Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-16
The Sentinel Has no Use for the Voice
Of the People.

Maine under the Initiative and
Referendum, to pass at special cleo
ton, and without previous prejudice or
partisan by-play, upon the question of
whether or not they desire to retain or
abandon the prohibitory principle. has.
at least. served one very useful pur-
noee II has unmasked and laid bare
the utter hypocrisy Of coterie Of
! Democratic politicians who have here
tofore contented, with loud vocifera-
ton. that their one desire was to give
the sovereign people Of Maine a
chance 20 vote upon this important
question at the polls. Now when an
opportunity win shortly be afforded
the voters Of Maine 10 50
register their wishes at the polls
under conditions that will appeal 10
all fair minded citizens, as enlinentiy
just. these same men and their news
pa per organs, throw away all pretenc-
Of desiring a fair vote upon the ques-
tinn. and practically confess that their
one and only desire regarding this i'm
portant matter, has been TO advance
their selfish interests by making il a
football of partisan politics.
The people at large do not look upon
the question as one to be kicked about
e or ~ al
They believe that if the people are 10
pass npon it at the polls they should
should b. presented TO them solely
upon ns own merits, and without pre-
yicns int. reference Or pre- JUDGE. Not
oniy has ti!e Journal this assuran nee
from large numbers Of Republicans.
who, before The passage Of the lnitia-
tive and Referendum resolve, were
disposed to favor the re-submission Of
the constitutional amendment as the
only way Of securing a public express
sion Of the popular viii, but many
Democrats have expressed the opinion
that a resolve initiated b. 1000
voters under the provisions Of the
Initiative and Referendum, submitting
this question to an expression Of the
wishes Of the sovereign people at a
special election called for the purpose,
is THE ONLY ABSOLUTELY FAIR
WAY OF DEFINITELY DETERMIN-
ING THE PUBLIC WILL.
In the last campaign the same small
coterie of Democratic politicians who
are now SO frantically opposing such a
fair vote upon this momentus question
had great deal to say about the VIII
Of the sovereign people" as The ut-
mate source Of all power in q rep
resentative form Of government In
strident voices they demanded that the
people be given a chance TO vote"
upon the prohibitory principle.
Now however that an opportunity is
at hand for the people to so vote. under
conditions that must appeal to all just
men as eminently fair, they drop all
pretence and show themselves in their
true colors. viz: Ambitious partieans.
Interested in the great question Of re-
principle, not on account Of its vital
Importance as great moral question
touching the welfare Of the home and
the peace Of society, but SOLELY
FOR THE PARTISAN CAPITAL.
THEY HOPE TO MAKE OUT OF IT
Fortunately the men who desire to
make such use Of the question of re-
tanning or abandoning tie prohibitory
principle are comparatively few. The
great majority Of the voters of Maine
desire that it should be dealt with
fairly and UPON IT'S OWN MERITS.
Inc utter hypocrisy Of the Demo-
cratic politicians who were so vocifer-
Gus at the last state election i'm calling
lot the Vote OF the people upon this
question, is Very clearly demonstrated
by the Waterviile Sentinel. the organ
Of the State Democratic ring. in its is
sue of Nov. Is. Discussing The rroposi
tion of securing a fair vote OF
the reopl" at a special election.
under the provisions Of the Initiative
and Referendum, upon the great cues
ton of retaining or abandoning The
rr"Alhitory principle, it says:
ut would not make the slightest
difference how the people voted on
ii and the Journal knows il.
III no one voted at all, it would
make no difference. \ unanimous
vote for the resolve or unani-
nous vote against it would be
equally useless. Even the learned
and able attorneys who instruct the
journal with regard to the legal
phases of its editorials (and who are
now in active and successful prar-
tice) will not tell our neighbor that
any vote upon the proposition which
II proposes submitting to the people
would have any more legal effect
than has the whistling of the wind.
IF the whole elaborate scheme
was mt fhrouph in ayontl,- tbo