Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-16

know that / come from that class. Then
/ thank the Speaker that he did not see
fit to give me any place on the commit
tees. 1t gave ME time To run around and
gather up facts and information, ard l
have found that things were carried on
here kind of under cover. l have heard
things, I have seen things, that | do
not care to make public on the floor of
this House today. | have heard how
some of these committee have been i'll
finenced. l have heard OF messengers
that have been sent to the chat!men Of
the committees and | have listened at
tentiv"ly and I ann here today not to
bring any disgrace or AIRY slur upon
anybody. We have been here II weeks
and We are getting pretty woll to the
clos" of the session. In regard to the
question before the House l viii take :,
subject and Il text. My subject will be
Good Rum and Have 1t Cheap" My
text will be found in the Bible, in James.
the Etll chapter ana the 18th verse: BE
hold the hire of the lahorers who have
reaped down your fields, which is of
YOU kept back by fraud. creth:
and the cries of them which have
are cllltESu lllto lIe ears VI tIl'
Lord of the Sabaoth."
/ am speaking for the common peO-
pie who have reaped down your fields
who last fall went to the polls and east
their ballots and made it possible for
you to occupy these seats in this House
pickle up here this morning the tab
ulatiOn of the money which has beer
expended here, and to g poor man who
is working for $1.50 to 81 a day it is
enough to brighten him cut of his wits:
and when has there been in the history
of Maine such extravaganza? When
nave such revenues been raised as have
been raised in this I'D Legislature? And
Yet with one exception no man has
raised his voice against them. The gen
tleman from Bridgton (AIr. Mckinney
did defeat an appropriation of $4,000
which was intended to enrich some
body. Objection may have been raised
to some of these appropriations in the
committees possibly. but not on the
floor of this House. 1t seems to me that
it is time we began to remember thos|
early days Of our campaigning last fall
when we got 50 close to the labOrine
man and said: II am your friend, if
you will give me your ballot l will Sc
that you are cared for this winter
Has the laboring man had any show in
these halls this winter? The corpora
tions, the lawyers. the doctors. the pro-
feSSional men, can get a hearing at any
time, but the laboring man, the poor
man who does the work and who feeds
you and who has made it possible for
yea to wear your tall hat and silk
81 yves. he is crowded to the ground
Let ne state that when they rise. som'
of YOU people will be in the same pre-
dicament in which the Speaker told you
the other day the old deacon was Wher
he had the bull by the nose. / want to
warn you that the laboring men arc
not all dead yet in this little State Of
Maine and you will hear from them.
Two years ago You passed a bill tax
ing away from the poor man the right
of his drink in the city. You did allow
the farmer to have his cider but the
man who works in the city if he want
cd glass of beer he must be deprive'
of it. We ask now the same rights thai
you have. You may have the money
and YOU can send to Boston and you
y
liquors: and undoubtedly tho NOR
money you have the more wine viii
be found III your cellar 1t is told t.
me by the men who clean out your Gel
lars that they are filled with the best
and the choicest that there is. daugh-
tnr) We have here now pending before
tile committees $942,131. We have pend
ing before the Senate and House $500.
123. We have passed and there has beer
approved by the Governor S2.439,4l9
Making the little round sum that the
people are asking for of $2,902, 2I3-al
most four millions of dollars: and We
turn On the other page and We see it Is
estimated that our assets will be 81
COS 600 Where is this deficiency to conc
from? There is no other way but to in
crease our taxes.
Now, in regard to this rum question
went to the agency in the city of Au-
burn for some whiskey for my father
who was sick The agent sold me what
IS called 4 long-necker for $1.GS. / am
complaining because men who send to
Boston ard get their liquors direct tel'
nc that they get IS good for 81 gallor
delivered to their door as / paid there
1.6S a bottle which would make 1912 &
gallon. | want to say that You will fine
that the labOrinG men are getting their
eyes opened and unless there is some
thing done to bring relief to them it
seems to me they will take the reins in
their own hands. am asking that theV
shall have their liquors as cheap as You
men have them who have got money.
You ask nc how 7 propose to bring TINS
about. and | say I propose to stop the
sale Of rum t. make profit on 1t. we
claim that we will allow little liquor
to he sold for medicinal and mechanl-
cal purposes. but we are going to nave
n revenue ont of our liquor. We find in
this great State of Maine that there
are only Is agencies. Do YOU suppose
that the other cities and towns are dry ?
Do YOU suppose that it is impossible
for YOU to get a bottle of Whiskey in
he city of Augusta if you wanted it?
We find that these Is or 1G places known
as agencies bought last year $132,000
worth. The commission to the state OF
Maine was $13, 900. The expense to the
r.f11