Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-01
|,,,ident Berry Of kent's
NlNDec|ares Ineffective.
I,,I,eIerizes Proposed Eaton
Amendment As "FutIle.'
|,,,r., Strongly for Retention Of
r. Law In Sunday Address.

.nv law placeu uPoii 'hS olo.ulC
.tsn said Rev. Wilbur F. Berry,
1911 Of Kent's Hill Seminary,
-aov evening in an address at the
c.asn Street Methodist Episcopal
"urch Of this city in which he argued
."orgIv in favor of the Sturgis law
s1;ng retained upon the Statute books
and characterized the proposed Eaton
a"andment to the constitution as
4r,,;ap President Berry said:
4The proposition to repeal the Stur-
- law and substitute an amendment
- tho constitution compelling the Gov
4 NOR 70 remove delinquent sheriffs is
measure which has been adopted by
.bs Republican legislative caucus. The
Hno,,ocrats are committed to the I'M
additional repeal Of the Sturgis law,
% that Republicans and Democrats
4auLe stand committed to the repeal of
,ho sturgis law, the one party Indirect
,v and the other directly.
consider first the principle OF gov
orr,nent the furthering of the general
Good the entering of the people of the
c,,ta into a solemn partnership, de-
oror;ng their purpose to further the
eafetv and happiness of themselves.
tn this end they have made a written
compact in the form Of constitution,
themselves providing the means by
which that purpose is to be secured
President Berry then spoke of The
three different departments of govern
ment and their relation to each other
and declared it to be a fact that in
their separate fields each must per-
form the duties assigned to it by the
declared purpose of the people in the
formation of the State constitution.
continuing he said:
THE Legislature must enact laws
hest suited to further the safety and
hardness of the people, the Executive
department must enforce these laws
in manner best suited to further
safety and happiness, and the juriclal
department must also interpret and
apply these laws in the same manner.
| All are under oath to do this
"The Governor appoints the judicial
department save the probate judges,
but all the other executive officials
even the Council of the Governor are
elected by the people, or by the Legis-
lature in joint session. The Governor
has no power whatever either in the
selection or removal of any official in
the executive department. The only
provision for the removal of a delin-
quent official is by Impeachment or
by address, and in both cases, this is
done by the Legislature"
THE people Of the State of Maine
enacted special liquor laws for the
furtherance of the safety and happi-
lature re-enacted its liquor laws in
substantially the form it then had
them. In 1884 the prohibition of the
liquor traffic was put into the State
constitution and the liquor laws were
strengthened from the standpoint OF
temperance by making the constitu-
tional amendment effective. But there
was permitted an increasing and APP
parently concerted notification of these
laws on the part of all the depart
ments of the State The Executive de-
partment in many instances entered
into actual partnership with the saloon
and shared in its profits The penalty
imposed by the judicial department
was of such a nature that violations of
the liquor law steadily increased until
IN many of our larger counties of the
state the sale OF liquor was as open
and undisturbed as that of groceries
or other necessary commodities"
The moral forces of the State were
aroused by this condition and gave
themselves to it's betterment. They
secured the election of few SheriffS,
VINO faithfully performed their duties
ana necessitated the putting into the
piatform of the Republican party of
iouf years ago a strong plank, pledg-
ing the party to enforcement. Gov
eThor Cobb made his campaign on a
promise that he would do his utmost
u enforce the law. When he came
il''o Office he found himself powerless
Wy any legal provisions to carry out
MS promise and he requested that the
legislature should put at his disposal
law that would enable him to re-
"eem the pledges that he had made
!" The campaign. That Legislature
save nm what is known as the Sturgis
''"' IL provides for q commission of
u'fee men, empowered to appoint and
Saper'ntend deputy commissioners, au-
'"ori|ed to devote their entire time
W inc enforcement of the laws re-
a'"'s 10 the sale of liquor, whenever
"e regular officials neglected or re-
MY"
). III speaking of the objections to the
''u'sis law Mr.. Berry cited the eX-
pehSe ana the objection that it was an
sA''eSeehce on the body polite" In
's'rd to these objections he said:
Inc Sturgis law is a necessary
"easuie and the Sturgis Commission
, :, al exact harmony with the sea and
..'e hsAeries commission, the inland
'N"eiies and game commission, the
. :. commission, at least 10 9TH
y; submissions for the purpose of car
! ing out certain laws of the State. 1t
:. o'Jeeted that the Sturgis law Gre
ses TWO sets of officials to enforce the
s"e law. AS a matter of fact there
~ ''iree sets, the municipal officers.
w. eouhty officers, and the Sturgis
,on '','ssion, but the Sturgls Commits
~ "oes not act where the other Of
MS perform their duties.''
a. esioent Berry went into the ques-
,oa OF the expense of the commission
" some length, saying:
, = me State of Maine has expended
!, we past two years 1900 a year
or the Stnrris ,Ho,.;.si Leo. III,