the position OF
the public press Of the State and it had
II bad been gwen expression in the message
ofGovernor Bnrleigh, not a, representing
simply coordinate branch Of the STATE
government but as voic.ns an overwhelm
ing sentiment Of the people of the State
which the speaker I'd r.4sor to believe
conceded with views which the Governor
had himself entertained for some time
He thought the system wss one that tlle
people Of the State should be permitted
10 try.
Labor Commissioner Matthews made al
eloquent plea fer the system. He said that
i wa, nov in successful operation id 3
free states representing popular govern
ment, and that S20C0,00 people exer-
csed the right OF suffrage under its provi-
sions. He Believed that 1t was coming
He knew that he represented in favorins
this bill over 30, 900 Of the lsboring men OF
the State who were earnestly DESTROYS that
il should become law.
Hon A. l.. Lumbert of Houl.on al
dressed The committee in opposition to the
bill. He did not believe that it was de-
sired by number of the counties. l.
passed he believed that the fourth Con.
gressional district would be dragged into
the arrangement under protest We bad
used the present system for 20 years and
had prospered uodsr it He didn't be
lievc any such deplosab,s cond ton of af-
fairs existed as has been claimed. II this
measure would stop bribery be would mo-
oppose it. but he did not believe that such
would be tbs result He quoted Mr.
Murchie of Calais to show that in Canafis
bribery had actually incre asei under the sys-
tam, many ways had been discovered to cir
cumvent the Law. He had no doubt that in
Australia when this measure WAS adopted
there was indeed au upsa isfsctory con
dition of sffsirs; but no such condition
existed in Maine, and he did not believe
that the people of the State desired such
method Of votiog. CeftsinIy there was
notbiog in the petitions that had thus ia,
come in " hich Indicated that such was the
case. Until there vas more general d.
mand for legislation OF this character, Re
thought it would be wise thing to let we'll
enough sl9ne
Judge Wing of Auburn said tat re
might seem little oidfsshioaed, but
he didn't believe there was any uecessit,
for change in the system of voting uraef
which the State had prospersd for seventy
years lie dill not b, lieve that there was
any such condiion of widespread bribery
~ had been CLAIMED. II was always the
way Of defeated candidates TO .hout bribery.
they ddu't lie to acknowledge thst
they had be beaten in ffee,
fair bsllot They desired to break the
conoussio1 that come from being 1t down
in defeat The Judge believed that it was
an honor I, 90 TO the polls freely and
openly ard cast ballot. and that our cit
zens, gems orally. felt proud of this privilege.
Hon. john L Cutler of Bangor, said he
did not believe that there WAS any call for
the adoption Of the secret ballot, or that
ATTY such condition of bribery prevailed
as had been claimed.
Mr. George II. Ray Of La Crosse, Wis.
said that the Australian system of voting
had given general satisfaction in that State
General Mitchell of Bangor said he be
l;eved that elections bavs been rs fair and
pure 40 could reasonably be expected. He
had been surprised to hear the serious
charges shat had been made sgaiast the
FOOD name Of the State l such 4 condition
Of eff Airs xists he hal csrtaiulS never seen
snytb;ng 10 indicate it. In the % wears thst
he had exercised the right of suffrage, he
had never lad AIRY one attempt 10 purchase
ri, vote He believed il WAS only fair 0
ia I9e other men by himself
.'Do you read the Bsngor Wing - asked
Mr. Clason.
Yes, have been subscriber 10 the
weekly for % years.
"Dd you read lis article after the
election of 1892
"Yes."
Were its .tatements Of wholesale
bribery correct:
II dol't know.
juice Robios5n of Camden said ne dill
nos knew What might be the sent
ment In other seciions of the
STATE. but he did know that III
Knox county the sentiment was slmos;
upaninously 10 its favor The Democrats
,ere fer it and the Republicans were for
il Al the last Republican, c'unly conSen-
ton ever which he hsd the honor TO pre-
aide. there were strong resolutions erdars-
ing il. He ioIt Of Young man whom he
-, c,ru, IN the polling place in Els Dwf,