Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-24


their locality, coming in and enforcing or
attempting to enforce their laws. and exercis-
ing police powers of that kind over their peo-
pie.
Now. you win see and remember that no
matter how much ardor our own sberiffs that
we elect and our own deputies give to the en-
forcement OF the law, there is no trouble;
there is no riot. Our own deputies in my
locality may knock down and go through
every door in the town and search every
dweiling-house. and there is no riot and no
trouble There is feeling of satisfaction
among the people, you will find.
! 1 feel the same way when the officers show
/ vigilance and activity in that way, and there
/ is n feeling Of satisfaction that the officers
who we thought were proper men to do this
work and voted for are vigilsnt in the per-
Torrance of their duties; but when the other
officers outside come in, then that whole atti-
tude OF the local population changes. Now,
that regard as one OF the principal reasons
why this law is SO unpopular, and when a law
7 is unpopular like that it cannot be efiica-
cious; and that believe is a reason and a
good reason why il is desirable to get rid of
{ it
There are also other considerations. There
| are people who think this is wise legislation
J no doubt, but am arguing from my stand
4 point and believe 1t is unwise. Now, il it is
/ true-and we are pretty well agreed that that
law is unwise, and IL we want to get rid Of 1t
and get something else in place of it, what
are we going to get? We have tried, and there
has been a vote upon the proposition to sub
stitute for the Sturgis law law authorizing
( the governor to remove q sheriff and put an
other one In his place; two-thirds of US do
not think that that law a wise piece of
! legislation. and it has failed Of passage this
4 morning.
| Now, let us try something else. This is my
suggestion. Let US look this thing over care
fully and see II this won't do, and let me ex-
plain to you how look at this matter OF the
proposition to authorize the governor to call
. special election. don't think very much OF
| the idea OF authorizing the governor to re-
move sheriff and put another in his place.
| tApplause). l never have thought very much
of that idea. think there is great objection
to that . law, and the fact that think SO
Is well known. 1t has been my position since
l came here and Was my position. 1 will
frankly say, In the hrst caucus that attend
| ed but there are good things in the law, no
doubt.
| Adler and more experienced men than
have advocated it, and I bowed to their
judgment until the deter nation OF the
House could be had. believe that that law
has elements along very much the same lines
| as this same Sturgis law, and object to hav-
ing in my county the so-called Sturgis depu-
! ties coming in there from the outside, and
| would object to the governor coming there
| and taking our sheriff and putting another
man in his place without my having q word
| to say about it. (Applause.)
Now, upon this matter of the proposed sug-
gestion, think you will find on examining it
that there are actually some teeth. and quite
| u good many strong teeth which will over
| come many OF the objections to the other
| propositions.
| 1t is good deal, gentlemen, in the manner
| along which modern thinkers have been act
| ing OF late, and along the lines that
| adopted in this State when we changed the
| constitution and carried the referendum and
initiative legislation; it is pretty much along
those lines because 1t is in q sense and in =
| degree u recall" rs they term 1t, as political
| economists call it, in some states where they
| have mapped out . whole new system Of laws,
| which we cannot do here and ought not to try,
| and where they had all the experience of ages
| and the best thought OF the world to take into
| consideration they have adopted the initiative
| and referendum and the recall, which means
| of course, as you know. that when an officer
| is elected by the people they still have
string on him, and IL he doesn't do good Job
| they pull him back and yank him out Of the
chair and put another man in his place.
| Now, this is very much along those lines, as
| you will see. 1t is simply that in case Of the
| delinquency OF the sheriff and persistent
| failure to perform the duties of his office, the
| governor may take notice Of it and may call
| special election in that county and put 1t up
| to the people, and they have the right 20 pull
him back and put another in his place. This
does not call for the petition of any particular
number OF people. don't think that Is nee
| essary. II q man in the office of sheriff per-
| sistentIy violates his duty. everybody knows
| IT; II u thousand voters send letter to the
governor notifying him Of that fact he would
| not know it any better than he did before.
Then think having that hanging over the
sheriff, and he knowing that his term Of office
ght and probably would cease upon his fail
| ure to perform the duties of his office, would
| be just as efficient club if his successor
| was going to be appointed by the governor.
| What does the retiring sheriff care about who
| appoints his successor If he is going out of
| office, and II his term of office may cease?
That is all that interests him. Consequently,
/ say, it is as efficacious as the other measure
| in holding the sheriff down; and l don't be-
| lieye it will be used once in twenty five years
| I believe il we have this on the books,
| the very fact that it is on the books will
| cause the sherits to look up and take notice
| and to perform their duties yigilantly.
| Now, in regard to the other end of it, the
| election and substitution of another officer
| think is important. | think it is democratic
| and think it is in accordance with our an
cient principles of government, and believe
| in it; and 1 suggest to you whether or not II is
| a wise way to get condition established so
that when we elect sheriff and he issworn
| Il md gives his bond he cannot sit down and
! say: II have this office for two years and
nothing can disturb me. and II want TO run
this thing to suit myself l can do IT, That
condition think ought to be abrogated' and
| If the people know that they can with the AID
| of the onvarnor also elected by them upon the