Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-04

otions in reference to the payment of
the franchise tax" On motion by the
same senator, both these Eills were re-
ferred to the committee ON Judiciary.
on motion by Mr.. Sturgis of Cumber-
land, bill IAN Act to Incorporate the
Peaks Island Railroad Co." was taken
from the table. On further motion by
the same senator, the same was refer
red to the committee on railroads and
expresses.
The PRESIDENT. The conference
report on the disagreeing action of the
two houses in regard to the time of
adjournment has come back from the
House with the endorsement that the
House adEeres: which means, Simply
that the House will not grant any fur
Their committee of cOnfe renee and in
sists upon an adjournment to 4.3O
o'clock on Tuesday afternoon Without
any further action, both the House and
the Senate will have to return tomor-
row morning ut 10 O'clock.
Re -submission.
Majority and minority reports on
"ftesolVe for an amendment to the con-
Stitution by abrogating and annulling
amendment five adopted on the Sth dav
of September, in the year of our Lord
1884, relating to the sale and manufac-
ture of Intoxicating liquors." came up
by assignment. Majority report fought
not to pass" Minority report Fought
to pass" The pending question being
the acceptance of the majority report,
fought not to pass"
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Mr.. Presi-
dent, l move you that the minority re-
port be substituted for the ma jority re-
port, and upon that question l desire
| to say a word to this honorable body
| in regard to this matter
l have spoken upon this matter be-
fore. an / do not anticipate that | can
say anything that will be new or in
terestng to this Senate Mr.. President:
but it is a matter that concerns ne as
Il temperance man more than anything
else that has ever come before this
body.
Four years ago I asked that the same
thing be done-that q minority report
be substituted for Il majority on this
question: and l was turned down.
may be turned down today. But l
want to say that [ am perfectly SIN
cere in what l have to say upon this
question OF temperance. | am "oin:, to
speak not from any partisan stand
point: it is too important a matter, it
seems to me, to be discussed in any
such narrow way as that: it is one that
concerns us both in the economical and
the moral view more than any other
measure that has ever come before the
npnn1G Tn fact If iC q nIIaCf ion fhat in
terests more people in this country, to-
day, than any other question that is
being agitated.
/ was glad to see yesterday, the ac-
ton of the Senate in another matter
because through the thick gloom of the
present / think I discern the bright
ness of the future. l say that four
years ago it was my pleasure to intro
duCe into this honorable body an or
to strike out the arbitration clause the
greatest thrust that was ever made
against the common people of this
State, and 1 was turned down by the
committee and the Senate. I introduced
| it two years ago, and we were turned
down again, but yesterday it was
demonstrated that we have returned to
that grand fundamental principal of
the trial by jury that our forefathers
fought for for so many years; and
when l saw the light of day shining
once again on this question / Said-"I
won't despair as to the question OF the
resublnission of the prohibtory liquor
law"
There has been much said which has
been misunderstood by the people. 1
speak as a temperance man. l yield to
no man in favor of temperance. l would
yield to no man in doing all l can for
the upbuilding of this cause of tenn
perance in the State of Maine. | have
seen the prohibitory law for 80 long
years, resolving time and time again.
| doing this and doing that in favor Of
| temperance, and still it does not pro-
| hibit We are going from bad to worse
| all the time in the State of Maine, and
l deny that the prohibitory liquor law
| has the desired effect. If anyone will
convince me that it does prohibit | will
| vote with him, and do not care which
| party he represents.
| But when they say the only men in
| favor of prohibition are the rum Suz-
Zlers'' l take issue with the statement.
I am total abstainer. and I wish ev-
cry man was an abStainer from that