Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-16
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from, Page Seven.)


On motion Of Mr.. Kendall of Bow
doinhan1, the resolve was then recon-
mittcd to the committee on claims.
On motion of Mr.. Stearns of Norway.
bill relating to the better protection OF
sheep was taken from the table.
Mr.. Stearns offered House Amend
nent "A"
Mr.. Mckinney of Bridgton opposed
the adoption of the amendment.
On motion of Mr.. Newbert of Angus
ia. the bill and amendment We're ia
bled and the amendment ordered print
ed.
On motion of Mr.. Waldron Of Dexter,
the report of the committee on rail-
roads and expresses, reporting "ought
not TO pass on bill to regulate mileage
rates on railroads, was taken from the
table. Mr.. WaldrOn moved that the Dill
be substituted for the report and that
the bill be printed and assigned for
consideration the first thing Wednesday
morning Of next week. The motion was
agreed 70.
State Liquor Agency.
Special Assignment: Majority and mi
norty reports of committee on temper
ance, reporting on Bill for repeal OF State
LIQUOR agency law Ought to pass" and
ought not to pass.
MI DOW of Brooks-Mr. Speaker.
rnovc the substitution of the minority for
the majority report. The majority report
was that the bill ought not to pass. i
would say that rather a peculiar condi-
ton of affairs confronts us i'll regard to
this subject. We find the gentleman from
Augusta (AIr NewberD today in q differ
ent position from what he was when re-
submission was being discussed; we ind
he is going to shut the lid right down 50
that we cannot get any liquor for any
PURPOSE in the State. This is rather Il
singular condition of affairs after the
gentIeman's address Of few days ago.
/ wish in brief to state my position
on this question. In common with q
great many of the representatives of the
| leading temperance organizations of this
State 1 have tried to be consistent upon
| this question. We deny the right OF
men to sell liquors fer beverage pur-
noses to make men drunken and destroy
the character and the integrity Of people
| and bring crime and pauperiSm into our
State; but while We deny the right to sell
| Il
be really consistent we should permit Ii
| uuors to be obtained for proper pur-
poses in a proper manner; While w:
| claim the use of liquors rs beverage is
| in furious we admit that for medicinal
ard mechanical purposes there may be
| a call for them. Therefore the temper
| ance people of the State today say thai
| there should he some method by which
| thcse liquors can be lawfully obtained.
and the only legitimate means at pres
ent is through the liquor agencies. l am
not prepared to say at this time that it
| may be all the way, but it seems to be
| the best way before us at the present
| time; and l think l represent a large ma
| jority of the temperance people of this
| state on this very question and of the
people at large in saying this. 1t docs
| rot interest me particularly from my To-
| ca inr in the State. My own county o.
| Waldo has not q liquor agency in it.
| think the people ask for tho right II
| purchase liquors for medicinal and mo
| cllarical purposes and that there may
| be- some pace where The. can be oDt;un-
| cd for these legitimate uses.
| Now, | have looked over the law very
| carefully in regard to this liquor agency
! business and l must submit that that
| law reads just as plain and as fair as
any law can. The ten commandments are
not any more explicit in every line and
detail than is the statute law of this
| State upon the question Of the agency
system. The only thing that is needed
| as far as | can see is that we have hon
est officials to enforce the law as W.
| 60, l,,, - - 70
| h., made q success. [ have been inform
cd this morning ,hat an amendment is
being prepared in the Senate to do away
| with the ohjc ctionahle features Of tie
| system which exists today. | take tho
| position that the bill to abolish the
| agency system should not pass. I be-
| lcve the amendment 1 have spoken of
| will DO away with the objec III Onab!e feat
ures and will reach the wants. the re-
| quests, the desires of a large portion o.
| the temperance people Of our State.
| move the substitution of the minority for
the majority report that we may con-
| tinue our agency system.
Mr.. FLAHERTY of Portland-M".
Speaker, the gentleman from Brooks (Nfr.
| Uow) says he is & consistent Temperance
worker, but | must disagree with him
| on account Of his hypocritica1 position
| which lie took in the temperance COM
mittcc on the cider bill. which I intro
| duccd. when he reported Ought not 10
| pass on that bill. | say he is not con-
sistcnt when he allows the people of his
| county to use cider as Il. beverage and
to get drunk on it and yet says to tho
| cities of the State that they shall not use
| beer or ale. which | consider less inju-
rious than cider. As n member of that
| committee he reported that that bill
| ought not to pas. l will say that that
hill did not interfere with the manufac-
| ture OF cider. Everybody could manu-
| facture cider at Will. And vet he couldn't
| see his position clear to make this law
| against intoxicating liquors moro strin-
gent, but he would come in here for the
sake Nf political prestige-and I say it
| with all seriousness that he has playefi
politics with this questionable would
come in here and favor the licensing OF
| CITY and town rum shops.
Mr.. DOW do not understand that the
cider bill is under consideration at this