The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-09
THE AUSTRALIAN BILL.
Speech Of Representative Payson In
the House Of Representatives.

y 1S"eAO WIZ oPOAC bCAOtO tuc recess tlfs
morning. he had not made up his mind tc
speak unless certain things were said aboui
the city of Portland. Those things ham
pened to be said. consequently he was called
tt IN 70 speak. l haa told him this morning
that should not speak unless certain things
were said about the city of Portland which i
dld not 6eiieve to be true. These things
were SAID, and therefore feel called upon
as one OF the representatives from the CITY
vi IoItiand 70 express my views upon some
relative to that city. 1t Is true, as my col
league stated this morning, that there have
Deen some suggestions as to the course which
should be adopted by the representatives
from IRON that city upon this question. I do not
believe the position taken by my colleague is
false one. Ibelieve that any member of
the city delegation is entirely free to vote on
tnls question as his conscience may dictate.
It is true. however. and l simply speak of
IN se 70 show the sent
county convention certain resolutions were
adopted, and have copy of these resolu-
tions here and will read them to the House !;
RESOLVED, That the Republican party, being the
ballot is The safeguard Of the State and nation To
surround 1t with every possible protection Is a
part Of good government, and to this end the Re-
publicanS OF Cumberland county endorse the
secret system of voting with Official ballots.
Certain resolutions were also adopted at
the convention to nominated candidates for
this Legislature and will read those:
Resolved. That the purity of the ballot is the
safeguard Of the State ana nation. To surround
IL with every possible protection Is part of good
government. and to this end the Republicans OF
Portland endorse the secret system OF voting with
official ballots.
Now, my colleague from Portland. as /
understand him, said upon the floor of this
House this morning that the resolutions
adopted by the county convention aud by the
convention to nominate candidates for repre-
sentatives were tame, and referred to them
as somewhat similar to those adopted at the
state conventi0n-simply resolutions In favor
of purity of election. Now leave 1t to the
good judgment of this House il anything can
De palmer than the language used to show
that the Republicans Of the city of Portland
are in favor Of this Australian system of bal
lot. "And to this end the Republicans of
Cumberland county," "And to this end the
Republicans Of Portland endorse tho secret
system of voting with official ballots" Now,
gentlemen, the first statement that my col
league made with reference to the opinion of
denial. he denied that large proportion
Of the Republicans of Portland were In favor
Of this system of voting. As he warmed up
to his subject he then claimed that majori-
ty OF the Republicans Of Portland were
against It. Warming up still more. he then
claimed that vast majority of the Republi,
cans of Portland were against 1t, and going
even beyond that he made the assertion this
morning that he did not know a prominent
Republican IN the city Of Portland who fav.-
feel it necessary, gentlemen. to leave that
statement to the good judgment of this
House. l do not believe it calls for any de-
nial. 1 do not hesitate to stand here
and assert that In my iudgment-and of
extent. matter of opinion = that in my
Judgment large majority Of the citizens OF
Portland and of the county Of Cumberland
favor this secret system of voting with ofic-
ial ballots. say, In support Of this opinion:
Portland. with one exception, and that 1 will
refer to little later, but so far as | know
every weekly paper is 10 favor of this same
system. The one exception is the Evening
came out with an editorial in opposition to
this way of voting. After the bill had been
amended somewhat In the judiciary commit
tee and had been reported In this new draft,
taken. and may be. even the Evening Ex-
press in an editorial stated that some OF the
most prominent objections to the bill had
been removed, and although the Express, as
to unSsrS'ana Ss re- ys Is f assert sppfSsa sSs
Il is the only, paper in tine city Of
thing more upon this point. AS further
indication Of the opinion and wishes of the
citizens of the city Of Portland, at our last
Portland adopted for the caucus this very
system. What stronger evidence is needed
of the opinion of the city of Portland? One
thing more: Our city government within
two weeks has passed resolutions In favor of
the system and has instructed the clerk of
the city to send to each Of the delegation
here copy OF them, not as an instruction
but simply as an intimati0n, as an express
ion of the opinion Of the citizens of Portland.
Now. gentlemen, 1t seems to me that the dis
cussion upon this question is somewhat one
of expediency. While / believe that ques-
tions of public nature like this should be
discussed from higher standpoint than that
Of simple party expediency. yet / desire to
party, and as one who has always voted the
Republican ticket, believe that as matter
of permanent party policy no better measure
can be adopted. 1t has got to come soon,
and If we do n OF adopt 1t at this session of
on the Republican party, if the party remain
In power long enough, and If not adopted by
that party will be taken up by the Demo-
cratic party. Now, gentlemen, in closing /
have simply to say one thing. do not pro-
not propose to discuss the constitutional
question which was raised this morning by
my colleague from Portland, but / will leave
those matters to those who are informed. l
simply say that If the time has come when
the Republican party is to be no longer the
paw VI PAobkOors ~ WIG shlIO uao COMO WACA
the Republican party is afraid to
take its chances with any other party
under any honest system of voting, If the
time has come when members Of the Republi-
can party are so childish and unreasonable
as to refuse to vote under any System that
may be adopted by the party-and say that
with reference to the suggestion that was
made by the gentleman from East MachaS
this morning-and If the Republican party
must refuse to adopt any measure simply be-
cause the Democratic party happen to favor
It, believe the time has come when we had
better kill this bill and then kill the Republi-
can party. (Applause.] Now, gentlemen, let
US not be Ldeceived by the arguments that
have been made In opposition to this bill.
Every honest method has been resorted to by
the opponents Of the bill to kill 1t. Now let
the friends Of the bill rally to its support,
give 1t good majority in voting this after
noon, and let the wires convey to the people
ture has given them what they asked for.
[Applause