Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-24
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Three.)

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~in not submit that question to them
You NAV ask who is behind this Dill.
rwentv.f,ve thousand petitioners of the
labor unions Of the State OF Malne-so'"o
of the xraneers of the State Of Maine and
y oo members of the Civic League. max
ing a total Of nearly 1000 who come here
ana ask for the passage Of this law.
Who il behind 1t? The people of the State
Of Maine are behind it. regardless OF par
~. It is no party measure; there Is no
polittcs in it, but the people of the State
of Maine are demanding 1t, and they ara
Demanding It at our hands
But, sir. some will say. "Why. II you
mass this bill-here are some 800 or SU or
400 or 800 acts that have gone through
this LEGISLATURE this winter that the peo-
DIE of the State of Maine will demand
that they have a right to vote upon
Now. that is not so, that does not follow
there may not he one act passed by this
LEGISLATURE where the people VIII petltioh
and ask for a referendum. II the laws
are inst and they are such as the people
believe in, then there will be no petitlon
and there will be no referendum. why
gentlemen, consider what we are. VINO W.
are. and what our position is relative 10
the rest OF the State. We are here IN the
capaci.v OF agents for our constituents
NOT orlv our immediate constituencies
Int when We have assembled mere anu
have taken our Oaths to do our u"'S do
representatives. we then become the rep
resentativ"s of the entire state ana as
such what is our duty? we are the "'eie
agents Of the people We are here as the
agents of the people and servants OF the
n.ople and we should be guided and De
u,,l,np 70 he bound by their wishes. anu
81 in the haste of legislation we pass a
law that the people of the State of Maine
don't want. then they should have the
privilege of having it submitted to them.
and II a majority Of the people Of the
State Of Maine say that that law IS NOT
in accordance with their wishes they don
want to be governed by such law. that
II IL detrimental to their interests-if the
ma fority of them say so. then 1t does not
become a law. Who is to be harmed
by it"
Now. Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen. l
have often heard it said around this State
House that the third branch of this Leg
islature has about as much influence on
the floor of this House as any other
branch. and has about as much to do with
the legislation that goes through TINS
House. What would this initiative ana
referendum do for those gentlemen? 1t
would consign them to their homes. De-
cause with it no longer could they lobpy
bills through this House or kill bills that
are introduced in the interest OF the PEG
ple of the State of Maine. Because why
Because if the people said those laws were
wrong, and they had right to have them
referred 70 the people, then the ioppS
that is around this State House for any
thing that is unjust and for anything that
Is wrong would be done away WITH be-
cause they would know and fully under
stand that the people Of the State Oh
Maine would have a voice in saying
whether that law shall take effect or not
7 saw to YOU, Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen
of the House, / believe this Is Dill
frauxht with more good to the people OF
tho state of Maine than any bill that mas
come before this House this winter. Are
VOL afraid to go into your respective
towns and say to your fellow citizens who
have confidence enough in you to send you
here-are you afraid to say TO them' W."
have PASSED a law this winter whereby
YOU may have a direct voice. II neces-
sary, a direct right to initiate iegisia-
ton if you want to do it.
The gentleman from Boothbay Haroor
has handed me this. This treferrins 10
this Housed is in itself only referendum
1t can only be adopted after majority
of the voters voting for it.. Ana that
is true to a certain extent They come
here to us and refer to our several COM
mittees the propositions which they ask
to become law. The committees report 10
whom? To the referees-to the referen-
dum-you. gentlemen; and this bill
simply asks if the people demand IL
that YOU refer it to the people them
selves, and give them an opportunity
to saw what the law shall be. we
have arrived today at a place where
the people have voice. We want
this extended a little further. What
do we do in every state and national
election? In the first place in our plat
form we lay down the general rules by
which our party shall be governed.
That is the initiative. Then we go TO
the people upon that platform and ask
them to sustain the men whom they
nominate as the representative of the
people to carry out the initiative. You
refer it to the people and there you
.have got the referendum again. And
when the National Congress passes a
law that does not suit the majority
Of the people of the United States what
do they do in the very next campaign
They turn down that party and install
in power another party that will prom
Use to do that which they want to have
done. 1t is only carrying a step fur
ther this great principle of the people,
having a government made by them
selves and for themselves; it is a gov
eminent under which the governed
make laws for themselves.
Now. Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen of
the House. l hope when you come to
consider this question that you will
adopt the minority report of the COM
mittee. (Applause.)
On motion of Mr.. Downes Of Ber-
wick. a recess was taken until halt
past two o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
The report of the committee of con.
ference to which was referred the dis