Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-25
75th MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Eighth

reasonable that we talk it over again |
and ask the people to vote on it again;
but Mr.. Chairman, if re-submission OF
e-resubmission, or whatever it is call
ed now, were passed, tonight or to-
morrow or a week from Tuesday, by
a majority of one, would you and my
friends or associates say that the vote
was so close that you should think we
ought To vote again. If the majority
had been the other way last fall and
if 200 more people had voted Yes
than No" would you be here, today,
gentlemen, asking us to put this mat
ter back to the people on the ground
that the majority was SO small to take
this out of the Constitution that they
ought to have another chance to vote
on it? Do YOU actually think you
would be doing that? If you can an
swer that question in the affirmative
and really vote as you answer that
question, there will be no further
trouble, tonight.
This matter of a majority. the right
to govern by majority was something
that our ancestors, the Anglo SaXons
struggled for 500 years, just for the
privilege of governing themselves and
deciding by a majority what shall or
of the United States decides the most
momentous questions that are raised
in the world by majority of one. but
they are just as binding 1t seems to
me that the real trouble here is that
this is not satisfactory To the Demo-
Gratis; they are willing that the matter
should be decided so long as it is de-
cided their way. They are Xix the man
9hDlt what
color the schoolhouse was painted SO
long as il was painted red. 1t seems to
me | have heard in times past that tho
Democratic party was anxious to hear
the voice of the people. The Repub-
lean party of which am a member
has been tainted and goaded with the
suggestion that they did not dare to
put this proposition up to the people
and take their Judgment upon it. Ii
/ haven't been dreaming, the Demo-
Gratis in season and out of season in
platforms have been bowling that they
wanted to get the voice of the people.
that they must have the voice of the
people on this question. and that they
were being deprived of the right be
cause the Republican party prevented
them from listening to the voice of the
people. 1t rather seems to me, now
that that anxiety has been gratified,
their attitude is rather peculiar The
voice of the people has been heard and
it has apparently delivered that de-
cision. II seems to me that the Demo-
cratic party is not logical in bringing
this matter before us at this time.
Here we are the same Legislature
which put this matter to the people
only six or seven months ago Ger
tainly the Democratic party in regard
to this voice of the people must be
deaf; they must have their deaf ear
toward the voice of the people: their
good ear | think must be toward the
voice of my friend. Mr.. Pattangall /
have heard it suggested here. tonight,
that this question never will he de-
eided until ii is decided right. Who is
going to say when il is decided right?
Is it going to be left to my friend. the
gentleman from Augusta TO say when
ii is decided right? He cannot expect
To take the place Of the voters OF this
State in their decision as to what is
right. Who gave the gentleman from
Augusta the right to say that it has
not been decided right now? 1t may
not have been decided in accordance
with his view and the views of many
But do not say for that reason that
may not be wrong. | do not set my
self up above the verdict of the people
on constitutional matter of this kind
when they have the right to decide it
themselves.
1t is advanced further as an argu-
ment in behalf of those who have
urged another submission of the mat
To ha
this matter and want the privilege of
having license alone with local option
enacted and that the town do not. and
that therefore there should be some
arrangement whereby the cities can
have what they want and the towns can
have what they apparently want That
argument is invalid 1t was perfectly ,ap-
parent that il the voters last fall mad
voted to take the provision from the
Constitution that they then through the
Legislature could have enacted laws Civ
ing cities the right to sell liquor and pro-
hibiting the towns from doing the same.
or making any other regulatory pro-
vision which they might through their
representatives have passed. The people
of this State fully understood that. They
didn't have to vote last fall on the ques-
ton and then be brought up here now
TO be told that if they had voted so and
so certain things should have happened,
they knew that perfectly well them
selves. They know more than you give
them credit for, gentlemen of the oppo-
sition, and they took this matter under
consideration when they east their bal
lots last fall; and far as it has come
to my attention there has been no
change in their views. If they do change
their views they have a right to send
back others in our places who will vote
in accordance with their instructions
This matter of the application of the
prohibtory law is, after all, a matter of
units. 1t has heretofore been the policy
of this State to make the whole State
unit. In some countries and in some
localities the county is made the unit;
in others the towns and cities, ana IN
other cases the wards of the city. Here
tofore the State has been the unit here,
and that has not been without some rea-
son. Good men and intelligent men differ
on the ACCESSIBILITY of that policy of
l., IL. tf.1.