Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-31

KNOWN, or II any other plan can be
devised or suggested which will meet
the situation by which the Sturgis law
may be repealed, it seems to me that
some fair substitute would have some
1alr chance of support of the Legis-
iature In being put into it's place, and
II such is the condition than let us do
that. But at the present crisis, at the
present time of this Legislature it does
not seem probable that the Democratic
party having taken the attitude it has
and having failed to produce votes to
pass the repeal of the Sturgis law
even on this condition which has been
suggested-it does not seem probable
That we can agree upon this matter
IN view of the vote of the Senate and
in view Of the vote of this House. and
1t does not seem probable under the
circumstances that we can agree A
good many Republicans doubtless feel
as l do that they cannot and will not
vote to favor it's repeal unless we have
some reasonable substitute; good
many other Republicans doubtless feel
SO opposed to the law that they will
vote for the repeal Of the law regard
less of a substitute. A great many
democrats are divided upon the mat
Ter on this same general lire, perhaps
not SO much as the Republicans. In
that condition of things, 1 suggest that
as we cannot get at the thing here, and
as this is really a business proposition
and ought not to be a political mat
ter, the question of machinery enforc-
ing the law ought not to be a party
question, and we all doubtless agree
mat II the law ought to be enforced
1t ought to be fair business prop
osltlOn and we should endeayor
to get some sensible way of enforcing the
law as it should be enforced That we
have not been able to do, and for that
reason l suggest that as we are in sense
the hired men for lot of people, the
whole people of the State, less their rep-
resentatives than We used to be on ac-
count of the change in the constitution,
having less authority than they used to
nave, l suggest that we refer this repeal
of the Sturgis law to the people at a
special election under our new constitu-
ton. [ propose that we draw a law or
pass law which has already been drown
repeating this law, it's repeal to take eff
feet as soon as ratified by the people, and
let the people vote upon the proposition
and say whether they want the repail of
the law or not
This proposition seems to me to be so
much in harmony with our new theory
or constitutional government in the State
that 1T may be we'll received. 1t may be
suggested that the people can take action
upon this matter without special refer
erdum, but they cannot unless the law
passes. They can inaugurate the iniatiye
They could start in and pass a law all
by themselves if we failed to pass this
law, but the machinery is so cumbersome
and the thing is so unusual and so i'm
probable that that would be done that I
CAIN that is not proper way to leave
the matter. In this very constitution
there is q special provision that the Leg
islature may at any time pass a proposed
law and submit a statement in effect to
the people. If there ever was a time
when That provision could properly be
taken advantage of. it seems to me it is
this very time. 1 cannot imagine any
condition of affairs coming about to
which this provision of the constitution
is any better adapted than it is to this
very. question. This question has been
agitating the State and parties and indi-
viduals for four years and yet we can
not seem to get at anything; and it is
for that reason that 1 suggest that we
leave it to the people, that the passage
of the repeal be referred to the people at
a special election to be hid under the con-
stitution, as is obliged to be done. on the
second Monday of next September.
Mr.. LIBBY of Amity: Mr.. Speaker, as
member of the committee on temper
aEce. and as one of the members signing
the majority report, 1 feel that l ought
to say something upon this subject The
last speaker had a good deal to say about
the machinery, the amount of machinery
that is attached to their whole business
My memory goes back to the time when
I was boy, when I went to a show
where they had lantern which threw
pictures upon a screen, and I remember
that one thing that was shown was an
image, black and with glaring eyes, and
he was crouched in this way and was
looking first one way and then the other,
until it made my eyes dizzy and my
head swim to watch him. The Republi-
can party is that image. My party has
got temperance baby on one knee and
a rum baby on the other. daughter and
arplause.) I have been made dizzy to see
them. Haughter) That is the way the
Republican party stands today. We were
elected to come here to support temper
ance measures, and temperance measures
that amount to something, and our pco-
pie are looking for us to do that very
thing; but I want to say to you if we re-