Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-23

4
Il can't understand the logic of tn,
| gentleman from Augusta. He saws
that the vote of last September showed
that the people of the cities want H.
cense and that the vote in the towns
| shows that the people in the towns
don't want license. but that they want
| local option. And that is the logic oil
| the gentleman from Augusta
| 1 characterize it a mess of politica
| pottage. | want to say that no Rachel
| brewed it. No woman ever invented
| such mess as that. 1t was brewet
by the Illegal saloons of Maine. gar
| nished by the gambling den and made
| red by the houses of shame
| Don't YOU answer me by saying
that my words are but idle and in
| temperate talk" he Numbered, turning
! and pointing his finger at Rep. New
| bert
Listen to the facts. When the Leg
| fslaturc of 1905 assembled here there
| We're Republican county attorneys and
| Sheriffs, then as now who We're COW
| ards in front of the saloons but a
man took al that desk, the oath of
| office as Governor of this State, who
| was honest, fearless and believed in
doing his duty-Hon. William r. Cobb
| He said at that time, addressing the
| Legislature:
If the people OF Maine will ever
change the prohibitory law it will on
ly be after they have seen an honest
attempt to enforce it as other laws
are enforced. Then if they find 1t can
not be done they may change 1T, but
under notification they never will
make the change
Under that honest man and honest
attempt was made at enforcement. As
Il result the Sturgis law was enacted.
l want to say what you know is true,
that ii was an honest attempt. 1t was
q mistake to enact that law. We have
seen it. What we should have done
was to have said that it should be
enforced by the regularly elected Of
fieers. Had that been done and the re-
call of sheriffs provided for no Dem
ocratic Legislature would have been
sitting here, tonight. What was the
result? 1t was just what was to have
been expected. The people will stand
by the sheriff they have elected. Up
in my county, peopled by God-fearing
people OF the old Puritan stock, they
love the sheriff whom they select
Year ago the sheriff of that county
went away up into lumber camp
and arrested an outlaw and started to
bring him to this capital city of Au
gusta. In moment of treachery this
outlaw foully murdered the sheriff.
Those Ged fearing, honest old farm
ers went out and took that outlaw
and hung him and then dispersed and
went to their homes. They loved the
sheriff.
"1'hey did not approve of the Stur-
gis law.
IF the Democrats have made mis-
take 1t is that of turning from their
duty and Ealing to enforce the law,
as they promised to do
Mr. Hersey said the Democratic
platform of 1908 called for an earnest
and impartial enforcement of all laws
on the statute books.
'They put forth that plank to make
votes and said notification would
end when the Democratic party got
into power declared Mr.. Hersey.
He then said the Democratic party
in its last platform, had declared for
the enforcement of all laws by regu-
larry constituted officers.
THE people believed YOU, said Mr..
Hersey land that wasn't ail--your
candidate for Governor went all over
the State promising enforcement. l
don't know whether he made That
covered bridge statement or not, but
he made similar ones. / heard him
stand up before the people in Houlton
as he can stand up-and say he
would enforce the prohibitory law.
Mr.. Hersey read from Gov Plaisted' S
letter of acceptance and from his
message his statement that 1t was
the duty of every official to enforce the
law as long as it was on the statute
books. Mr.. Hersey charged that the
Democrats commenced notification as
soon as they got control of the State
government Sheriff Mooers of Somer-
set tried to enforce the law in his
county, Mr.. Hersey said. He sue
ceeded in arresting and eonvieting one
of the most persistent liquor sellers,
whereupon the Governor and Council
pardoned him, ''to show it was trea-
eon for a Democratic official to pros
ecute such cases"
Mr.. Hersey quoted from we'll
known liquor dealers trade journal in
which great regret was expressed,
owing to the failure of the effort, last
September, to repeal the prohibitory
lay in this State. This significant lam
guage was followed by an urgent APP
peal to clip the claws of this OBJ
noxious law" Continuing he said;
|, Because of notification they say
/ YOU should cruelty the law. Hence the
fragrant notification that began inn
mediately after the extraordinary rec
ord of the last Legislature was fin
ished after repeating the law by
which enforcement had been secured,
known as the Sturgis law. after TAX
ing from the Governor the power to
remove delinquent sheriffs. Then the
cities were told, virtually, This YOU
must have as a permanent condition
unless YOU vote for license.
The Governor also said in the eau
cuses and rallies in Waterville ana
Augusta this spring, that the law
can't be enforced. He said so here in
his message, this week. Now where,
| ask, did ne ever see any Democratic
attempt, even a bluff, in this direction
except in the case of the present DEM
Continued on Page Three.)