Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-12

totdlt VI httliic Nlidt IL 10, tiIt VI
est jewel in the diadem of this Re-
public. l believe that every Repub-
lican feels at this time as I do ex-
cept the gentleman from Yarmouth
that this motion to substitute this min
GRITTY report, this Democratic meas
ure, should rot prevail.
Mr. DAVIES of Yarmouth: Mr..
Speaker l object very seriously to
the gentleman from Houlton speaking
for the Republican Party. He has
moi been in it long enough to know
what the principles of the Republican
Party are. (Applause). | can remem-
Der the time when he was prancing
around ArooStook county, carrying his
hair and comforting his visage and tell
ing everybody that the only salvation
for the state of Maine was in the Pro-
hibition Party. daughter and APP.
plause), that the Republicans We're d
rum party. and that the Democrats
We're u rum partyf also. Now | ask
you III a spirit of fairness if we are
from that man? Wouldn't you prefer
to have your ideas those of YOU who
are going to have them suggested to
you, from SoIlc one WHO Ildu bttl. III
the Republican party a longer time?
But the conversion of the gentleman
tC the principles of the Republican
party was as sudden as the conversion
OF Paul of Tarsus on his way to Dam
aScus He saw the light all of sud-
den, and what brought about that
sudden change was the forecast on
the part of some of the good people
of the town of Houlton as to who
might go to the Legislature. Haugh-
ter a.d applause). Is that a sufficient
reason fcr the change? And he be-
lieveS that the proof of the pudding
of his conversion is in chewing the
string. G.aughter).
Now. then, | challenge any man on
the floor of this House, after the ses
sion is closed / will challenge any
man in the sound of my voice, to
name single Republican state in this
Union Where those three officers are
not elected by the people, with one
exception. Do you call it Republican
doctrine? Do you cali it Democratic
doctrine? Do you call it Prohibition
doctrine? | know of but one state in
the Onion where these three officers
are elected by the Legislature and that
is the poor boss-ridden state of Della
ware and no other. Afraid to trust the
people? There is no call for an cleo
ton! What do you think of the initia
tive and referendum that has been
written into our Constitution if it il
not call from the people?
Tell me of single man
who dared to stand UP in
either branch of this Legislature and
oppose the initiative and referendum.
No cali for it from the people? I chal-
lenge any man to tell us why the Re
publican majority in this State has
gone from $4,000 to 1000 when we had
as honorable and as high principled
Il man as the Hon Bert M. Fernald
as our candidate for Governor. Tell
me why Judge Taft can get a majority
of $4,000 votes in the State of Maine
and the candidate for Governor can get
but 1000. There is a call for it if a
man only listens for it, but 1t makes
q great difference from what point hi.
inclines his ear. If he listens in Houl-
ton in all probability he won't hear it.
if he is prejudiced against 1t. but ii
he gets up on the mountain top where
he can see all the electors or this State
| think that he will see ana hear the
call OF the people of this State to come
into their own. | believe that he will
hear in regard to such people as the
State treasurer who gets the money
which he dispenSeS from the people
themselves, or in regard to the at
torney general who the distinguished
gentleman from Houlton said when he
nominated him in this han to be the
representative of all the people of this
State and that every one of us could
go to him for an opinion and for ad
vice--I believe that he will hear that
there is a call from the people to elect
that man. Every one here knows
what the influences are when the rep
rescntatives begin to gather in this
hall. Every man here knows that it
is not entirely fair to the people them
selves to have officers who hold such
high positions elected where there are
influences that are not divorced en-
tirely from the matter Mr. Speaker,
| say that it is entirely contrary to
the spirit at least of Democratic gov
eminent to have officers who are en-
tirely responsible to the people them
selves elected by the Legislature.
This resolve was presented to the
last House by a distinguished Re
publican from Skowhegan, Judge Dan
forth. | regret exceedingly that any
one should suffer his zeal to lead him
into an attack On the motives of any
member of the House. If we differ
with others in regard to business ar
fairs or our political views we can
believe that they love truth as pas
slonately and as fully as we do; and
in our highest moments | believe that
il is objectionable to impute TO an OPP
ponent unworthy motives. disioyalty to
a common cause, craftiness and cum
ming and chicanery. A man who has
that narrow kind of a mind needs to
have broken in upon it little OF the