Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-27
F. /. HERSEY.

Of my own party but those of the other
party. when they would be ready to
report. They informed me that they
had been referred to a subcommittee
of three, and | had positive assurance
from Il member of the committee that
when action was taken | should know
it, After ten weeks of this session had
gone by. one Friday night when the
Democratic member OF the sub-cOm-
mittee WAS absent, tho other two
members of the subcommittee re-
ported to Tie fun committee against
the adoption Of all those bills. On Sat
urdaY morning, when only 30 members
of the House were present, they came in
here and the reports of that committee
were adopted. went 10 the Senate and
were adopted. before we had any on
rortunity To know what action had
been taken by the committee. I say
those bills We're important enough u
have had Il hearing before this House
l say that the people Of tho state Of
Maine. regardless Of party. desire a diff
fercnt ballot from what we have
I Thousands of votes are thrown away
at every election because they arr.
spoiled: thousands are never counted
because they are defective. At the first
Of the session there was a contest in
the Senate and they seated the Re-
publican senator on Il certain conStruc-
ton Of the ballot law; in this House
they reversed the action of the Senate
because by the reversing Of the deci-
sion in the Senate they seated the Re
publican member in this House; ana
we all know that this has been the
case since this ballot has been in ex-
istence. and that every committee has
made rulings of their own and that rul-
| ing has always been in favor of the ma
| jority.
have very good evidence think that
the reason why these bills were kept
so long in the hands of the committee
and why they We're passed on the Fri
dav night when the Democratic member
| of the subcommittee was absent. and
why they came into this House on Sat
urday morning when only 80 members
were present. 1t was because rertain
| bosses OF political parties in this State
had issued their dctum that there
| should be no ballot laws passed at this
session. l do not deny to the commit
| tee the right to obey the dictates of
/
but 1 stand here to say that the time
| will come in the State of Maine when
the people will be heard and when the
! bosses of no political party will come
i to this House and dictate what legisla-
ton shall come before it or what legis-
lation shall be passed by it. The peo-
pie are getting pretty sore in regard TO
these matters / felt that it was my
No
ment Of this Legislature and let the
! members of this House, and not only
the members of this House but the
voters Of the State of Maine, under
stand that it is impossible for the mi
nority party to come here with any
law without its being made a political
football and being kicked out of the
House regardless of the will of the ma
jority OF the people.
| do not believe that this bill is any
better or as good as the bill that we
have in the State of Maine today. on
" had this bill tabled and called it up
at this hour that / might say a word
and have ii known that we have had no
opportunity TO present those bills be-
fore this House and before the people
of the State. With regard to the purity
! Of elections bill. they have such bill
| in Massachusetts,, in New York. and III
many of the other states. There are toe
many of the politicians Of the state
of Maine who do not care for the puri-
ty OF elections law. And yet when We
come here with Il purity OF elections
law requiring our State and county and
town committees to give account of The
amount Of money spent. these bills are