Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-30
The Sentinel Tries to Evade the Issue

| Iii evident that the idea of the ques-
! ton of retaining OF rejecting the pro-
| hbitory principle being submitted to
| The. penvle through the Initiative
and Referendum is very unpalatable to
| the Waterville Sentinel. Through this
| method the entire question would be
divorced from partisan politics, and
crusidertd solely upon it's own merits
as a question of morality and good citi-
zenship. The Sentinel. for obvious
raas ms, desires to keep this whole ques-
| ton in the arena of party politics. It
insists upon Il political referendum in
| yolvirg the direct question of repeal
| ing a provision If the state. cnnstitu-
ton. put before the people with the
| strong backing of IL prior vote of two
| thirds OF the Legislature in its favor.
| Tho Sentinel declares that:
"Under tie initiative aud referen-
dam any change of statute law may
| be brought about which is desired
| by Il ma jority of the voters. but that
| system ubc1 li''l lipNi'N loI any
means by which the voters; can aft
| firm their belief in eAi~tin. laws.
| The resolve suggested by the Jour-
| nal namely. one declaring against Il
repeal Of the pr"hihitorN law. would
have no legal standing under the new
| SYSTEM ard could not b. voted on"
TIL Sentinel SCOTS at those who dis
| sent from these views 1t lapses. as
it usually does when scant of argu-
ncnt, into epithet. and denounces
those who differ from it as SILLY" and
guilty OF making statements to the
| public which they do not believe to be
| true 1t is evident that the Sentinel
| is clinging with the desperation of des-
pair 10 the coat-tails of oid-fasilioned
resubmissiun and endeavuring to blind
| it's readers to the important fact THAI
| the Initiative and Referendum affords
| the voters of Maine vastly fairer
| method of passing upon the whole
question of whether they desire to
abandon or retain the prohibtOry
principle. The Sentinel assumes to be
cnck-surc of itself when it declares
| that.
The resolve suggested by the Jour
mi. namely. one declaring against Il
! rci.e,,l OF the prohibitory law. would
| have 40 legal standing under the new
system and could not be voted OH"
No voter need be disturbed by this
| dictum. This is not a matter chat will
| be decided by the Sentinel. Before
| the Journal put the editorial which the
ScntineI quotes before its readers it
submitted it to two of the best known
lawyers of Maine mon who are today
in the active and successful practice
of their profession. Both of them ex-
pressed the opinion that the resolve
suggested would have i perfect legal
standing under the Initiative and
Referendum. ami could unquestionably
b" ia 5scd upon by the voters Of Maine
ii, Il special election called for that
purpose. The Sentinel asserts that the
| system of the Initiative and Referen-
dum does not provide for any means
| by which the voters can affirm their
belief in existing laws" The attur-
neyS to W hom the Journal submitted
its editorial were of the opinion that
| the provision Of the Initiative ard Ref
crcndum which gives any 1000 voters
the privilege tn propose to the Lcgis-
latur" any bill. resolve. or resolu-
ton carries this very right. and
such opportunity to the voters to ex-
press their wishes upon any question
oe public moment is PRECISELY
WHAT THE. INITIATINE AND
REFERENDUM IS FOR.
w" 81" not wonder that the Sentinel.
which desires to make the question of
| res,lhmsSSion perpetual football of
partisan politics and to put the u,Ics-
| ton before the public in the unfairest
possible way. * anxious to deceive the
public as 10 the opportunity to secure
an expression of the voters Of Maine
upon the general question Of prohibi-
! tion through the Referendum 1T a
| srecial election when the whole matter
could BE- submitted upon It's own merits
| cntir, ~ free FROM the heat and tur-
| m"il of partisan politics. We do not be
! licVc however that it will be successful,
| through a policy of denials, however
| vehement it may make them. in mis-
leading the people of Maine into be-
| licvinc that the Initiative and Referen-
| dunn docs not clearly afford precisely
this opportunity
| Praise for Maine