Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-14

most dangerous trusts that exist in
our country today. The gentleman
speaks of states that have gone back
to license. He says that in Vermont
there are but % cities now that vote
for license whereas in 1903, 90 voted
for it. That goes to show that the
people are being educated toward pro-
hibition- not that license is a success
but that it is a failure and those peo-
pie are going back to prohibition. 1t
is so in New Hampshire, it is so in the
states of the West. We have a duty not
only to ourselves. For fifty years we
have had prohibition and other states
are looking to us for the influence that
we may give to them; and we say that
vote for reSubmission by a Democrat
or a Republican here today means
that you put yourselves in the position
of saying that prohibition in Maine
has been failure, and thus do an
injury to the people of other states
who are looking to US for our influ-
ence and support.
| wish to put myself on record as
opposing resubmission in Maine. They
say that the Republican party today is
between the Devil and the deep sea.
When they vote on this matter l sub
NIT that the Republican party had bet
ter stand straight on this question
and place their backs to the sea and
their faces to the Devil and fight the
Devil of license to the ragged, gilt
edged pit of He'll, or else turn up their
faces to the deep sea and plunge be-
meath the ocean of oblivion to be heard
of no more forever. (Applause.)
Mr.. DAVIES Of Yarmouth: Mr..
Speaker, The Importance Of the pend
ing measure in my estimation cannot
be Over-estimated, for in my opinion
on the day that the Republican party
renounces it's allegiance to the princi-
pies of prohibition, its close will wit
ness waning of power in the domi-
nant party in the State of Maine.
believe in representation. | think
we should approach the matter in q
spirit of fairness and in that frame of
mind decide how the best interests of
the State can be preserved and served.
one burden imposed upon political
parties is TO promote a higher stand
ard Of citizenship. Who says that the
! liquor system performs an uplifting
function? Is it uplifting to convert
the potcntialities of honest labor into
crime? Is it uplifting to create dis
taste for honest labor? Is it uplifting
to intlamc the passions for baser ends?
My mind does not resist the impress
sion that the more attractive you
make vice the more powerful it Will be.
| feel it to be my duty to myself and
to the people whom l represent to give
my reasons why I shall vote against
rcsubmisSion. a political party exists
for tn" purpose Of disseminating Ger
| tain principles. 1t docs not exist en-
tircIy for In" purpose of catching
votes That is Il Democratic doctrine.
Prohibition was written into our con-
stitution q great many years ago. 1t is
one of the cardinal principles of the
Republican party of the State Of
Maine, ana it cannot BE- made waste
paper either by education or by con-
struction. That is one reason why as
| u Republican | shall not vote for re-
submission. Another reason is that the
people have passed on that question,
and they did so at the last election.
ana the Republican vote was nearly
as large rs it is every year, and rcsub-
mission was the issue from Fort Kent
| to Kittery. Another reason is that a
vote for rcSubmiSSiOn is a cOndcmna-
! ton of the prohibtory law. From my
| point of view | can see absolutely no
reason for it, ana Nc as a party should
not be driven into it BY agitation and
| for the purpose Of making campaign
! capital against it. My advice is to
| stand true to the principles that We
| have always advocated and that we as
Republicans have always believed in,
| nd not be diverted to a chase after
| false gods by our good political friends
| on tn" other side, many of whom on
| the other side l shall only forget when
| love has gone out from the hearts al
| tar and when memory emptieS its urn
into forGctfulness.
Mr.. Speaker, ! desire to be recorded
| against the substitution Of the minority
| for the Nljority report. CtpplauscD
Mr. MCKINNEY Of BIidgton: Mr..
Speaker, the issue today is whether we
| shall r"Subrnit the prohibitory amend
ncnt to the people or not. We are not
here to vote upon the prohibitory law,
we are not here to vote for free rum,
nor for high license nor for local OPP
ton: ana | regret exceedingly that we
| could not have followed out the sug-
frCstion Of our honorcd Governor in his
cusS this question plainly and fairly by
itself disconnected from the question
of prohibition or license do not favor
this question because | am Demo-
crdt. | favor rcSubmisSion as a matter
of principle. The reason why / am in
favor of rcsubmissiOn is simply from
the fact that there is such a large
class of the voters of the State of
Maine that are in favor of it. 1t was
stated during the campaign by a Re-
publican paper that where 20 per cent.
Of the voters of the people of the State
were in favor of reSubmitting any ar
ticle in the constitution, it was their
right to have that privilege. The Dem
ocratic party in their convention
adopted a plank in favor of rcsubmis-
sion. The Republicans practically
lodged the question. Forty-five per
cent. of the voters of this State voted
the Democratic ticket. Many Demo-
Gratis in the State are not IN favor of
resubmisson. but for every Democrat
who is opposed to it there is more
than one Republican who is in favor
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