Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-23

been telling q church club IN Auburn
some things the Democratic party OF
Maine proposes to do, now tist 1t mas
beer entrusted with power It IS not
that Mr. McGillcuddy elected that
subject to speak upon before = nor
partisan organization. lie SELDOM
talks nolitics: ne acknowledges it him
self. But he was invited by the pas-
tor 10 break over the rul" TINS tit.ir
and re complied. 1t was. az he SAID.
not the first time the law had loloH."
the Gospcl. What are the Democrats
going to do? Well, Col. Plaisted mas
said several times that they must
make good" This is to be under-
stood as meaning that they must iiot
only fulfil their before election pledges,
but must also conduct themselves
generally in such way as to secure
the approval and confidence OF the
state if they wish to retain power.
IL is o pretty difficult undertaking.
and time will test it whether 1t be
successful Mr.. McGillicuddy SAID ne
could not tell what the Democratic
party would do as he was not its boss
but II can tell you as one Of '".W'
Democrats what they promised the
ncoplc they would do" Mr.. McGilli-
cuddy is setting the number ratheE
high for it is too soon to class rs
Democrats the several thousand Re
publicans who voted the DemOcatlc
ticket and made the Democratic sue
cess possible But let that pass
1t seems that the first thing the
Democrats propose to do is to restore
local self-gOvernmcnt. That means
the repeal Of the State enforcement
law and the Jail commission law, and
probably the Biddeford police COM
mission. The party thinks the coun-
ties competent TO manage their own
iau affairs and to enforce the law.
But" says Mr. McGiilicuddy. "the
Democrats also propose to enforce the
prohibitory law as well as others, and
enforce it fairly and honestly in every
county" Perhaps they do. but they
will probably find that they propose
and the shnriffs and county attorneys
dispose. 1t was such as the Bangor
plan, the Pcnnell plan. the AndroscoG-
cir plan and similar that gave rise TO
the Sturgis law. The Democratic par
ty has been in power in Androscogsln
county. but the sheriff failed to en-
force the law, and the SturgiS dcpu-
ties were sent in. 1t was the same in
pcnobscOt county. He is Sanguinc who
expects to see strict enforcement OF
the prnhibitory law next year
The Democrats propose to resnbmit
the rrohibitory constitutional amend
mcnt says Mr.. McGillicuddy. SO they
do. e they can get enough Republican
votes, and they probably can. They
propose TO ratify the income tax
amendment and to enact direct pri-
marics. both of which were endorsed
by both parties and are not in issue.
They propose tC cut down state OK
prnditures 100000 to S1,6o0.000 year
without crampins State institutions or
denying money to other objects that
deserve State aid. This they may b'
able to do, because large extraordinary
expenditures for such purposes as the
home for the feehe-minded. State
House enlargement and hospital OK
tension have already been made once
for all, but when Nh. McGiliicuddy
suggests saving by abolishinG offices
and reducing salaries, ha eXcites in
credulity. Another Of the proposed
Democratic reforms is a corrupt rrac-
tice act looking to the reduction OF
campaign expenditures. This is COM
mendable. and it is to be assumed that
there will be no opposition. Mir. Nc
Giilicuddy says nothing about Gov
crnor-elect Plaisted's alleged purpose
to abolish the liquor agencies along
with drastic enforcement of the
prohibitory law. Meanwhile the new
year is not far distant and we shall
then see v hat we shall see.