Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-01

this: I'VE commend and endorse the
hrm stand of Gov. Cobb in his courage
Gus and comnendable enforcement Of the
laws and especially Of the prohibtory
law which the people of Maine have put
upon their statute books for the safe
guarding of their homes, the protection
OF their youth and the uplifting of citi-
zenship'-and. going to the closing
clause: 1--WE have faith TO believe that
the people of Maine will not be deceived
as to the real issue and that they will
stand firmly this year for the honest en-
forcement of the laws and all that is tru.
est and best in the life of our State"
The real issue, gentlemen, was whether
or not We should adopt resubmission.
whether the platform states it i'll so
many words or not. The Temperance peo-
pie understood that the Republican par
~ was opposed 10 resubnnission. It was
a contract made with them and in view
OF cur agreement to perform our part of
the contract the temperance people sup
ported the Republican party at the polls.
More than 69Ooo-69,427 to be exact-vot-
ed the Republican ticket at the last cleo
tioh. A majority of more than 5000 peo-
PIE voted the platform OF the Republ;-
can party. Now can we turn around and
say to those people that they must come
to the polls next September to light the
saloon interest of this whole country? In
ether words. We are compelling temper
ance people to get into this fight against
tfe1r will when 4 majority Of the people.
on clear-cut issue, have voted that they
90 not wish to have that amendment re-
submitted. We do not in this matter rem
resent any one county or any one senate
rial district or any one section of the
state. On question of this kind I be-
heve we represent the sentiment of thu
people of the State of Maine ! believe
that the Republican party ought to be
known as the temperance party in the fI-
ture as it has been known in the past.
and when the people of this State como
to understand and 10 believe that the
Republican party not only frames Plat
forms but stands upon those platforms
after they are made and votes upon those
platforms and acts upon those platforms
and erforces the law in accordance with
those platforms, then l believe that vic
tory will come to this party every time:
and / believe that is the only position in
which we can be cons stent. l recognize
the position taken by the senator from
Kennebec on this matter He understands
that We are not bound to oppose resub-
mission by the platform. 1 understand
that We are-if not in so many words
then implicitly. The people acted with
that understanding. We did not say in
this platform: We Will not vote for re-
submission of the law. but we adopted
by an enormous majority of the conven-
ton proposition to adopt that resolu-
ton ard in place of it we adopted this
which Is implicitly opposed to resubmis-
sion of the law. The people understand
it that way. The temperance people I'M
derstood it that way and there it no way
Tor US honorably to act differently as
members Of the dominant party
Now rs to the merits of the prohibit
tory law and the license system, as I
said at first, I have no desire to enter
into any discussion of that question I
have before me an opinion of Gov Nor
rill. away back ir ISIS, which would hear
out very strong argument in that line,
but this is not the time or place to Dis
cuSs that matter. | hope the Eepubli-
can party will stand on its platform ard
stand on the principles that the temper
ance people thought We were standing on
when they voted for us. Let US not de-
ceive them. The senator from Knox re-
peats over and over again that we should
not deceive ourselves. But above all, let
us not deceive the 5000 majority in the
last election who voted the ticket of the
dominant party with the understanding
that that party was against resubmis-
sion. l simply wish to add that the sen
atOr from kennebec, in his remarks, stat
oil h. r. ~.
clearly drawn and that there could b.
no misunderstanding Of it. or words to
that effect. If that is true-and it is true
why was not that clear resubmission
of the fifth amendment? leave the oues-
ton with you. gentlemen.
DIr. MERRILL of Cunlberldrd:-
Chairman and gentlemen of the Senate
L do not mean to keep you any great
length of time III discussing this question
because I believe, with the sentiment of
the senators who have preceded me, that
this should not be Il discussion Of the rel
alive merits of high license and prohibit
ton the prohibitory law. The simple
question is: Shall this amendment bl
submitted to the people and shall they
have a right to vote on it? NV friend
tho senator from Hancock says that he
is here representing the whole people.
feel in that same position myself: but
do not known any better way to repre-
sent the whole people than to allow them
to vote on the subject
When I look at the Language that was
used by the Governor in his message to
this Legislature in which he says:
Every thoughtful and fair-minded stu
dent OF political conditions in Maine must
admit that there is a very strong senu-
ment in favor OF the proposition to giva
the voters an opportunity to express at
the polls their opinion Of the present pro
hibitory law. While this sentiment may
not be that of the majority now. it surely
is held by n very large minority Of our
citizens, and the results of the Septem-
Der elections last year seem to furnish
complete justification of this concsu-
SION
Gentlemen. you all know whether the
people OF this State want a chance to