Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-08

and promptly their opinion of pro.
posed legislation has become very
general in Maine, and has been recog.
nized in the platforms Of both politi-
cal parties. We may safely assume,
therefore, that these declarations
were made in good faith, and | heart
lily approve the adoption of measure
that shall give them a practical and
binding effect. The friends OF the
principle have very clear knowledge
of its meaning and purposes, and will
vigorously oppose any effort that may
be made to grant form at the expense
Of substance.
| also advocate and recommend a
revision OF the statutes governing the
method of balloting for elective Offices
at the polls. Every reasonable facil-
ity should be furnished the voter to
exercise his right OF suffrage in secret
and without fear or favor, and his de-
sire and privilege to register his pref
erence for any individual non inee or
candidate should not be hampered or
defeated by the opportunities Of a
party organization. Party organiza-
| ton is both proper and essential, but
| 1t should be the servant of the voter,
not his master And this principle II
admitted to be correct one, should
be applied to the regulation Of the
proceedings at primaries, so that
every safeguard thrown about the
final action of the voter at the polls
may be at his disposal during all the
| preliminares attending the selection
| Of candidates.
I especially urge you to change and
improve the laws bearing upon the
question of child labor in this State.
| Maine Is tagging here and the chill
dren themselves are helpless. You
! must be their champions, and neither
the thoughtlessness of parents nor the
Indifference of employers must be per-
mitted to interfere with the perform
ance of the States manifest duty 10
provide, as best she may, for the NOR
al, physical and educational welfare
of these children to whom unfortun-
| ately so many of the pleasures and op-
portunities of childhood are denied.
The present manner of observing
Fast Day contains so little Of the SEN
| timent and traditions of its early con-
secration, that 1t seems almost a
mockery to publicly ask for its recog-
milton ana then see its original spirit
so universally perverted and ignored.
believe that our people generally
| would not approve a lessened number
Of holidays, and that we have none
too many legalized now and devoted
by common consent to recreation and
pleasure But unless the name OF this
particular holiday be changed so that
the expected manner OF its observance
shall bear some reasonable relation
to its avowed purpose, recommend
that 1t be abolished.
Two years ago, speaking in this
place and under similar circumstanc.
es, ventured the assertion that the
public condition resulting fro the
notification of the prohibit0.. law
was the greatest issue confronting the
people Of Maine. The representatives
of the people met that issue, recog-
nized its importance and the Sturgis
law was enacted, a measure designed
for no purpose other than 10 correct
or lessen the evils OF notification.
Under its provisions the Enforcement
Commission was appointed. and for
about eighteen months Maine has wit
messed the unusual spectacle OF men
clothed with legal authority, but oper.
ating directly through Executive OPP
tion and initiative, performing some
of the functions Of certain officials
elected by popular vote, who either
wilfully or lacking both courage and
ability have neglected the duties i'm
posed upon them by their oath of Of
fee. Probably no single piece of leg
islation placed on our Statute Books
has ever caused so much general dis
cussion or created such intense and
bitter differences OF opinion and dis.
sensions as the Sturgis law. cherish
no illusions in regard to It. | know
1t Is condemned by many as false In
principle and contrary to the spirit Of
our institutions, expensive, inefficient,
the outgrowth of political necessity
and the last desperate attempt OF fan
aticism to check the swelling move.
ment for liberal and cosmopolitan
treatment of the liquor problem. |
know that hostile sentiment hastens
to censure not only the law itself, but
the men charged with its enforcement
and their methods Their failures are
magnified and ridiculed, their success
es overlooked or belittled, their sin
cerity of purpose and honesty OF mo-
tive openly and often malic!ously
questioned, and the belief assiduously
cultivated and encouraged that they
are the known 'disturbers OF the peace,
the real enemies of order Bat these
arguments, criticisms and accusations
are neither unanswerable nor unas'
sailable. Many OF them are palpaDiy
superficial and unfair and the SturSls
law will stand or fall by a fair presen'
tation of the facts and their rigorous
anaylsis. not by tine demands OF SELF
interested prejudice or the eXiSencies
and hopes of any political party.
There will be placed before you at
an early date by the Enforcement
Commission full and complete re-
port of the operation Of this law ana
statement of all the expense attend
ing it. Upon its publication it is to be
expected that this whole question VIII
be opened for debate by the members
of this assembly and this debate Will
be welcomed by all. AT the present
time the Deputy Enforcement COM
missioners are withdrawn from all the
Counties. This course was simply
an act OF Justice to the incoming sher-
ifs, and the insinuation that II was
prompted by any other motive might
have been withheld in all fairness I'M
Ill a later date. II 1t becomes appar'
ent that the local officials intend TO
permit or resume policy of non-en-
forcement and the services OF the
Deputy Commissioners are not again
brought into requisition, there VIII
then be ample opportunity for Just
and timely criticism.
The essential features OF the Stur-
gis law are clear and its purposes op-
vious. | have yet to hear any sound
argument in behalf of notification or
law, and but few men have had the
temerity to openly advocate it. All
will agree to the proposition that the
local officials should enforce the pro
hibitory law in the first instance, but II
they fail to do this and 1t is known
that they have failed, the fact still
stands that the law is nullitied and
needs vindicaton by some other
means. When this question was be-
fore the last Legislature there were
three WAYS by which the nuliiication