Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-12
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from Page Nine.)

and studying the wants of the people
and how to govern them they had
come to that conclusion and they pro-
posed that amendment and made that
amendment to the Constitution. Now
after all these years we find that there
is desire, there must have been ii
desire. there must have been desire
even in the Republican party that this
resolve should have a passage, and It
came here from the last Legislature
and it came from man who is re-
spected by all and a Republican, to
elect these State officers by the people.
1t is the history of our party my
Democratic friends, that | appeal to
in asking that this resolution have g
passage. But further than this / ask
it on another ground. On the fifth of
this month in this hall when the reso-
luton against rebating or any special
privileges to corporations was before
us-a Democratic principle to the very
core as we all know-we were invited
by the gentleman from Yarmouth TO
go into the Republican party and to
assist and be one among them for that
day at any rate. And, gentlemen, we
went, all of us, not a laggard among
us. we attended that reception by
cur Republican friends, enjoyed it
to the full and placed upcn record
one Of the severest rebukes that a
party ever received and helped them
to do it-joined with them; and when
we came away from that reception we
bore with us. my Democratic friends,
the great leader of their party here,
the gentleman from Yarmouth. We
took him with us. and today we are
proud to allow him to lead with US in
this movement to bring to the people
the right to elect the State officers.
We have done well, and ! have no
doubt that our influence today will
extend far enough to cover sufficient
number of Republicans to enable US
to carry this beneficent resolve that
SO appeals to all the people. Cap
plause)
Mr. HERSEY: Mr.. Speaker, l would
not say another word We're it not for
some things dropped by the gentle
man from Yarmouth. He has not PEI"
haps been so parliamentary as the gen.
tleman from Camden, although setting
aside the supplementary language of
the gentleman from Yarmouth you
would not see great deal OF differ
ence between the Democratic speech
and the Republican speech upon this
measure | do not find fault with a
man who leaves one political party FOR
another if he does it fair and square,
does it in public way. does it so that
his constituents know where he is so
that the people of the whole State
know where to find him and can put
their finger upon him. so they know
his position and where he stands.
When | belonged to the Prohibition
party in the State of Maine l voted
q square ballot. l fought the Repub-
lican party and the Democratic party
ut that time because I believed that
both favored the saloon. and they did :;
but when the Republican party of
Maine took an honest stand for the
enforcement of the Maine law l came
into the Republican party, because
every principle of Republicanism was
NV principle, and when they took my
principle on the enforcement of the
law ! stood with them, and stand
with them today. When the Republi-
can party ceases to represent my pr!n-
ciples ! will find some party that VIII,
and I will find it openly and | Will find
it suuarely. | will not be elected 10
the Legislature on Republican pat
form and stand with Democrats on
Democratic measures when get to the
Legislaturc When the Republican
lamb lies down with the Democratic
lion, the lamb comes up missing every
time (applause): and so when the gem
tleman from Yarmouth is seeking here
this morning for Democratic cheers
that is all right. when he stands with
he gentleman from Camden in glorl-
fication OF the old Democratic doctrine
that Is all right: but I do object that
he should take the occasion OF beng
sent here as a Republican to this Leg
islature and then come in with Il MN
ority report for Il Democratic measure
and stand with Democrats against
what / claim to be a Republican doc
trine.
NV friends from Yarmouth says that
this Resolve was presented in the last
Legislature by a gentleman from
Skowhegan and he says lie was a good
Republican, I think he is. but he WAS
not a good enough Republican to come
into this Legislature and go before the
committee on JuultldiS 'ii ""N 'N''
that measure. | don't know why he
presented it. A great many measures
are presented by members who d" not
believe in them; when it comes to a
fight they are not there; and the gen
tleman from Skowhegan at that time
did not favor us with his presence
before the committee nor send SUD-
stitute nor see that anything was done
with his measure. He seemed content
that II should die its natural death
And I say these things to put myseH
right that while ! am in the l-egis'f-
ture | mean to stand for the Repuo-
lean principles and policies. the R"-
publican platform and measures lol
which | have been elected here Whet
l cannot do that, if want to go to the
Democrats there will be plenty OF pun
lie notice of it. and | won't get IN there
in such way as the gentleman IRON
Yarmouth is seeking friendship anc
place. (Applause)
Mr.. MOORE of Saco: Mr.. Speaker
lust q word. 1t seems to us VINO nave
heen here before fitting that new ant
strange doctrines should emanate IRON
Houlton. When | see Houlton mere
under a new and strange Leadership
j II