The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-09-20
MR.MANLEY WRITES AGAIN
Explains His Position on Result
mission.
n eiterates That Fee System Must
Go.

istOn Journal as follows:
1 have been somewhat surprised to find
that my letter to your paper of Septem.
Der 18th Is construed into an argument in
favor of re-submisston of the constitu-
tional prohibitory amendment to the peo-
pie. One distinguished gentleman has
gone so far as to say in the public prints
However easily Mr.. Manley may recon
cile with his ideas of political consisten-
cy his suggestion that distinctly Demo-
| cratic plank-resu bmiss1on--is worthy of
consideration by a Republican Iegisla-
ture, there are hosts of his political asso-
ciates who will not believe it goods poll
tics to endorse q proposition which, has
just been emphaticaIIy voted down at
her polls, and not for the tirst time eth
er'
And then intimates that 1t will be
wiser to postpone this question until at
ter the Republican party. has had an op-
portunlty to pass upon it. intimating
that If the coming legislature should see
fit to submit this question to the people.
it would SAVIOR of trick.
l have no fear that any one in Maine
win accuse me OF adopting Democratic
principles, or supporting Democratic
measures. 1 did not in my letter to
your paper write a sentence, line, or
word in favor of the coming legislature
resubmitting tho constitutional question
of prohibition to the people. So far as
the re-submisslon question is concerned
it will take care of itself. Whenever the
| 80 4.
ton resubmitted, they will have their
way, as they ought to have. L am not
afraid to trust the people So far as L am
Individually concerned. (and 1 speak for
no one but myself), I am ready to meet
this question tomorrow, next month,
next year, whenever the people desire to
have it met, or to leave it absolutely
alone
L submit that the past experiences in
our state prove that it is unWise to
submit any constitutional question at
the time of a general election. A ques-
ton so vital to the interests of the peO-
pie as change IN the organic law OF our
state, in my Judgment, should always
| be voted upon at a separate election,
when no other question is presented to
the people when 1t may be voted for or
against, free from all partisan control or
influence.
The question of prohibition is not a
political question. 1t rises above it. 1t
is moral question, and want to see {
acted upon IN this spirit. We all know
that the first Maine liquor law passed in
our state was enacted by a Democratic
Legislature and signed by a Democratic
governor. That would not deter me
from favoring prohibition. The point
OF my letter was not the question OF re-
submission and those who are seeking
to make it that are evading the real is
sue, and they know 1t, for There are
none so blind as those who Will not see.
What / insist upon, and I am speak
| ing not IN any sense as chairman of the
Republican committee, but expressing
my own individual opinions, is that the
time has come when the people of Maine
| viii demand that those in authority prac-
tice the utmost economy, that the legisla-
ture OF Maine redeem its pledge made
by both parties in favor of a re-adjust-
ment OF our systems of taxation, and up
on this point who can disagree When
the liquor laws which are upon our
statute books, placed there by the ex-
press demand and viii of the people,
/ should be vigorously. honestly enforced
in every section ana part of our state
Whatever the consequences are that
come from the enforcement of these
laws, wa are not to consider now. The
sovereign people have placed these laws
upon our statute books. Let us obey
them. Let US not stop to bubble wheth-
CT we have been in favor of their en-
forcement In the past or not Let us be
in favor of their enforcement from now
on, and let us meet fearlessly any ques-
tions which grow out Of their enforce
ment when they present themselves
have no fear of the people, neither have
1 any fear that the next legislature will
attempt TO play trick, neither Will any
body seek to have them play a trick
IN Of fhn eli
ture re-snbmission OF this question Of
| prohibition, IL VIII be the duty of the
/ legislature to re-submit it. 1t viii not
be their duty. in my opinion, unless the
people do demand it, and this question
can be taken care of as / have said
whenever 1t properly presents itself.
As to the fee system, / repeat what /
said in my first letter. that In my hum
bic Judgment, this system is obnoxious,
it is unfair, it is unjust, and it ought to
be wiped out. If the people agree with
me, that Will be the result If they do
not, it VIII remain, and I shall abide
the Judgment OF the people and indulge
in my opinion.
am perfectly well aware that the fee
system Is as old as our constitution, but
we have changed, we hay outgrown
many limitations ana many conditions.
For instance, the mileage system of ten
cents per mile in travelling, was inaugu-
rated In the days OF the stage coach,
when we had no other means Of cOmmu
nication, and was a fair and just allow
ance. But in these days when mileage
in no instance exceeds by rail three
cents per mile and stage coach riding is
hardly known, there Is no sense in an
allowance of ten cents per mile for travel
In the early days when business was
small there was very little to be done by
an officer, and the fee sys tenn might
have been right but we have now out
grown 1t, and any system which allows
to an official an income from his office
OF from five TO twenty thousand dollars. is
excessive, Is unjust, is beyond what the
people of the State of Maine, are able to
pay, ought to pay, or Will pay when they
know just what they are paying.
Pay everybod a fair, generous. and
liberal salary. Let everyone know what
an nlIicial l.ncni1zna nlhn ~ -. al.