Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-07

| HhltlDeT OF men, everyone OF WHOM are
to blame except ourselves.
| With the choice of three commits
sioners, and with unlimited authority
placed in their hands we shall now
! know who are entirely responsible for
either the good or the bad moves
which shall characterize the manage
ment OF eur municipal affairs.
| The success Of Commission Govern
ment viii not rest merely upon the
choice of good men. There is surely
| as much and even more Importance
to be attached TO the policies and
principles which are TO be carried out
by the commissioners. We now have
IA golden opportunity of lifting the
whole question of civic affairs out OF
the struggle for men. into a clear and
definite choice and struggle for poll
eies and measures.
| indeed. our future success or failure
in the upbuilding Of our whole mu-
nicipal life. rests upon the clear en-
phasfs which we place upon the poll
cies To be inaugurated in the future.
We do not need any longer to get
into conflict. or break friendships with
| any man whose name NAV he sug-
| gested aS a candidate for any office
nov in the direct gift Of the people.
We need and therefore desire. 10
| know the definite policies for which
each of our candidates stand We
need Ia know these facts SO that our
elections III the future may be kept
| above al personalities. We need also
| to know these facts, rs a matter Of
plain AMI Intelligent voting on ctr
| part when We go to the polls.
| II we are IL exercise the right of
| franchise at alt let us know plainly
what We are voting for, when We east
our ballot for any commissioner, Let
Us from nov on make it oar clear aud
definite policy to stand clearly for
measures, rather than men Then
we shall know Just exactly what we
are voting for and we shall always
get Just exactly what we really de-
sire 30 have in cur civic life.
Doubtless our present candidates
fer Office viii be just as glad To state
their attitude ON certain definite poll
| eies, as the rest Of our citizens may
he DESTROYS of having them do. Then,
| if they win or lose they will know
| that it Is not because our citizens OBJ
| iect to them as men: but because We
do, or do not. desire the measures To
bes carried out for which they openly
and frankly stand.
| or courSs We do rot expect il@n to
60 into minute details. upon tie sur
bordinate questions which will nat
urally arise. But there are four broad
| policies which are now in the minds
ef eur people. and which must Of
| necessity receive the definite sanction
or opposition of our Commissioners.
whoever they may be.
/. We desire to know what is to be
the attitude of our candidates toward
a strict, impartial, and continuous en-
| forcement of law. Even if we admit
that the recent election ON the pro-
| hibitory amendment leaves a drawn
| battle, when we cast our ballot for
a man, we want to know whether we
are voting for strict enforcement, or
d secret notification of the law.
Whether we love or hate the present
| law, whether we honestly desire IL
eense or prohibition, we ought not we
surely should not, divide in judgment
as to the wisdom of strict ard i'm
partial enforcement of all law which
| exists Upon our statute books and in
our constitution.
If we are to continue as free peo-
pie. and hope for the continued exist
ence of our democratic institutions.
We must arise IN eur might and in
sist either upon the removal or the
impartial enforcement, OF all law. II
the growing disregard for law, and the
growing criticism upon our whole sys-
| TEN of jurisprudence, continues in the
next generation as ii has IN the past.
il requires no prophet 10 see, that We
must certainly cease to exist as
free and democratic state or nation.
We have no quarrel wit hthe man
who believes in high license or even
| the unrestricted sale of liquor. He
| has as much right to his opinion as
we have 10 ours. and to register that
opinion by his vote at the polls. OF
| course as firm believer N strict and
absolute prohibition. We should oppose
his policy by every fair act and IN
iuence at our command. But We want
1t to be an open and frank warfare
regarding policies rather than men.
But the question now before us al
our next election is not whether we
want license or 10 license, bat far
deeper question, of whether We shalt
be d free people: and this question is
vitality concerned with far more
wholesome attitude toward the laws
Of our city and State. Surely, on
this question We ought not TO be any
longer divided
? What is TO be the policy of our
candidates recording our educational
system our rev charter has elimin-
ated that taeat unfortunate evil. which
has so long existed, i'm the distinct and
divided authorize Ct two Separate
School Boards. Let MS thank fortune
that this evil is at last eliminated,
We now have the opportunity OF
building into a singie unified ana co
| herent system, our whole educational
system. High school, as we'll as all
tic lower grades will now be under
q single fnanagement and will there
fore permit Of certain Important
changes.
We need important changes in the
whole curriculum, but even more a
shifting of emphasis as to what are
the really important things around
which ctr whole system should center.
We need far loss work in certain lines,