Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-05-18

ton movement "a new impetus
Political reasons also assisted in the
progress of the separation movement
since Massachusetts was Federalist in
its politics while in Maine the oppo-
site party was usually in the majority
In the earlier years of the agitation
Massachusetts was largely hostile tc
the movement for separation. State
pride dictated the retention of the en-
tire territory and the Massachusetts
Federalists did not want a state added
to the Union which would be of the
Democratic political faith.
After the War of 1872 the agitation
foi separation became much stronger
and there We're many meetings and
much discussion of the subject here in
Maine as well as many debates in the
General Court of Massachusetts. The
third vote on the subject was taken
May 20, 1916, and 1854 votes were cast
in favor of separation and 6491 against
it. This total Of 17,075 votes was less
than one-half of those in Maine, a
strange circumstances considering the
exciting canvass that preceded the
election. Even at that time the mat
ter of the capital of the proposed new
state was under discussion and the
opponents to separation claimed that
the advocates OF the movement got a
large vote for separation in Kennebec
county by the assurance that Augusta
would be the capital and in Cumber-
land county by a similar assurance
that Portland would be the seat Of
government. The next vote was TAX
en- in September Of the same year,
1916, with 1859 for separation and
10,347 against it.
After this there was lull for a few
years, but in 1919 the movement again
started and quickly acquired great
momentum. At the annual election
party differences were eXtinguished
and the sole issue was separation.
The nine Senators elected from Maine
10 the General Court all favored sep
aration, and of the Representatives
la favored separation and only IL op-
posed il. An attempt was made in
the General Court to have all the peo-
pie of the commonwealth vote on the
question of separation, but this was
voted down in the Senate "a to ~ and
Maine was taken July &c, 1919, and re-
suited 1901 in favor of separa ton
and 1872 opposed. Kennebec's major
ity in favor of separation was 1909, the
largest rolled up in any county.
In the following October the con-
stitutional convention met with
Daniel Cony of Augusta as temporary
chairman and William King, who be
came the first governor little later,
as permanent presiding officer AT
this convention it is interesting to note
that there was quite contest over the
name of the new State. Lagonia was
suggested by some and also Column
bus, since the convention met on the
anniversary Of the day when Columbus
first discovered land, but Maine was
the preference of large majority.
Ia bnl hn-
ing a commonwealth" instead of a
state" for the vote was only 119 to
113 in favor of the latter appellation
The constitution drawn up at this
convention was later adopted by a
popular vote of $3.50 to 1876 Then
came the struggle in Congress over the
admission of Maine as separate
state, that question being complicated
with the admission of Missouri, but
on March IS, 1920 the battle was end
ed and the separation from Massachu-
sets became complete.
These are a few of the many inter-
esting things CLEANED from Mr.. STAN
woods pamphlet of AZ pages. Much
of the matter contained in his work,
especially that relative to the Massa-
chusetts side of the controversy and
the votes and discussions of the Cen
eral Court. has never before been in
print, and it forms an especially val
liable addition to the history of the
SeDaratiOn movement.
George Fred Williams explains that
many Democrats are supporting Gov
ernor Johnson under the impression