The Portland daily press., 1891-03-20
THEY ARE NOW WHERE THEY STARTED,
Senator Spears Substitute Passed
by the Senate.
Belief That the House Will Follow
suit.
A Senator Fixes Date Of Adjournment
''on or Before the 27tn.''
Especial to the Press.1

which is always present when this matter
comes up. II knowledge of the affairs of
legislation is requisite for woman suffrage
the ladies of Augusta might be ready to
vote. They are present in large num- moers
when anything Of Importance comes up and
formed a large part of the audience today.
The pending motion was one to accept the
majority report Of the committee In favor of
the bill, 1t being understood If this report Is
accepted Mr.. Spear will move to substitute
the bill introduced by him, which is the orig
inal Australian ballot measure as introduced
by Mr. Clason. When the matter came up
this forenoon, by assignment, Mr.. Ryder
moved to substitute the minority report. He
said that this was a question upon which
the people of this state differed. Whether
or not there was majority of the people op-
posed to this measure he did not know, but
he did know that there was strong and re-
spectacle minority of the people opposed to
1t. 1t was not true, as had been stated, that
the Republican party was opposed to any
measure for purifying the ballot but Mr..
Ryder believed that the sentiment of the
party was against such radical change in
the election system of the state as that con-
templated by this BILL 1t must be admitted
that the opponents Of the bill are sincere,
but seldom had there been a case where
abuse had been beaped upon those who OPP
posed message as 1t had been in this case
by the leading Republican papers of the
state and the jealous friends Of the Austria
lian system. They had seemed rather to
have been bent upon establishing their own
predictions than treating the matter fairly.
Mr.. Ryder read the editorial from the New
York Press on the action Of the House on
this matter. The editorial referred to the
bill as having been defeated by certain ele-
ments of the Republican party. This editorial
was reprinted in the Kennebec Journal. Mr..
Ryder protested against this. He said 1t
was an insult to the majority ofthe House Of
Representatives, a respectable minority of
the Senate and he believed majority of the
people of the state. Especially out of place
was this statement when printed in the Ken
nebec Journal, the official paper of the lcgts-
lature and one which owed its very existence
10 the contracts awarded it by the state.
From the beginning of the session. while
this matter was under discussion, the Ken
nebec journal said nothing until after the
contract for the state printing had been
awarded to them. Then they INDUCED in
this insult.
The Republican party had always been in
the state and nation the advocate of advance
ment and reform. They were today. When
1t was shown that corruption existed in the
state as the friends of this measure were
shown, when 1t was shown that the seats
held by the members of this legislature were
tainted with fraud. then, If 1t could be
shown that this bill would do what was
claimed for it, 1t would be adopted. The
state convention and the county conventions
would instruct their nominees to vote for 1t.
This bill was introduced In the legislature
two years ago and was then fully discussed.
and its friends had kept up the discussion
since then. But they failed to get 1t en-
dorsed in the Republican state convention.
and of the thirty one Senators and one hun
dred and fifty-one Representatives In the
legislature only five came here instructed to
vots for 1t. Did that show great sentiment
in its favor? Mr.. Ryder believed that before
the legislature voted to adopt measure
which would make such radical changes In
the manner of conducting elections. they
should know that the people desired it. or
the 125,OOO voters in this state, only 5000 had
petitioned in favor of the bill, less number
than those disfranchsed In other states by
the operation of similar laws.
The burden of proof was on the friends Of
the measure. They were to show that the
condition of things in this state demanded
q reform. On several occasions the judiciary
committee gave hearings on this matter At
these hearings, gentlemen who advocated
the bill, one of them being member OF the
National Republican committee, denied that
corruption existed in this state to any con-
siderable extent. Two years ago, member
of this Senate In advocating the bill, said
that he did not believe, so long as men were
dishonest and selfish, any law could be
passed which would stop corruption. Why.
then, should this bill, If its friends admit
ted that no necessity for it existed at this
time be passed now?
Mr.. Powers of Aroostook followed Mr.
Ryder. He said that he did not rise like his
friend from Penobscot to apologize for his
course. He was not afraid to take the re-
sponsibiity for his action. 1t made no diff
ference to him what had been the course of
the members Of the other house. He was
answerable only to his conscience and to his
constituents and at that bar he had no fear
to appear. He did not sympathize with In
suits to those upon the one side or the other
of this question. He thought the extract
read from a newspaper by the gentleman
who preceded him was libel upon the men
opposing this measure whom he knew to be
of the bone and sinew of the Republican
party Mr.. Powers admitted that it was the
duty of the friends of this measure to give
reasons for its passage, but at the outset he
| said that he. as we'll as other friends OF the
| bill, did not believe the statements of gen
tleman from Portland made before the ex
| ecutiye committee to the effect that bribery
| and corruption In Maine were wide spread
| This statement. however. had been per
sistently thrust forward by the opponent:
| of the Australian system as representing
| the sober judgment of its friends. Yet Mr.
| Powers could not accept the statement
| made with such child-like conide nee by tn
| oppopents of this bill that no bribery ex
| listed In Maine. He was not very old mai
/ Dub ne COulu ItlucuDOL OompoiehS - VAS
state where charges Of bribery were made
| The opposition to the bill had taken as proc
| of corruption In Canada newspaper state
ments of bribery at the polls. When sue
statements were made as affecting tn!
state, they did not regard them as worthy
consideration.
Mr.. Powers spoke of the species OF intlm
dation which might be exercised by ma
over another who was dependent upon hin
He advocated this system as he would an
which would tend to render the carrying OF
of a contract. Under the present system
voter could be accompanied TO the ballot bo
itself and watched while he deposited hi
ballot.
But 1t is urged that the system wonld be
cloak or soreheads, scratchers and kicker
Mr.. Powers did not believe that the Republ
can party was In the ascendancy In tn
state because 1t received the votes OF such
element. When man became sorehead
did not remain long in the party. HE wei
into the prohibition party, the natural refui
of soreheads and kickers. 1t Is also sa
that this new method of voting would owe
throw q time-honored system. Under u
, old system of rotten boroughe, some of q
brightest men which ever adorned the Br
ish Parliament, held their seats. but that
| not prevent the adoption of better systel