Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-16

| fi''''p. i'Nit - 40 IllIllI To Tie Num-
her of deputies they could appoint who
would get So per day and expenses.
| They might appoint Il deputy for every
| city and town. This would make AN
annual expense of $400. 900 for the Stare
| That is the maximum ana the mimi
| mum would not be less than $50 900
| The people of Maine are asked 10 AZ
sum" this wholly unnecessary burden
| Just because Cumberland county NOW.
| HAS 4 sheriff who fails to enforce The
| Law. The bill is an insult to the neo-
| lie of the state. There used to be 4
| State conStabulary law. but ii WIS
| repealed after 20 years of trial and en-
| torcement was allowed to go back into
| the hands of the people where il be
! longs. There is no general demand for
| such a commission as this bill would
create With - counties having hon.
| est enforcement. il i'll becomes Il few
| people in Cumberland county to ask
| the whole state To assume such a Il
| nancihl burden. Such Il law WAS
never proposed in amy State. 1t Is
| wholly wrong III theory. 1t insults our
people. 1t insults the l. counties
which are satisfied with the present
| law. II should never disgrace the
| statute book Of Maine"
| Inc next speaker MS John NJ Todd
| 81 Portland. 4 veteran TEMPERANCE
worker who sig:itd thc pi,d dye in 1929
ana las never broken it. He declared
~ Stf"nS opposition to the bill. There
= EtH enough now" he said more
| 'hail IAN be enforced in TACT. Let us get
ne people up TO executing the present
i'cH'or" the mandatory clause for
Is Improvement of rumsellers ana
''iNe us the constabulary law again If
are /" De made in the presen.
H'"Sl efectlV" way Of enforce
= :" proceed against the owners
- buildings where liquor is sold,
SECRETARY Braun of the Maine Sta+a
fedefation OF Labor. spoke. STRONGLY, in
FAVOR Of the bill and &c cl:,red ,ba, ~
w" n''mberS of labo.. unions in Main.
ASK II as means OF proinntinc temnar-
;tn"e conditions. Rev. A. =. Rishe.. oc
brunswick. Hol. Hiram Knowlton a.
''ortiand. Representative LittletieLl of
t'ockLnld and !,nv. c. T.. Owen of Wa
trrNIl!e all spoke in favo.- Of the bin
Mr.. Hisbec likaled he measure. to the
liiW providing for Wa:lrnS to assist in
enforcing the game laws. Mr.. Knowlton
Salu mat Cumberland conditions wnra
never 50 bad rs they are today and that
more law is needed to ncet them lie
declared that Massa "huSetts money is
now being sent to Maine to defeat This
Sturgis bill.
representative Reed Of Portland who
vas present arose to question Of
privilege and said that such an infer
dnct was Il reelection upon the honor If
the House ami demanded an exnlano
non from Mr.. Enowlton The latte,
earnestly protested that he meant no
fef"ction upon the House or any MEM
Ger. blt that he was stating what he
aad heard. \ man in Il position IN
KNOW had told I'm that money WAS TO
De used to defeat the bill Mr.. Reed
asked for the name of the man I'm.
VT. Enowiton refused to give it ana
the Incident was closed.
In his argument in defence of the bill. |
Representative Littleiield of Rochllnd |
Sald. 1t may be true that no more
law IS Needed against the liquor traffic
Out more law is needed to make exist
Ing laws effective. With q State com |
hIlSsloli to enforce the law if local Off |
Gals tail to enforce it, public sentiment |
Will not ALLOW the latter to neglect en- |
iortel1ent. This would result in half OF |
the fines being diverted from the conn
" To the State treasury and the neo- |
pie would not allow this to be done |
Inc expense would not be much more.
than salaries of commissioners. The
ldeii or the bill is not so much a State
board to enforce the laws as for a COM
sion to he ready when local authorities
fail If the rrohibtory law cannot
stand full and fair enforcement il
should be repealed
The strongest argument of the day
against the bill was then made by
County Attorney Leigh of Kennobec
county. who spoke on behalf of the
county attorneys of the State. - of
Whom were present i'm person or by LET
ter in unqualified OPPOSITION to the
measure. Said Mr.. Leigh. q I believe
In strict enforcement and in the past
two years we have sent o. Kennebec
ru,nsellers to Jail. After four years ex-
rerience as Il prosecuting officer | am
firmly convinced that the Sturgis bill
II became law. would be only q
stumbling block in the way of en-
forceinent. 1t would certainly result i'm
friction between the State ana county
officials and between the state deputies
and our courts. The result of the law
would be the creation of Il State COM
mission to pass upon the consciousness
OF our county attorneys. I prefer 10 an
swer to my constituents for the faith
full performance of my duty. not to a
state commission. Let the Governor
and Council be given power to remove
unfaithful officials. if thought best,
bat do not make Il state board with
unheard of powers as this one would
possess. The bill is vicious III rrinci-
pie and would be unfruitful in results
doubtless many honest temperance
men believe in the bill. but they fail
to understand what it means. Thu
county attorneys are emphatically
against it,"
Following Mr.. Leigh came A. c.
StilpEen of Gardiner L. L. Walton of
Skowhegan. and County Attorney
Powers of HoultOn. who spoke briefly
ana strongly against the bill. The hear
ing was closed by Mr.. Sturgis. who
l L. L !