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

noon there was a wide range of
thought. We were led all the way from y
the Garden of Eden to Bangor The
question before us is simply the SUBJ
stitution of the minority for the mas
jority report, and ! cannot see how
we can really act right without underA
standing the conditions. / am here as
a member under this condition-in the
caucus that nominated me + stated be-
fore the vote was taken that 1 was
opposed TO resubmission. Under those
conditions / received 140 votes and
there were % against me; so that I
am sure in my vote against resub-
mission l represent the people that
sent me here.
The remarks made hitherto have
been mostly in reference to cities.
There is something more in this great
State than the few comparatively
small cities. The people living on the
hills and in the valleys constitute the
great portion of the State of Maine;
and / want to refer briefly 10 the peo-
pie that l know.
l live in the county of Piscataquis,
have taught school the most of my
life in the county of ArooStook, and I
know those people, and l know that
when l stand before you and say that
am opposed to reSubmission / repre-
sent on the whole the sentiment of
the people of Aroostook and of Pisca-
taquis counties. 1t is an unmistakable
fact that the country towns in the
State of Maine are in favor of this
law. and because they believe that it
is for the best interests of the State,
because they know that prohibition is
virtue and a success. In the county
of Aroostook there is not hotel today
that is selling liquor. There are no
rum shops up there. The people are in
favor of the enforcement of the law
and they want it to continue. A year
ago especially it became known all
over the State Of Maine that the DEM
ocratic party were to change the pro-
hibitory law if they came into power,
and the Republican party was sup
posed to stand by it. At the last cleo
ton vote for the Republican party
was a vote for prohibition. 1t was
not resubmission or non-resubmission.
The essence behind it all was prohibi-
ton or license. So that today there
is no lodging the question. Today We
stand facing just the problem put be~
fore us by our Democratic friends. We
come to the simple problem. is it Ii
cense or is it prohibition? There is no
lodging it. and I am ready to meet
that ISSUE by a straight-out vote.
The first thought that should ami
| mate this Legislature is what is best
for the whole of the State-not. one
man but the whole people of Maine,
| our boys and girls and every individ-
ual in this great State of ours | sub
nit that there is no way to have civil
liZation unless there be sacrifice on the
part of somebody. Society is a COM
promise, the State is Il compromise,
and the only way a State can live and
prosper is by compromise, by Sacri-
flee, by one giving up something that
another may be blessed. We only reach
our higher civilization by sacrifice, and
If individual man won't make it it
must be made by the concensus of
the better class. I stand before you
with this proposition, what is best for
the State of Maine, what is for the
best interests Of our boys and girls;
and on that subject / feel as deeply
as anyone possibly can. Associated all
my life with these young people / can
but feel that any vote on my part
which would endanger the condition of
things now existing would be a wick
cd thing. | wish simply to say to my
own conscience and say to the people
who sent me here that | propose to
vote as | think it is best for the State
of Maine. | propose to vote as my peo-
pie want me to vote. / propose to vote
so that | shall feel hereafter that [
have done right. And while | believe
III the people of Maine and would trust
them to vote on any subject properly
before them, l do dread to have the
influence that would be brought to
bear upon our State if we allow a free
canvas of this matter. You know that
there will be floods of money and rum
poured into this State before that vote
is taken by the people. ] dread to see
It. If the subject Of simply referring
this to the people could come up in it's
own virtue. without anything else as
ISOLATED with it. l would vote for re-
submission tomorrow. But our Demo-
cratic friends have put us in this con-
dition, that it is virtually license or
prohibitions: and / for one instead Of
taking one horn Of the dilemma, pro-
pose to take the bull by both horns and
mold him there. (App1ause.)
Mr.. MONTGOMERY of Camden:
stituency made up largely of the DOM
lnant party and about the last thing
that they said to me before I came was
that | would carry out their purpose
in electing me and do what I could to
bring about a resubmissiOn of the pro-
hibitory amendment We all know that
this matter has been a very vexatious
one. The matter of prohibition started
in 1887. The agitation began with Gen.
eral James Appleton. When that dis
cussion started Maine was a growing
and coming State in all the depart
ments of agriculture and industry.
The people of Maine were q strong
people. resolute people, a brave peo-
pie. That discussion started. How
much it agitated the people we are not
able to say now, but in 1916 it had
progressed so far that a petition was
addressed to the Legislature for pro-
hibition. 1t did not meet with success
that year but the next year 1t did.
Here is the first prohibitory law, of
1876: "No person shall be allowed at