Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-24

IOuid nave niue Ill view Vi tue idNlo
1t was evident. however, that Mr..
Davis was not disposed to stand for it.
The idea Of Democratic members of the
Legislature being deceived" and bull
dozed' did not appeal to him He had
been Democratic member Of the Leg
islature himself. and had accorded at
least one of these railroad measures
the gracious gift of his silence.
Just what transpired in the editorial
room OF the Waterville Sentinel follow
ing the return home of Mr.. Davis will.
probably, never be known. The secrets
Of that sanctum are yelled in mystery
and gloom. Monday morning Editor
Otis came out III a signed editorial in
which he stated that the editorial work
of the Sentinel was entirely in his own
hands, and that it had been done with
| out suggestion or dirtation from Mr.
Davis, the owner of the paper He urged
| that its utterances should not be quot
ed as the expression of Mr.. Davis views
| on political questions, and denied that
it was the personal organ" of the
Democratic candidate. Rarely have
| the politics Of Maine witnessed such
touching instance of self -abnegation,
Having thus. courageously and at
| personal sacrifice. made it clear that
Mr.. Davis did not Suggest" or "dic-
tate" the deceive" and "bulldoze"
| idea, Mr.. Otis again turned to the task
of conjuring away the record of the
Democratic members of the Legislature
on the railroad bills. This time he
moved slowly. He approached the task
| cautiously and with circumspection.
For several days he studied it from ev-
cry angle and it was not until Thurs
day morning. May 3d. that he again
grappled with it. This time he aban-
doned his "deceived'' and "bulldozcd"
theory. He graSped, like Il drowning
man, at straw thrown out to him by
the Waldo County Advocate that this
pIlNdt anu SptCldI lSldlloil.
"Legislation' he explained passed I'M
der this head is generally put through
as routine business, and is not sup
posed to contain anything of public in
terest." Therefore he concludes that the
| railroad bills were passed "surrepti-
tiOusly" and that the As Democratic
members of the Legislature instead of
being "deceived' and "bulldozed" into
giving them their support simply failed
to notice them on their passage
through the House and Senate.
But where does this new hypothesis
leave that gallant old Democratic war
horse. G. r.. Osgood of Lewiston? Col.
| Oseood was a member Of the railroad
committee He attended the hearings
| on the r. & A. bill and conceded with
his associates in the unanimous vote
| by which the measure was reported to
| the Legislature. If he had perceived
| that it was a 'surreptitiouS" measure
| about to be gums oled through an UNI
| suspecting House and Senate was it
not his plain duty to have voted
| against it, and, having done so, to have
| awakened his Al Democratic colleagues
whom the Sentinel gives us to under
stand We're fast asleep-and summoned
them to the fray? 1t certainly might
| seem 50 to unprejudced citizens.
ON the whole we are inclined to think
| that the Sentinels latest method of ex
| planning away the cordial ard unani-
nous support given the railroad bills
| by the Democratic members of the
| Legislature is even more unfortunate
| than the first. Private and special acts
| are handled in the Legislature precise
| " as are all other acts. They are re-
ferred to the appropriate committees.
| public hearings advertised. and often
times call forth the most protracted
| and vigorous debates when reported
back to the House and Senate.
| The bill in aid of the B. e.
| A. road was handled in this
| way The magnitude of the proposed
| enterprise had attracted general attcn-
| ton. The newspapers were full of it
without an adverse comment. The
hearing before the railroad committee
called out the largest attendance of the
session. Senators and Representatives.
| both Republican and Democratic, were
| there in force. 1t was the common
| topic of conversation at the Capitol
and vet the Sentinel gives its readers
| to understand that it was a SLY meas
ure slipped through the Legislature
| "surrcptitiously" amid the shores of the
| Democratic members.
Too thin. Brother Otis, Try again.
Promise and Performance.