Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-16
lutely barren OF the smallest shadow

OF result.
Verify the Sentinel has undergone a
marvellous change in it's estimate OF the
pressed at the polls, since the last State
election.
Does any intelligent citizen believe
fer one moment that il the voters of
Maine should go to the polls and
unanimously vote that they were OPP
posed to the resubmission Of the pro-
hibitory amendment such vote would
be useless" and absolutely barren
oe the smallest shadow of result?
We think not.
Does any thoughtful voter Of Maine
believe for one moment that if the peo-
Die should 50 vote upon this question,
fairly submitted at a special election
ca,er the provisions of the Initiative
and Referendum, tWO-thirds Of their
chosen Representatives in the State
LEGISLATURE would still insist UPON re-
submitting the constitutional prohiDi-
Tory amendment in opposition to their
wishes 50 publicly and emphatical!y eX-
pressed"
Nos, certainly not, and no one Is
better aware of the fact than the Senti-
mel.
The fact that after weeks of twisting,
scurming and evasion, during which
ii has lodged about from one posi-
ton to another il is now forced
inIo the utterly absurd and ridicu-
Ions position Of asserting that the
viii of the sovereign voters Of
Maine, upnn great question Of pub
lie moment, even if ''tlnanirnolsly" -X-
luleIy barren of The smallest shadow Of
result" shows how utterly destitute il
is Of anything resembling argument.
II is evident that the Sentinel has
really very small respect for the voice
of the people, whatever may have been
its ?relonsions in the past,
No one knows better than the Sc'!ti
Eel, and the Democratic bosses behind
it, that if the people at the polls should
vote that they did not desire the re-
submission Of piohihitocy amendment
10 the constitution that would settle
The whole question, and remove it
from the arena of partisan politics for
q generation to come.
THIS Is PRECISELY WHAT THEY
ARE AFRAID OF.
They DO not want this question set
tied. They desire to keep it alive in
order that they MAY CONTINUE TO
PLAY POLITICS WITH IT.
If the people should declare at the
polls that they We're opposed to the re-
solve and that they desired thu con-
stitutional amendment Iesubmitted,
does any intelligent citizen suppose for
moment that such an expression
would be useless ana that their
chosen representatives. in the legisla-
ture would disregard and defy their
publicly registered wishes? Most GER
tainly not, and 10 one knows it any
better than the Sentinel, and the politi-
cal dynasty that is backing it.
But the Sentinel and the men behind
it do not desire such \ vote. 1t would
settle the question as surely as q vote
in favor of the resolve, and these men
Do NOT DESIRE THE SETTLE
MENT OF THIS GREAT QUESTION
IN EITHER DIRECTION. They de-
sire to keep it alive for political use.
in the hope of making it serve their
lutely the only interest they have or
hav" ever had in it. This fact has
beel clearly brought out in the dis
cnssion Of the proposed Referendum re-
solve, in which the dodging Sentinel
has finally been forced into the hui
initiating position Of making the pre-
rOsterons assertion that a public vote
Of the electors of Maine upon this
great question would be useless" ana
"abSolutely barren Of the smallest
shadow of result"
Gut out we say upon the lodging.
souirming. evasive hypocrisy that is
forced BY the untcnable positions il
has tried To hold, to resort to such
pa!pably fa'se and silly assertions.