Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-14
Mr.. Davis and the Somerset Railroad
Rebate,

The Waterville Sentinel, which drops
easily from argument to epithet, &C
cuses the Kennebec Journal of Lying
about the tax rebates" in stating that
Mr.. Cyrus w. Davis supported the bill
in favor of the Somerset extension in
the LEGISLATURE of 1903 of which he was
a member. 1t says:
1.-THE Journal is well aware that Mr..
Davis had nothing whatever to do with
the matter and did not support the bill
Inor assist Mr.. IIaines The whole
thing is simply a part of the journal
Irregular plan of campaign, which con-
sists in disappearing everything
concerning its opponents"
on September 5, 1906, the Journal
asked of Mr.. Davis. who was then a
candidate for the highest office in the
gift Of the people of Maine, to answer,
catcgoriraIly. the following questions:
| /. Were you in your seat in the
House Of Representatives when the bill
in favor Of the Somerset extension re
ccivcd it's unanimous passage?
=. Did you have any conversation
| with the promoters of this measure, or
with their attorneys, prior to its pass
age"
| 3. Were you present at any part of
the hearing on this measure before the
railroad committee?
| 4. Did you at any time interpose any
objection to it prior to the opening of
the present campaign?
1t was more than nine months ago
| that the foregoing questions were
asked. and we are still waiting for MIR.
Davis answers. The only response we
cot was through the columns of the
Sentinel which called US "a nagGing
| cur informed us that Mr. Davis re-
fused to be catcchized by the Journal,
and that it was .'nOne of our business
anyway. We begged to differ from Mr..
Davis. Inasmuch as he was at the
| time the rebate in aid of the Somerset
servant of the State and in the pay
of the State and was moreover. at the.
time the above questions were asked,
seeking the highest office in the gift Of
the State we felt that all the citizens of
Maine. including the more than 10000
readers Of the Journal, had perfect
every other public question. We sub
nit that the foregoing questions are
rot ones to be answered by the hired
editor of Mr.. Davis, but by Mr. Davis
himself. If the very general under
standing that Mr.. Davis assisted Gen.
Haincs in support Of this measure. that
lie agreed with counsel to do what w
could for it: that he was present with
its friends at the hearing before the
railroad committee, and that he was
present and voted for it on it's passage
through the house is all wrong, and the
statement of the Sentinel that he ''did
not support the bll'' is correct. then it
is peculiarly appropriate that the fact
should be clearly stated to the public
over Mr.. Davis own SIGNATURE.
We do not think that even the Senti-
mol will claim that he ever opposed it.
There is no record that his voice was
raised against it in the committee, or
in the house, where the record shows
that it was accorded a UNANIMOUS
PASSAGE.
At the close of the Legislature of
1905 Mr.. Davis made a speech review
ing the work of the session. We
have looked through it in vain to find
any reference to a mistake having been
made in granting a rebate in aid of the
Somerset railroad extension. eve
havr." he said, dome the best we
could" and that seemed to be the gem
eral verdict at that time. Under the
circumstances the attempt of the Sen
tincI to present Mr.. Davis as an OPP
poncnt Of the rebate in aid of the som
crsct railroad by the Legislature of
1903 is, to say the least, tritlc far
'''''
the fact. for in attempting the task, it
loses its temper, and, descending with
characteristic readiness to cpithet at
tcmpts to dispose of the Journal by
calling it a liar. But calling an OPP
ponent a liar does not make him one.
and if all Of the people of our State to
whom the Sentinel. in times Of stress.
has applied this favorite term, were
taken into consideration it would in
clude about all the members of the Re
publican party, and a considerable
number Of the Democracy. Indeed
there would be very few people in
Maine outside the Ananias club-eX-
cept, of course, the editor of the Senti-
mel
During the summer Secretary Root
will make a trip to Mexico to carry on