Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-02
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Five.)

Lake in Kennebec county.
Resolve to provide means for the ex-
animation of claims for State pensions.
The following bill came up on its
passage to be enacted:
An Act to amend Section AZ Of Chap
ter 20 of the Revised Statutes in re-
lation to the possession of liquors.
Mr.. Kavanough OF Portland moved
that this bill he indefinitely post
poned.
Mr. ALLEN of Jonesboro: Mr..
Speaker: I am somewhat at los~ TO
know just what the reason wra.. ta
for the motion made by the 70 ,tr.,,'i
from Portland. I will state ~ -h.,
benefit of the House as bri "r i,
can the purposes for this l.
framed. When the committee "a '-i,-
perance acted on the Soc - H.
ings amendment which rci...- 70 tat
strang and mysterious law e.la"; i Dy
a Republican Legislature me year
ago. it was determined ~
meant "Or" and that Sin addi' the
to" meant or" or in other ords. IT,
black meant white When this b. -
introduced by the senator from Ok
ford the objection made at the l.. ar-
ing which was held in this room, vas
that the bill was simply another of
the many lodges that had been pre-
scented to the people Of Maine wy the
party which processes to stand for
the enforcement Of the temperance
laws l am giving this in substance
rs the sentiment expressed in opposi
ton to that bill. I do 1t express it
as my own views, b. that was the
objection made to tn .,assage of the
Hastings bill. When the committee on
temperance went into executive SEES
sion and considered those objections.
and we found that they were cons :
cred by some or perhaps by all o. ''"
members Of the committee to b. p, l'
objections to the Hastings amen .fa r,t
1t was moved and unanimously - ed
that Senator Howes, a memb of that
committee, be instructed to prepare the
bill, the results of which would be cal
Culated to remove those objections. The
objection to the Hastings amendment
was that there were two statutes, one
governing illegal possession and the
other governing the maintaining of
liquor nuisances, that the Hastings
amendment would not apply to, and
on account Of that difficulty it would
be possible to still evade the law and
the rumsellers get off scot free, al
though the people might suppose by
the passing of the Hastings amend
ment that something had been done.
AS matter of fact, nothing substan-
TALLY would be accomplished. The COM
mittee realized that difficulty and gave
the senator the instructions to which
I have referred. and the present bill
ia the result of his efforts. He brought
In bill amending the statute as they
at present stand. and providing that q
Jail sentence should be given for i'll
legal possession. The bill simply
changes the one word cor" substitute
ing in its place the word and
Now, Mr.. Speaker. if the Hastings
amendment is to be passed without
this supplementary amendment 1t Is
operative. If the members of this
House decide that they do not wish
to stand by the action Of a day or two
since, of course it is entirely in order
to indefinitely postpone this bill; but
II we intend to say to the temperance
people of the State Of Maine that we
purpose to give them what they have
asked for for so many years, a manda-
tory Jail sentence for the liquor sellers,
I want 1t clearly understood by the
members of this House who are to
vote upon this matter that there would
be the same opportunity for unlaw-
full sale as it now exists so that if you
want a Jail sentence it is necessary
to accomplish what Is designed by this
bill; it Is necessary that this and en-
other bill which will probably come
lin later and So Mr. Sneaker T move
that when the vote is taken it ~ 'Qken
by the yeas and nays The suggestion
has been made by Representative
near me that this matter be rbi.ad End
taken up in connection with tie )tE,rs.
that is. with the Hastings amendment
I understand 1t is the purpose tf he
House to indefinitely POSTPONE them all
and perhaps 1t will save t,1'a to lave
them all considered together an! So
/ would move that til ill |, Is =