Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-25
18th MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page seven.3

DO We better safeguard lne NpulH ol ou'
state than do they in the neighbours
states of New Hampshire and Vermont
wish this resolve might have its pas
sage in this House on this floor; not that
the Democratic party in Maine might
boast, not that 1t might be strengthened,
not that it might gain one vote among
the people. but for the good of the Old
state of Maine. that the people especial
liz III our cities might be helped to solve
this problem which is SO near to us and
which has troubled so much the best
people in our midst. Long-eentinue
applause
Mr.. IIERSEY of Houlton: Mr..
Chairman and Gentlemen of the Com
m3ftee: / have been "A member of the
Maine LEGISLATURE at two regular ses-
sions and at this session, and among
tho most pleasant recollectiOns of life
viii be the associations and friend
ships | have formed with the MEM
hers of the Maine Legislatures in
those two sessions. / call you that
have been with me TO witness that in
ali | have said and done / have been
frank and fair. ] have believed in
acting that the Democrats and the
Repnblieans are not so much different
in the mass: they have both been led
BIZ politicians, bound to the chariot
wheel of the party; and when you get
down to the men who do the work
of the Legislature YOU viii find that
most of them are hig-hearted. good
fellows. / have plead with you from
time to time on certain measures
where | knew as a lawyer that / was
addressing a jury with their minds
made up. / have had men come To
ME and say: why do you speak up
on certain question: You take it
TOO seriously when you can't expect
ID win, Someone said TO me, today
Are YOU going to say anything, to-
night. upon this matter when your
people have caueuses against the
measure. when the Democratic mem
bers have been instructed by their
marty that they must vote one way?
What do YOU expect to accomplish
And then | thought, what a strange
Situation, Here is the Legislature of
Meine in special session. Four great
measures presented here, this morn
ing, to be closed, tonight. After a
weary day you are called here in the
night to say that the people of our
State, last September, did or did not
settle this very question. And, gem
tlemen, / have been puzzled, ~ puzzled
while sitting here during this day
with the logic that has been presented
here. The Speaker. who has just
taken his seat said that this question
was settled. last September the same
question that YOU are trying to settle,
hax had
submission on the same thing and now
that you want another. i don't un-
derstand his logic Either that did not
settle this question and this is new
one or else this is the same old ques-
ton. Which is it?
Now. gentlemen, it seems to me, as
it seems perhaps to the gentleman
from Augusta, who has just spoken,
that this is the most important ques-
ton ever before this State; and-I deem
ii my duty as a humble representa-
tive of the minority party of this State
to give you some reasons why We as
a party should oppose any further re-
submission of this question at this
time.
Mr. Chairman, the Legislature is
called the general court of the pco-
pie. We are here supposed to repre-
sent, the people of the State of Maine.
Now. let me ask, who are the people
of Maine? Surely. not the law break
ers of Maine / don't represent the
law-breakers of Maine and l hope
you don't The people of the State of
Maine are those who are engaged. to-
night, and have been engaged, today,
. III.
an honest livigg by legitimate means;
tile people of Maine are not those who
are obtaining wealth or gain by an IL
legitimate traffic in the vices of the
people. Abraham Lincoln said of
these people: You can fool all of the
people some of the time, and you can
fool some of the people all the time,
but you cannot fool all the people all
the time And ] ask this question at
the outset: DO the law abiding people
of Maine, regardless of party. of creed
or of religiop--do the law-abidipg peo-
pie of Maine want at this time an
other resubmisslon, the same in sub
stance but only different in FORM
which says that YOU are to give to
the cities license and to the towns To-
cab option? i : cannot understand the
logic of the gentleman from Augusta,
for one moment he says that the vote
of last September meant license in the
cities of Maine and that they wanted
it: and that the vote for prohibition
in the country towns meant that they
did not want prohibition but that they
Wanted local option. That is the log
ic'of the gentleman from Augusta. But
want TO say, Mr. Chairman, that
this Illogical matter that you put up
before the people of Maine, today. |
characterize it as a mess of political
pottage that we are asked to eat by
certain politicians and thereby sell our
hirthright. | wan to say that that
mess of pottage was never invented
and made and presented by the hand
of any Rachel; thank God. No woman
ever invented such a mess as that
II was brewed by the unlawful saloon
Of Maine; il was garnished by the
gambling helis and 1t is decorated by
the red of the house of shame il
Maine, today. And, Mr.. Chairman,
say this is presented TO us by certain
politicians who say Sell your birth
right to US but ii seems TO me ever
the political blind can easily detec
the voice of Jacob while feeling tn,