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


when he is done and goes from the work
of this special session to be in accordance
with his ideas of justice and of I1ght;
and / ask each member in this House,
regardless of his political utilization, to
bring to this question the high-mindcd
purposes and decide what he thinks is
best what he thinks is correct in regard
! to the proposition that is now before us.
| Uong- continued applause)
Mr.. PETERS: Mr. Chairman, !
J wish to say just one word and / beg
| the pardon of the House in advance
| for it. / think the arguments of the
| gentlemen our honored Speaker, are
| admirable. They reinforce me in my
belief that the Constitution should be
| changed in this respect; but these ar
guments were the same that were adj
| dressed to the people, last fall. with
| many others. They did not appear to
be strong enough to cause a different
result. What l want to know is this:
| What has arisen since last fall which
| will Justify the same Legislature in
| submitting the same question to the
same people, Wasn't it perfectly well
| known to us that the sentiment in
| the cities was in favor of some change
very strongly, and didn't we perfectly
| we'll know in the towns that the SEN
| timent was the other way? Did 1t
take vote of the people and an an
| alysis of that vote to give us that
information? We knew that perfectly
well before Didn't we know then as
| well as now. and didn't the people Of
the State themselves know that the
passage of the resolve amending the
Constitution to enable the Legislature
to pass a high license and local option
law,-didnt they then know as they
always have known that that was the
real purpose of amending the Consti-
tuition? | stand here, gentlemen,
ready to be enlightened upon those
questions.
Mr.. CLEARWATER of Hallowell;
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the
committee, with all that has been said,
today, in the Senate and, tonight, in
this House upon this question it would
almost seem as though everything of
importance and everything having a
real or influential bearing upon the
matter had been said and l shall
make no attempt to carry the argu
ment further to any great extent. In
fact, | will promise you here and now
that ] shall speak not more than one
minute longer by the clock.
| in considering this question it seems
to me that there are two vital ques-
lions which every representative in
this House should fix in his mind and
after calm, cool, deliberate, unbiased
thought, should be able to answer to
himself, Yes or No" First: Is this
amendment reasonably fair and
square proposition to present to the
people, Second: is there in your own
mind the existence of a reasonable
and rightful demand for the resubnis
sion or for the submission of this
| question? AS a Republican, / can
say that / can answer both of these
questions to my own satisfaction. /
believe that this amendment as offer
ed is a fair, reasonable and square
proposition. | believe. and in fact ]
know, that in the district which |
have the honor to represent, and in
the county of kennebec there does
exist ard has existed reasonable
and fair and ain honest demand for
| an opportunity to vote upon this ques-
ton Believing these things and for
the reason, as all my Republican
friends know, that | took no action
either one way or the other on this
particular question in the caucus of
the Republican party the other night,
| shall vote what / believe 10 be right
and fair in this matter fair TO my
self and fair to the majority of the
people whom | represent. | shall vote
gentlemen in favor of this PROPOSE
ton. tApplause).
Mr. NEWBERT: Mr. Chairman,
just one word. / think the gentleman
from Hallowell is noble man and
stands like a man on this issue.
have always been told that there was
ne demand in Maine for resubmi ssion,
there never was demand that the
Legislature could take note of; we are
told. tonight there is no demand for
the submission Of this question, there
is no demand of which we can take
note. IN our city election in Augusta
we elected the mayor and representa-
tive for the first time in six years. In
the class towns of Palmyra and
Pittsfield they returned a Democratic
representative; in Waldo county,
largely rural in its communities Sem
ator Hanson received a majority of
more than 900 votes and formerly 1t
was very close. He ran against my
OLD friend Mr., Dow, who sat across
the aisle from me in the House dur
there was ever an issue drawn ii was
drawn in Waldo county. for MIR. Dow
was a Prohbitionist. and Republic
can from Bucksport told me, yester-
day, that he knew why he stayed at
home was because he only spent $500
! in his canvass
Now, the gentleman from Houlton
pointed his long finger at me a good
deal, tonight, and he seemed to mean
me. l haven't done anything. | wish
to say, Mr. Chairman, and to the gem
tleman from Houlton that l take no
refuge in Holy things or Holy places.
| have learned to stand upon the cola
mon ground of earth where all men
walk and | have learned to take men
as | find them, cosnmon, plain men of
homely. rugged honesty. The min
listers of Augusta, last night, said that
no Republican in this Maine LegisIa-
| ture can vote in special session for
local option or for any change in the
| prohibitory amendment without rem
i.