Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-06


that question, which is their ques-
ton and not ours What are we call
ed upon today to do, gentlemen? Not
to decide that plain question on it
merits. but To decide whether the
people of Maine shall be permitted To-
decide il upon its merits. Do we fear
the decision2 Who made US guardians
of the people who sent us here? VIZ
are guardians of the Constitution: bu.
not of the men who made, and have
the power and the right to unmake, tn"
Constitution in whole or in part, and
! say that the vote we have taken on
this question, if we put II upon the
merits of il, is nothing more, and
should be regarded as nothing more
than a straw vote showing how each
man felt at that time on the main
question. and how he would vote If
that main question of giving votes t.
women was submitted TO him as a
voter at the polls. our duty goes fur
Their than that gentlemen. We are
not here simply TO represent our in
dividual opinion on a question of this
kind. The people of this State nave
sent us here 10 exercise our judgment
on most Of the matters that come be-
fore us; but on this question they
have sent us here to obey the mani
fest wish of the people of this State
that that question be submitted to
them; and gentlemen of my political
faith have always held to that prin-
ciple; that has been a principle of
that party for more than one hundred
years, that the people were the sover-
eigns and that the people should rule,
and that the officers Of the people
should trust the people.
| see two years from nov, and |
hear the arguments that will be made
against us. and the charges of incon-
sistency. How many years, gentlemen.
they viii say. has this party of the
people demanded that another. cues
item he submitted To the people, and
M he question have denied to the peo-
pie The rights which from that time
immemerial they have demanded for
the people,
Gentlemen, this is not Il party ques-
ton. Ne party, so far as | know, has
caucused upon it or cndeaVored to
bind its members to one side or the
other Of that question: but as indi-
Viduai, honest men, who are here to
represent the people. ! claim that we
should consider very carefully this
side of the question which has not. |
believed received our mature consid-
GRAFTON. It reduces itself, gentlemen, to
that question-as to whether we shall
trust the people to decide the question
which the Constitution expressly pro-
vIdes it is their province to settle. A
ma jority of this Legislature, gentle
men-a large ma ioTity of this Legisla-
tufe-votins upon the main question,
/ believe, have expressed by their votes
that they, i permitted To vote, would
vote in faFer of suffrage | believe that
can be taken as an indication, assum-
ing that they have voted upon thar
main question upon its merits, of how
the men at home would vote upon the
merits Of Lis question if they We're
permitted to vote. In answer to one OBJ
lection to this | wish To say that in the
homes Of Maine there are women, and
in these same homes there are men,
and j. tile men decide this question at
the polls they will do so in the light
Of the conviction of1nhe women in
their homes; and when we submit this
question i the vote of the men of
Maine we are at that same time sub
hitting ie to the vote Of the women,
and shall have their opinion and the
same expression in the votes of the
men that we would have if it We're
submitted 20 the votes of the women
themselves. 10 they desire To vote?
That is not Tie question l. is not
question that the men honor the old
fashioned women of Maine. 1t is not a
question as to whether the advocates of
this measure go about with long hair
and dressed in kimonos, or whether
they go about with Scant locks on their
l.eals. 1t is not question of ridicule;
it is not a question of the age of chiv-
airy; but it is a question of the age of
commonsense of this year, 1873 and
not the question that was discussed in
the beginning. Time has changed. This
is not a political age; but an industri-
al age; and the freedom that the peo-
pie of this country are clamoring for,
and need, is not political freedom, but
Industrial freedom. | say to you gem
tlemen. that with all these changes of
CODultiDhS mas come Il cfldHSe III the
sentiment OF the men and women of
this county IN relation to this ques-
ton. is the President of the United
States in favor of it? His state has
voted to submit To the people ] know
not bat | Know that there are many
Anticipated opinions passed around
against this measure; but | say that it
should he decided not as a question OF
80 years ago, 10 years ago, or two years
ago; but as Il question of today; and
that resolves itself To this: Shall we
permit the people of the State Of Maine
to express their will at the ballot box
on this question: (Applause)
Mr.. BOWLER Of Bethel; mir Speak
er. | move that when the vote is taken
il be taken by the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER: All those in favor
of demanding the yeas and nays viii
rise and stand in their places
A sufficient number having arisen,
The yeas and nays We're ordered
MIR SARGENT of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, | would like To say just a
weird. | would like to give my reasons
why voted as 1 did the other day. My
mother was an old-fashioned woman,