Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-18
Monday, September is, 1911.
An lnconsiderate Slopover.

VIZ sAffpN tdHu ne NUNS anu mas du-
mitted) are not in every instance cor
rect copies of the recorded vote. show
him just what he claims. We have
approved his position as State Of
fieiai and informed unr readers that
he could not so behind the returns as
they came to him. But when Secre-
tary of State Davis goes beyond his
official prerogatiyes and attempts to
instruct private individuals and or
CARNATIONS in their duty toward
themselves and the public. he over
reaches his limits as a State official
In other words. ii is none Of Secretary
of State Davis business what the
kennehec journal, or The Associated
Press deduce from their private re-
turns from town and city officials
throughout the State. so long as they
serve up, in conjunction Herewith. the
figures returned to the Secretary of
State and made public by him.
i.tE iiIt secretary I'll soldlG lO
to criticise or instruct the manager of
The Associated Press in his business
may be regarded as an indication why
the Secretary OF States personal organ
has seen fit to Inislead its readers in
every particular by publishing only
the figures made public by the secre-
tary of State, although a member of
The Associated Press and being fully
aware of that great newsgathering or
ganizations ability and intent to give
the news and give it exact. Every
fair and respectable paper, of what
ever political utilization in the State of
Maine and beyond the borders. with
this and one or two other notable ex
ceptions. has given not only the re-
ports which have been sent to the see
Rotary of State but also has made pub
lie the corrected figures. ofAtowns and
cities where copies of the records were
by error transmitted to the secretary
of State in transposed position
Just why Secretary of State Davis
should see fit to censure The Associat-
cd Press for publishing the news is
more than the average citizen is able
TO understand, In his letter to the
Portland headquarters of the organi
zation. he says: IF YOU had confined
yourself to these facts SO obtained,
this Office would have no cause for
complaint You have not done so,
but. on the contrary, have built UP for
public consumption theory based
upon rumor and upon telephone and
other communications from various
sources not official insofar as this
ballot is concerned. For instance. you
state in your Portland dispatch Of yes
terday: Maine remains in the pro-
hibition column.
AS we remarked above, we fail to see
wherein the secretary of State, as
State official, and supposed to be at
tending TO the States business, has
any cause for complaint against any
individual or association which is
furnishing the news to the people.
Secretary of State Davis, in his letter,
admits that The Associated Press re-
turns. when compared with the official
returns conceded within one vote, but
The Associated Press, i'll addition to
giving the returns made to the secre-
tary of State also makes public COR
rected copies of records from towns
which sent erroneous reports. That
Secretary of State Davis is aware of
these errors in his returns We have
proof. just why he should, in the
capacity of an official, take it upon
himself latter his career as a pub
Usher and a newspaper mani to say
that newsgathering association has
no right to make deductions from the
products OF its own compilations, is a
matter challenging his judgment if not
DlS 5titSt VI JASlltS anu hpllSSA9s
As we have said and repeated. Sec
rotary of State Davis cannot go back
of his returns, but the Kennebec Jour
nal. The Associated Press. or any 9th
or news gathering concern, has per-
feet right indeed is bound by its duty
TO the public, TO make known the in
tent of the voters ra Their than the mar
rev supposition that there is a pos.
sibllity of attacking the constitution
of Maine on the blunder of one or two
careless town clerks What the peo
pie OF Maine most desire at this time
Is knowledge of how they voted, and
they don't care rap what Secretary
of State Davis or anybody else wishes
in the matter. 50 long as they get th'
news. The news has been furnished
by The Associated Press. and has beer
verified from the records OF the vari
ons towns and cities. giving margin
on Ihe No side Of 1856 votes. Tht