Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-25
Afternoon Session

Mr.. MILL.Il<EN of Aroostook: / wish
to ask the Chair to make ruling before
the committee of the whole begins its
session in regard to the question of de-
bate in the committee of the whole
The PRESIDENT: The chair will rule
that unless the body constituting the
committee of the whole establishes the
rule, the debate in committee of the
whole Will be unlimited.
MIR MlLEikEN; find myself in en-
tire accord with the chairman in his ruI-
ing
In pursuance of the vote this morning
the senate went into committee of the
whole
In Committee of the Whole.
senator MULLEN presided
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair awaits
the pleasure of the committee
/ AIR. sFEARNS of oxford: Mi. Chaif-
) man, il was not my intention when {
came to this city for the purpose of at
tending this special session to have any
i thGg whatever to say upon this ques-
| ton which is now being debated. and
/ when the Chairman this morning asked
| me in pleasant WAY whether | was Ia
make speech. | shook my head with
| sincerity. because [ did not intend even
| then To attempt 10 submit amy remarks
in this Senate
And the reason, Mr.. Chairman. is this:
| That | did not think the Senate would
undertake to shut out from debate be-
! fore a committee of this Legislature,
| those who might wish to come here and
oe heard upon a question of the i'm
! portanee of this one now under consid-
GRAFTON by this committee
| There are those III my own county who
expected to be here. not only to appear
| before the committees of this Legisla-
| tlre, but who also expected to be here
10 be heard, and to hear what might be
| said in this Legislature. | feel that
| they had right to expect that, and /
| also feel that We Who. if we were to
! take their place and present our Views
upon this question, had a right to a lit
tie time for preparations; time to ex-
anime the que tion which was to be dis
eussed here. and then given an opporta-
nifty to discuss it intelligently
| The Constitution Of the State of Maine
has some provision III relation TO call
| ing special session. L think tile word
i ing Of the law is that upon extraordinary
occasions the Legislature may be con-
vened. l am inclined to think that this
]
/ but I did not think that when the Gov
/ ernor called the Legislature together in
i this extraordinary session. when lie con-
sidered that there We're matters which
! needed to be legislated, that the Legis-
iature would then consider those mat
tiers so frivolous that it was unnecessary
/ for Us to proceed in an orderly manner.
in the manner which has been prescribed
/ for the transaction of the business of
/ the state. Not since the Civil War, [
| think. has ii been necessary TO do this
| call this special session, and why are
we here?
| Three reasons have been given. One
| of them is now being discussed And 1t
| is to my mind about the only one tina.
causes our presence here Now if we
were to ask, why are we here? What
is the reason for it? What is the ocea-
sion for it2 Some little time ago, during
! the last session. a least a chorus OF
| Democratic voices would have exclaimed,
| Republican extravaganza"
We do not. hear that today. am glad
| TO say 1 wish before this committee 10
make that point emphatic. that / do not
feel that this is the proper way to pro-
! coed l should have said something about
| that this morning, had not the question
| been disposed of quickly i'm the way in
which 1t was. Because there was moth
| ing said to Justify it upon the other
| side. No one has said one word to Justly
| this action. / speak of this at this
| time because | wish to make that point
emphatic. l believe thoroughly that it
| is a mistake
] listened with a great deal of interest
| to the remarks of the senator from Wal
| do haf I oil
| sion to pass without compimenting The
senator upon the wonderful command
which he has-and which ne is able to
| controI-the English language. / caa
only say to him that it is a pity that
| that gift could not be used in a better
| cause. lie says he came here to tell
| the Legislature, to tell this Senate, and
| the members thereof, why the people Of
| his county sent him here. And | think
| you will all agree with me that we ought
now TO make no mistake to why he
| is here. He says frankly that he came
| here because Of rum, and / believe that
we are safe in assuming that this is the
honest reason, and that he has told us
frankly what his reason is.
He goes back to his ancestry. AMI
| says that was surrounded by the innu
ences of rum. lie says that ancestry
stood for rum. And | assume that he
wants posterity to be nurtured and nurs-
ed in rum. That seems to be the .posi-
| ton which he takes and, Mr.. Chairman.
L do not believe that it is wise for us
to indulge in any personalities. / believe
that those things should be left SO far
as possible in the background
wish that the senator who has such
an interest in this proposition, who has
made such study of this question, who
only made one speech on rum during
last fail. with tile knowledge that he has
OF the question might have gone our
through the state of Maine and enlght-
ened, the people somewhat upon the
question which he discussed so abIv here
this morning.
what kind of campaign was waged
last September? Those who believed IN
the prohibitory law We're fighting a, De-
culiar battle. 1t was indeed a. peeulia-
campaign That campaign was the QUIZ
come OIL what was started yaare ou.