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

| ing to be. You know it from past ex-
periencc and you don't expect that 1t
| will ever be enforced. (Applause)
1t is idle to talk about confidence in
the people when you say that they shall
| not have a part in the solution OF a
great question like this. You cannot
say that we settled it in 1854 when we
| tucked it away in the constitution and
you told us that it was all settled. that
we had done away with it at once and
forever. I believe it is a question that
should be left to the Legislature to
the legislature to handle. And I am
free to say that I don't know how
should vote if I came to Legislature
charged with the duty of regulating the
liquor traffic. should look the ground
over carefully, learn the experience of
other states and cities and see what
could be done. But for what we have
had in this State of Maine 1 can only
blush-the trampling upon the censti-
tuition of the State. keeping it there
when you know and will admit that it
win not be enforced. 1 say there is a
demand for its resubmisSiOn. Take the
Vote in this county of Kennebec last
fall not only in Waterville and in Au-
gusta, but outside in your farming
towns where the issue was largely this
very question, and again is it law
that is satisfactory when you are COM
PEELED to create a special commission
and say that you cannot trust the duly
elected officers of a State to execute
this law; that you cannot trust the
mayors of cities and the police officers
CT the cities of Maine?
II it has been working well, if it is
W hat the people of the State of Maine
want, why the necessity of that unus-
ual machinery to execute it? Take that
alone IS a demand. The way the Re-
publican voters regarded the Sturgis
commission and the votes of the cities
where they operated show that you did
not have behind this law the public
sentiment that a law should have be-
llnd 1t to make it a successful law.
That is sufficient to my mind to show
The necessity of having this question
submitted to the people. and l will say
to my friend from Bowdonham that 1
have faith that the people of the State
of Maine will withstand any importa-
ton of the liquor of rum trusts or of
money. 1 have faith in the intelligence,
|
zers of the State of Maine that makes
me confident of the triumph Of their
wishes and that they will see that they
are not overcome and that their virtue
is not debauched (Applause)
MI STUART of Belgrade: Mr.. Speak
er: BY the voters of this State coming
to this Legislature and saying to the
voters of the State, you go back and SIT
down, we cannot trust you to vote on
this important question, we and we
alone know what is best for you. Is
this in accordance with the principles
Of the old Republican party. l deny 1t.
| believe the temperance party Is not
working for the best interest of temper
ance in this State. If we stop to read
between the lines to read the hand-
writing on the wall. we shall see that
resubmission is sure to come and tha-
the sooner it comes the better it will be
for the prohibitory law. In other words,
if this question had been submitted to
the people two years ago they would
have endorsed the present law. but the
longer it is put off the less the chances
will be to retain it. Now l am Repub-
lican and have always been one. De-
publican party. also believe as did one
of the greatest statesmen of his Gay
and the greatest statesman this state
has ever raised, man who lived under
the shadow of this very building, the
late James G.. Blaine, that the nearer
YOU keep to the people the better for
all concerned. (Applause)
There are a few l believe of the Re-
of
will vote to substitute the minority re-
port of this bill for the majority. WISH
there were more. Now in this House
this morning. The few of US who VIII
vote for resubmissiOn We're called any
thing but good fellows by the gentle
man from Brooks. Mr.. DOW. NOW
would like to inquire what the funua-
mental principles of the grand oio Ike
publican party were when II WIS Or
ganzcd more than half century ago
Did those principles stand Tor MINOR
;ty rule by the few, or did tncy st1iid
for the rule of the people by the pep
ple. We believe they did and do touay
the gentleman from Brooks notWlth-
standing. Now, Mr.. Speaker and gentle
men. YOU can fool some of the people
some of the time, but you cannot 1901
all the PEOPLE all the time.
Now then inasmuch as we believe as
a sufficient number of the voters OF the
State have signified their desire 10 vote
on this question are we 1S2 members vi
this House and Senate elected Cat TINS
point the Speaker called MI. knowiuoh
Cf Monsoon to the Chair)
Mr.. POWERS of Houlton: Gentle
men of the House. I should feel that
was rot exactly doing my duty TO 10y
constituents did l allow this occasion
to pass without recording somethihg
besides my vote in favor OF the pro-
hibitory law. (Applause) The gentle
man who moved to substitute the NIL
nority for the majority report mas
placed the question clean cut FOR eF-
crv Republican in this House when ne
said that vote for resubmission meant
the condemnation of the prohloitory
law. And I agree with him that a vote
for resubmission here today means inc
condemnation, as he puts IT, ol the
rrohibitory law. Gentlemen, peiicNe
in the prohibitory law. believe tnat IL