Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-21
18th MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from Page Fivc.)

the actual question before them but
really voted on the proposition Of IL
celSe or no license as applied to the
particular towns in which they lived
1t is no reflection upon the inteIIi-
gehce of the voters to say this. They
We're confronted daily with the query:
DO YOU want rum sold i'm your
town. Cool argument and calm rea-
soning were displaced. in great meas
ure. IN such discussion of the subject
as WAS had, by appeals to prejudice.
by abuse and Misrepresentation. The
real issue was hidden behind a mass
of false issues. Questions were heat
edly debated in the negative on which
no anc man ever had presented or
ever could present an Affirmative 1t
Is not strange that the people were
mised
The ballot box is the court of last
resort and the decision of that court
is worthy of all respect No one who
analNzes the vote of last September
can fail to learn a lesson from it, The
result showed that the smaller towns
and the agricultural sections of the
State desire to continue prohibition in
the Constitution. They are satisfied
with the working of the law in their
communities and they have the an
doubted right to retain it
l know of no safe principle upon
which government can be adminis-
tered excepting that of permitting the
people to govern themselves. The ma
| joritN of the people of Maine who live
outside of our cities have declared for
prohibition and | would deem myself
unworthy Of citizenship it / did not
respect their wishes and assist them
III retaining the law. on the other
hana. the cities the large manufac-
turing towns and certain of our sum
| mer resort towns, Just as emphatical-
ly object to prohibition and desire to
experiment with some legal form of
local option such as has proved salts
factory in the other New England
states. In the absence of that oppor-
| tunity they continue to experiment,
as they have done fer many years
with certain forms of illegal local OPP
ton, the exact form differing accord
ing to circumstances and ranging
from open notification to hidden
yet none the less determined defiance
| of the law.
| citizens and laWlessness in one respect
breeds lawnessness i'm all respects
But one thing | hold self evident
that no people constituted as are the
people of the State of Maine can be
governed by force We can and do
govern ourselves. 1t is as impossible
to effectually enforce a law in Maine
in the fact of adverse public sentiment
as it is tn turn back the tide that
flows against our shores.
Local self government is the corner
stone of New England civilization and
the voice OF the voters of Names
cities must be listened to by their
neishbors IN the country with the
same respect With which the resident
OF the city must listen to the voice of
the voters in the towns.
1t is easy to say that honest officials
can enforce the prohibtory law any
where and everywhere if they will en-
deavor To do so. 1t is easy to blame oa"
county attorneys. sherihs and mayors
for their failure to secure enforcement
of the prohibitory law in communities
where it is not sustained by public SEN
tment. Having served as mayor of this
city and as sheriff of this county | know
something at first hand of the problems
which confront an officer directly charS-
ed with the laws enforcement. The Vot-
ers of oxford and Aroostook may stand
firmly behind the principle of Statewide
prohibition but they lend no aid or COM
fort to the man on the firing line in
Bangor. Portland or Lewiston, and uh-
less Statewide enforcement accompanies
Statewide prohibition then the law be-
comes a moekerv and a farce.
Whta is the remedy? | am willing to
suggest one and am as ready to listen
To the suggestions of others. The logic
of the late election convinces me thar
the remedy is to so amend the Constl-
tuition as to preserve prohibition for the
country and permit regulation, by local
option in the cities Is there a better
solution of the problem If there is, pre-.
sent it. / can think of but two alterna-
tives. notification or another StursIs
law. The people of Maine have tried
both. They want neither. Cannot We
the servants of the people, chosen to do
their bidding. trusted, honored and re-
spected by them. find a solution of this
problem?
Shall we not, regardless Of party. 70.
gardlesS of personal ambition, actuated
solely by desire to promote the welfare
of our great, State here and now, pre-
sent to the people of Maine for their COLI
sderation some plan Of legislation which
will relieve situation which is NOT
creditable To an enlightened State?
There may be men in Maine who fail
in patriotism but they are too few n
number to count and too insignificant to
appear in public life. ! have fun conf
dence. gentlemen. in your intelligent
judgment and patriotic purpose and
therefore entertain no fears but that you
will with thoughtful care and still with
out undue delay perform the work for
which you are assembled, and | assure
you that you may, so far as it is permit
ted me to render it, safely count upon
my cordial cooperation and assistance
(Applause) at the end of Governors
address.
The Governor attended by the EX
ecutiVe Council then retired.
The purpose for which the conven-
ton was called having been accom-
plshed it was dissolved and the Sen
ators withdrew tn their chamber.
IN THE HOUSE