Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-23
The Whole Truth.

characteristic Of it's editorial utter
ances, devotes nearly two columns of
its very valuable space to commenting
upon the fact that it printed some
what longer abstract of Governor
Cobb's speech before the New York
Maine society than was printed in the
Kennebec Journal. This is true. The
Sentinel also boasts that in it's issue
of Monday morning it published the
full report of the Governors speech as
it appeared in the Boston Herald on
Saturday" This we think is also true,
and far be it from us, to detract in any
way. from the remarkable newspaper
enterprise of the Sentinel in reproduce
ing it "'in full" in it's columns.
Now the Kennebec Journal never
undertook to reproduce the Herald
report "in full" 1t simply quoted
from it in an editorial under the
caption Governor Cobb on Enforce
ment," and therefore distinctly limited
it's quotations to those portions of the
speech which pertained to enforce
ment." 1t did not make any pretence
of quoting the Governor "in full" On
the contrary in introducing it's quota
tions bearing upon the subject of it's
editorial, viz. enforcement" it said
distinctly that Governor Cobb said.
IN PART" If the learned editor of
the Sentinel win give the matter care
full and thoughtful attention. he will
doubtless discover that a speech quoted
, Gin part" must, of NECESSITY differ from
one quoted sin full"
The Journal it, is true, quoted only
those portions of the Governors speech
that bore upon the subject it was dis
cussing. We were therefore able to
publish the editorial in question in
about third the space taken by the
Sentinel in reproaching us for not quot
ing portions of the speech that did not
apply to our text. IT, however. it will
relieve the lacerated feelings of our
that we fully agree with Governor
Cobb when he says that the pro-
hibition question has been the football
Of politicians" large number of
whom. it may be remarked in passing.
have been members of the Democratic
party. 1t was the recognition of
this fact, and the desire to take this
great moral question, so far as possible.
out Of politics, that led the legislat ure
OF Maine to vote. by an overwhelming
majority. to put the matter of enforc-
ing our prohibitory laws in charge of
non-partisan commission for-al-
though the Sentinel has, apparently en-
tirely overlooked the fact, both of the
great political parties in this State are
ably represented on the Sturgis Com
mission. Unquestionably the ;estab-
lishmcnt of this non-partisan commits
sion was the surest possible way of re-
lieving the enforcement of this law of
the hypocrisy that attached to it so
long as it remained in any degree a
football of politics. It was the impera-
tive demand of the people of Maine for
4 uniform and honest enforcement of
led to the establishment of the nom
partisan Sturgis Commission. While
it is true that the Sentinel has found
nothing quite bad enough to say of this
body. the fact remains that, under it's
administration, the hypocrisy COM
planned of by Governor Cobb has been
| pretty thoroughly eliminated. We
don't hear anything at the present time
! about the Bangor plan" or the Port
| land plan or any of the other plans
by which various communities sought
to nullify the plain provisions of the
law. 1t seems to be pretty generally
| conceded that under the administration
of the Sturgis Commission we are get
ting an enforcement of the law
that is uniform. impartial. and
honest. This is what the overwhelm-
ing majority of the people of Maine
have long desired. 1t has been no
small task to lift this great question
out of politics. and relieve it Of the
rampant hypocrisy that attended it's en-
forcement in various localities. The
establishment of the Enforcement Com
mission has apparently accomplished
| these desirable results, and that
is probably the reason why certain
about it.