The Republican journal., 1906-04-12

absolutely in favor of some law strong
enough to prevent or minimize nulif
cation, and | stated to every one who
| talked with me about the Sturgis Bill
| that if no better measure could be found
| it was entirely acceptable to Inc and
| believed would answer the purpose |
| did everything | properly could do to
| insure the passage of the Sturgis Bill
and in SO doing believed then and be-
| lieve now that the Republican party
was keeping faith with the people, and
that | was doing the same.
1t is only fair to say that some of the
oldest and most sagaclous leaders of
the Republican party while believing in
prohibition and enforcement question
ed the wisdom of passing the Sturgis
Bill. They predicted just such Difficult
ties as have followed. They may have
been right. but | could not agree with
them then and do not agree with them
now.
1t may, or may not, have been the
WlSeSt measure which could have been
drafted: each one, of course, has a right
to his own individual opinion on that
question. 1t was. however the only
measure which was offered and one dl-
rectly III line with the promises of the
party.
1t has become recently somewhat the
fashion 10 criticize certain people be-
cause of tGeir belief in the SturgiS Law
and their support of the measure. SO
far as | am concerned | have no apollo
gies or excuses to make. for | welcomed
it. believed i'll it and worked for it.
Under the provisions of the Sturgis
Law a commission was appointed con-
IA
Democrat and it gives me very great
pleasure to publicly express now and in
this place my absolute and implicit be-
ment and their efficiency. 1t was no
easy task to which they applied them
selves and it was one which demanded
the exercise of the utmost tact, discre-
ton and impartiality. They had keen
sense of their own responsibility and
realized at the outset, and realize now,
that the enforcement of the law can be
made far more effective and satisfac-
tory by the local officials than by any
one else, provided such local officials
really desire to live UP to the spirit of
their oath of office. The Enforcement
Commission has never yet begun opera
tions in any county until after exhaust
ing by argument and advice every re-
source at its command to prevail upon
the local officials to do their plain duty,
ard it will never do otherwise. Nor
will it be forced by popular clamor
against its own Judgment and contrary
to its own knowledge of the facts to be-
gin operations in any county where it
believes the local officials are trying to
do their duty, and where it believes that
such officials are meeting with as much
success AS the Commission could ac-
complish if there. But this does not
mean that the field of its operations
may not be extended, or thai 1t is in
ignorance of the conditions that prevail
in certain counties. In this matter it is
better to go too slow than too fast.
Each county and each sheriff must be
treated fairly, and each move OF the
Commission must be justified by law
and fact Men protected for years in
an illegal business and bound to it by
the hope and promise of large pecuniary
gains are not to be dislodged without a
those who believe in the honesty, sin
cerity and efficiency of the Commission
must give it time to meet and overcome
the many and perplexing problems
which confront it.
EVoIy Ouc Will duuIIG UndC Will COlI-
ditions in the State as they are today
the work of the commission must be
constant and absorbing. Every men,
Der of it is doing his part at personal
sacrifice of time and money, doing. it
uncomplainingly in the face of criti-
cism which, while not unexpected, is
not always tolerant or fair, and doing
it because he believes it to be his con-
tribution to the cause of good govern
ment and good citizenship. The en-
forcement commission is not playing
politics, but is attempting to uphold
and vindicate law of the State OF
Maine.
l have a right to speak of the methods
and purposes of that commission for l
have been in close and constant touch
with its deliberations and conclusions,
and these conclusions have had invari-
ably my approval and assent.
X want to testify, too, to the absolute