Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-26
A "Reviewv for Maine to Read.

Editor kennebec Journal:
The greatest farce of the twentieth
century has ended with the final adj
journment of the recent extra session
of the Legislature: and no greater a
burlesque ON good government and
Just legislation has been inflicted on
the people of the State of Maine since
the count OUT of 1879: and when tine
people of the State again put its adj
ministration into the hands of the
Democratic party--if they ever do
they will be just as sure of having
something equally as absurd and an
reasonable served UP TO them, as it is
that day follows night.
The present State administration
was not elected by the votes of the
Democratic party, but by Democratic
votes cast by Republicans, for it is an
indisputable fact that at least 10000,
and probably $4,000 or $1,000 Republic
can voters voted the Democratic
ticket in 1910. but very few of them
will do SO again.
There are several reasons why these
citizens voted as they did. Because of
conditions resulting from the non len
forcement of the prohibitorH law in
large portion of the State; because of
the plausible promises of the Denao-
cratic politicians-and especially of
Fred Plaisted. their then candidate for
Governor-and also the Democratic
press, that il the party was given con-
troll of the State government every
law should be strictly enforced.
Some, no doubt, believed that as in
the case of poisoning, the first and
quickest relief to be obtained is an
emetic, the same treatment should be
applied in this case-and it has been,
The question of resubmission has
come before every session of the
Legislature for several years, and in
variably the Democratic members, al
most to man, have voted in favor,
while the Republicans, almost to a
man. have, voted against it. But re-
submission was made possible at the
session of 1911, not by Democratic
votes-for they did not have the ne
cessary two-thirds majority-but by
the votes of a few Republican mem
bers who believed that as large pro-
portion of the citizens had become
voters since the adoption of constitu-
tional prohibition, they should have
chance to vote on the question and
they hoped and believed that a very
large majority of the citizens would
vote to retain the law as a part of the
constitution of the State. They evil
IDENTIFY failed to realize the hold the
liquor interests had gotten on the PEG
pie of the State. and especially on tine
Democratic party.
The question af raGtIht,,i Scf x-.le a
plain, fair and square issue, simply
This: Shall the prehibitory law remain
a part of our State constitution, or
shall we have some form of license in
/ its stead? Every citizen knew what
he was voting for: and while every
true friend of temperance and sobriefy
was disappointed because the mo"
majority was so small. every intelli-
gent citizen knew within a very few
days after the special election of Sept.
18th just what the result was and
within As hours, the Governor knew as
well as he has ever known, the result,
and could have announced the result
at the September meeting of the
Governor and council, but did not do
so until the November meeting. and
evidently for these two reasons: Hop
ing there might be errors sufficient to
change the result; or if not that some
scheme might be devised to set aside
the will of the people Apparently
they realized the fact that the people
would not stand a repetition of 1879
methods.
The administration had so put itself
under the influence of the liquor inter-
aSfc hot oh ~
taken. and so an extra session of the
Legislature was called, it was claimed.
for the purpose of securing the enact
ment of four measures: To redistrict
the State-but only one slight change
was made; to amend the ballot laws,
which was done-but this change is so
unfair and unjust that ii will doubt
less be the subject of a referendum;
to provide for a $4,000 900 bond issue
for State roads--and it is very doubt
full If even this meets with the APP
prevail of a majority of the voters;
and more especially the enactment of
| a local option. 81 per cent. personal
| liberty law But for the hope of Sc
| curing the passage of this measure
there would have been no extra ses-
sion of the 18th Legislature.
One of the arguments in favor of
| resubmission was that il would take
the liquor question out of politics..
This is absolutely impossible, for 1t
will remain political question just as
long as the world stands, and while
| there may have been doubt in the
| minds of some, as to the exact position
OF the Democratic party regarding this
question, it has now placed itself
plainly, fairly and sauarely on record