Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-03
The 18th leqiSlaturc,

| gathered in the Capital City. I'll,
| 18th Legislature is to be notable IL
| some respects. IT is TO he remark
| able in more was than one. We hep
il will be notorious in no particular
| The 18th LEGISLATURE assemblies Wit
the avoved intention OF the leader.
Of the majority to practice strict
| economy. That is commendablc.
Tha leaders Of the party in power
promise reforms of benefit to the gen
eral public. They have the oppor-
tuntty to carry out these reforms"
Democratic critics pledge them
| selves to correct sonle of the alleged
errors which they claim the Republi.
! cans have made. If the Republicans
| havc mad mistakes, we hope they
| Will be corrected.
| Tho Democratic broom is q new one
| II PROMISES to sweep clean. The pe0-
| PIE OF Maine lopc tIat its work will
| be as good as its promises We be
| licvc it safe to predict that 10 Re
publican member Of either house viii
attempt to block the progress of any
reforms that arc for the best interests
fer the state at large.
The Democratic press has sel font
tic duties" and opportunities .!
the rarity They Lave aroused tac
in.el est. and The party has b""r
given something of pubic confidence
The day ) at hand when the party
must make sood''-if it cLa. We
hope to b. forgiven for the qualifying
afterthougl.t. but history docs lot
SHOW that tic party ever has mad"
good.
THE Republican party has bCcn tn
party OF plogress and accomplishment.
II has been doing things all these
ytaf$. The Democratic party Las
been the party Of obstruction. 1t has
constantly complained Of the things
the Republicans have done. 1t has
rust as constantly proclaimed its will
insness and ability to do much bet
tct. under similar conditions. Nov
conditions are ripe for it. Republicans
are sitting on the fence and propose
,G watch tie new hired men make tie
dirt hy in tic public corn-fcld. They
believe il will be an easier job than
doing the work under the lash OF
Democratic criticism.
Aside from the announcements made
that the party is to hold the expenses
of the state down TO the smallest pos
s;Dlc appropriations. are several M
portart questions which they propose
to handle this winter. Among these
are direct primaries, corrupt Prac-
tres act, q new form Of ballet. con-
soli(ation Of STATE departments, re
submission of the prollibitory amend
ment, the election of an United states
senator.
Democratic leaders arc ShreWd
CROUCH 20 attempt to make their
showing before the public on the rec
ord of economy for the session, be-
cause Of the conditions in which they
find the institutions of the State. The
outgoing administration has expended
la~ge sums of money to place tines"
institutions in such conditions as they
had never been before. At the begin
ming of Governor Fernald's term, he
found many institutions badly handi-
capped by lack Of funds and facilities
TO perform the work for which they
We're intended. Previous admjnistra-
tons, in carrying out plans of econ
omy he'd allowed such institutions to
reach a stage where something must
lie done. Governor Fcrnald did it,
ara leaves them in a condition which
vii not make any urgent i ,mands
upon the State eXchcqucr for several
years to come. 1t will not be ncces-
sary to make large appropriations this
year, where hundreds Of thousands OF
dollars have been necessarily expended
in the last two years.
The state has good reason to eX-
pect that the good roads building will
60 on. AS there are no heavy State
House expenditures to fail upon the
administration and no large State in
stitutions to demand extra &ppropria-
tons this year. il will be an easy mat
ter for the first Democratic Jcgisla-
turc within generation, to make q
good showing for economy.
We feel sure that Republicans, as
woll as Democrats, are ready to guard
| against any extravaganza, but we
| know that Republicans will stand for
proper maintenance of the ground VIC
have already gained and for the ap-
| Precipitation of such sums as may -pe
| necessary 10 keep the old Pine Tree
State in the front rank of educational
and humanitarian progress. Ne hope
Il Democracy, blinded by the glare OF
| success, viii not suffer its ambition
| IN Il,