Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-24
r,Yos AMENDMENT DEFEATED
.h,e address In Its Favor by Repre-
.,,,,ive Peters, of Ellsworth.


s.,tative Peters, of Ellsworth.
The most important address delivered in
,.o legislature thus far this winter was
MAT of Representative John A. Peters, OF
rr,o,yorth, on the Eaton amendment Civ
;ng the governor power of removal Of
.hor;Ts. which failed to receive two
.ti,as vote, the amendment offered by
a.. Peters sharing the same fate.
Mr. Peters represented the republican
,,enbers of the legislature, having been
chosen at caucus the night previous to
,,ro.snt the views OF the party to the
House ON the liquor enforcement ques-
tiop. His address was as follows:
NJ, sneaker, move that the rules be sus-
.,,d and that we reconsider the action Of
,bs House whereby this resolve was passed TO
~ o,grossed, and / make that motion for the
,,,,,,ose of getting a parliamentary stage of
~. matter where the resolve may be
o,aed; and In order that the House may
;,,sllivently vote upon the proposition as to
neither or noe this resolve shall be placed
.rh.re il may be amended, will explain the
.,,epaunept which desire to- offer, and which
shall offer II you win give me the oppor-
tunty.
ne he changing certain words and striking
an. certain language. and inserting the fol-
loving: "If the sheriff Of any county per-
sistently fails to perform his legal duties. and
fine governor upon notice thereof and hearing
he satisfied as to such persistent failures, he
NAV call a special election in that county for
,he election OF sheriff, and after the result Of
the election has been determined by the gov
ernor and council and proclamation thereof
made by the governor, the term OF Office Of
.he then sheriff shall cease, and his successor
so elected shall hold Office for the unex pired
term or until another is so chosen In his
stead
The rest of the amendment Ia more formal
hut it carries out the idea which you will
catch at once from the proposed change In
the arst part Of the resolve, which is in sub
stance that instead Of the proposed provision
of authorizing the governor TO remove sher-
ID and name his successor, the governor is
authorized and empowered to call . special
election in any county where the sheriff Is
dereiiot in his duty, and the people Of the
county I'LL the ONCE. 1t Is further proposed
and II / am allowed to propose this snend-
ment shall at the proper time propose an
amendment making the.repeal Of the sturgis
Isw conditional upon the passage Of this res
olutou adopted by the people rather than
upon the previous one.
Now, l desire briefly with your permission.
gentlemen, to state my attitude upon this
proposition, and in q general and somewhat
rough way to explain why I think 1t ought to
have a passage. believe we are In accord in
great many things. i believe we are all
practically agreed that the prohibition law.
so long as 1t remains law on the statute
books of this State, ought to be enforced; and
never have heard OF any political party or
any group Of persons, no matter how divided
on others, to make any announcement or take
any public position contrary to that sugges-
ton. believe we are NIL practically unani-
nous in the idea that so long the law
mains on the statute books II ought to be en-
forced.
There used to be a falling off-there pre-
riously was to some extent a falling of OF
that idea. In some localities years ago that
idea did not prevail so strong, but the pre-
vsiling and the best idea and opinion, as
beiieYe, now Is in favor OF the strict enforce
ment Of the law. believe without regard to
political parties we may rest upon that as
common ground. / believe that this matter
is simply matter Of how best we can get at
the enforcement OF this law. take it that
we can best do our duty which we swore to
perform when we arrived here II when we
leave to go home we leave behind US on the
books here such laws in relation to the en-
forcement of this liquor law are reason
able in our judgment and wise and effective.
think we may all safely say that it is proper
for US to get together and see II we can't
agree on that course OF action because think
it is desired by us.
OF course this 10 not question of resubmis-
sion on one side and prohibition or high IL
eense or no license-it IL . question. as look
At 1t, aud I give only my point Of view as
look at tit is simply question Of the most
expedient and ef{icacious methods OF eniorc-
ing this law and making the statutes carry it
out.
The so-called sturgis law, which is one
method Of enforcing the liquor law, we have
now had for four years. When that law was
hrst proposed OF course 1t was an entire ex-
pertinent; nobody knew Just how il would
work. We are in better condition to-day to
tell how much a law Of that kind is worth. A
great many people, and great many demo-
Gratis and great many republicans-and
am one Of them-believe that that is an unwise
piece OF legislation. great many believe
That 1t is un-American and un-democratic.
aud not in accordance with our ancient prin-
eipies OF government, and in operation ex-
pensive. l think that idea appeals to the
minds of great many people. and notice
when people have the contrary idea, that 1t is
asood law and wise piece of legislation. it
is nine times out Of ten a man who comes
from county where the Sturgis law was
never set in operation.
NOW, without going very much into dis
eussion OF this matter of the Sturgis law,
want to say that think the hostility to that
law Is based upon a reasonable and proper
ground. have observed that wherever that
Jaw was set in operation 1t was almost uni
'efsally the canse OF discord and dissatisfac-
uon' and In some cases riot and bloodshed.
us not mere coincidence that that usually
happens when that law is set in operation.
me law of chances forbids that; and think
annertisfmfrts