Evening journal., 1907-10-21
ANThlicENsE COMMITTEES
ABOUT THAT DEBATE

uuueihldHuink oil tnt part pi lHt lhb-
lie as 70 the exact reasons why the
proposed debate between tWnham
Thomsop,. representa- the License
Committee and Horace G. Eastburn
Esq, representing the Antl-Licehse
Committee, did not take place ana as
the newspapers of October 20th and
October sfst seem to reflect upon the
Anti-LieeRse- Committee in stating
that the conditions we're too hard for
them, we desire TO lay before the pub-
lie the exact facts as they occurred.
In THE EVENING JOURNAL Of
october 18th, an article appeared to the
effect that the night previous, one Will
liam Thomson had issued challenge to
meet in joint debate DR.. c. H. Meade on
on the question Of prohibition in
Maine On Saturday morning in the
ANTI License notes. our Committee re-
spondod TO this supposed challenge to
the effect that they were more than
willing to have a representative meet
the license representative in joint de-
bate, " he honestly desired 20 discuss
the subject, but that Dr. Meade could
not be used for that purpose, ais he
had been engaged to deliver one Of the
most important addresses of the eam-
paign and would not be set aside for
any minor consideration, and the Com
mlttee named Sunday afternoon be-
tween the hours OF three and four
o'clock for the debate to take place
each speaker TO have thirty minutes
Tor address, proposing TO defer the adj
dress OF DR.. Meade until four O'Clock
In order that the debate might be
scheduled.
The License Committee telephoned TO
the AntisIheense headquarters asking
that a committee meet them at the
( Clayton House to arrange the details
for the debate. A committee from the
/ Anti.License forces consisting of
Horace q. Eastbufn and William g.
Hawkins met william Themson, George
Muller, Cornelius Mundy and John }.
/ Magahern, representing the License
forces, ana an effort was made to agree
upon satisfactory terms The License
Committee suggested that it would be
unfair for Mr. Thmn son TO meet Mr.
Eastburn before the address of Dr.
Meade. and recommended that Dr.
Meade be eliminated entirely ana the
debate occupy the entire afternoon. or
course these terms could not be ac-
cepted. They subsequently, agreed that
! II Or Meades speech could be schedul-
ed for three O'Clock. It being understood
that he was TO occupy one and one half
hours time and Immediately following
that speech. the meeting would be at
an end and the debate should then take
place. Mr. Thomson TO occupy thirty
minutes' time in opening the debate,
Mr. Eastbufn to follow with forty five
minutes IN reply, after which Mr.
Thomson would close The debate with
fifteen minutes speech IN rebuttal
and the License Committee asked for
an immediate acceptance The sub
committee not being authorized to
change the terms, reported that they
would refer the matter to the entire
Committee at headquarters and would
report promptly whether those terms
could be accepted AT one o'clock Sat
urday, word was telephone TO the IL
cen3q fesdauSfiers by the sub-com
mlttee statihe That the terms they mem
toned were perfectly satisfactory and
had been agreed 70 bN the committee
Mr.. Muhdy then asked Mr. Hawkins
who was at the telephone, II he could
have the assurance that Or. Meade
would not refer to the conditions in
Maine IN his address. Ife was assured
Of that fact and the guarantee given
that DR.. Meade's address dealt with
the entire subject that 1t was a strong
address which had been delivered in
nany cities throughout this country
and had no bearing whatever on the
conditions in Maine ana would not be
changed on this occasion. Mr.. Mundy
then asked for a personal interview
at the clayton House MIR. Hawkins
being unable to secure Mr., Isastburn,
personally called az the Clayton House
ana there met Mr. Mhndy and MIR
Magahefh. in the hotel barlors. Mr.
Mundy then suggested that there was
one other condition he desired to have
accepted and that was that another
gentlemen should take part in the de-
bate, requesting that Mr. Muller be al
lowed about half hour 20 sneak. i'm
mediaiely following DR. Meade's aa-
dress. 10 this suggestion Mr. Haws
ldns could not give his assent ana
stated distinctly that Mr. Eastburn
would be ON hand to discuss the ques-
tion and If Mr.. Thomson was not in
attendance at the hour agreed upon.
namely 4.80 p. m. Sunday, the fail
ure FOR the debate would have TO rest
With the License Committee, as Mr..
1 Eastburn would speak on the subject.
Notwithstanding the non -appesfance Of
Mr. Thomson ana Mr. Mundy was ad-
vised that hereafter no verbal conf
mUnications would be held with the
License Committee, but that any com
munlcations In the future must be re-
duced 20 writing IN order that there
might be no misunderstanding
IL will be seen from the above that
the Anti-License Committee have been
from the beginning willing, ready ana
anxious to have a debate take place be-
tween representatives from the two
committees, but so many changes in the
conditions surrounding the debate have
been proposed by the License Com-
mittee that there have been grave
doubts in the minds Of the Anti License
Committee as to the sincerity OF the
liquor men.
The public is left 70 draw their own
inference as 20 which committee has
failed TO comply with the conditions
laid down FOR the Joint debatef
Spent Pleasant Evening.