Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-26

| have in the past sent large sums of mon
ey into this state at different times, to be
used for campaign purposes. A large pro-
portion of this money is used in defiance
/ of law to debauch and corrupt our voters,
the idea being to make the best possible
showing in this State. so that it may in
flut nee the vote in other states in Novem-
Der. If our date was made in conformity
with others so that all might come at the
same time, that money would be needed
e'sewhere and the disgusting scenes now
enc cted at many polling places would be
lessened, in my opinion.
Once in three years we have practically
three campaigns and three elections. Our
/ direct primary demands in many locali-
ties and in many instances campaign
almost as strenuous as that in September
Immediately following. We must at once
prepare for and conduct a campaign for
the election of President in November
and our citizens are in a continual fer
ment from June to November. One-third
Of which may be removed by changing
the date of the state election from Sep
TENDER to November.
This should not in any sense be consid-
cred political question The people OF
all political parties are benefited alike.
There are now only two states in New
England and / think only three in this
entire country that have not changed to
November Vermont had bill before its
Legislature looking to the proposed
change; it passed the Senate of that state
but of its final disposition l do not know.
Gentlemen. do not let the State of Maine.
! af,tl pafftp
be the last in this.
] will say, Mr. President, and gentle
men, that | have Just received this tele-
gram:
Montpelier, Vt. Feb. "a, 1918.
Leslie Boynton.
"Senate Chamber.
Augusta. Maine.
vermont Legislature cencurred in pro-
posal Of amendment to constitution
changing date of general elections. Must
be ratified by voters.
fSigned) RANSOM c. MERRICK,
deputy Secretary of state"
There has hpen no question. Mr.,
President, when the people Of any of
the states OF this country have had a
chance to vote upon this question,
What the result has been. There is no
doubt IN my mind what the result in
every ease will be. There is no posi-
BILE doubt what the result in This State
would be if the people could have &
chance 10 vote upon the question, and
| trust the report of the majority of
the legal affairs committee ought not
to pass" will not be adopted.
.dr. COILS Of York: Mr.. President. as
| he
port. perhaps it is due to the major
ity members of that committee to ex-
plain our position in the matter.
/ do not believe in constant change
: because some other state sees fit to
make d change. unless our people will
be benefited by that change
The State Of Maine is geoera phical-
ly and climatically situated different
ly from any other state. Situated as
we are III the northwestern part of the
Union, we are by ourselves. Whatever
we do, we should do for our best in
terests. With our rigorous climate and
early winter, we are differently situat
ed from the states south OF us or those
west of US, for our winters come on
earlier and with greater severity.
| believe that the precedent we have
followed since 1922 of having our cleo
tions in September mas been a wise
one for the State of Maine. our State
elections are for the purpose OF discus
sing State issues. Maine has ever been
a leader in legislation and, today, there
is no state in the Union which stands
ahead OF the State OF Maine in its pro-
gressive legislation. ] believe that has
been brought about very largely be-
cause we have had time, apart from
national issues To discuss the affairs
Of state and understand them.
Maine, too, in its location and in its
great cities, is different from most of
the other states; take for example the
state of Ma ssachusetts; and the city
of Boston, Its capital, with its great
, dailies which circulate throughout the
entire territory of the state, so that
the nAople OF the state are kept in
formed Of state affairs, every day.
But in The State of Maine there are
only SIX counties cut OF 16 that have
daily papers, There are only nine or
10 daily papers published in the State,
and those have limited circulation
in the county where they are. publish
4. ed.
Take the county OF York, and for 80
miles from my residence, there is no
daily paper printed There Is no per-
son, hardly. who takes d State Of Maine
paper. so far as daily is concerned,
except few lawyers and those who do
probate work and follow the courts.
/ Most of our papers are Boston papers
. that we can get before breakfast. The
local papers are from Portsmouth. So
that our people are dependent up
! speakers who come into their commu-
, mites for their knowledge of State af-
fairs.
/ take it that this is the condition
: in Aroostook county. that has no
| daily paper within its limits. And |
take it that is true of Washington
county that has no daily paper with
} in it's limits. a large percentage of
our people are dependent upon some
3 weekly paper printing only local news
t If these things are true, we are de
pendent in the state of Maine upon
| different conditions and circumstances
d, than the states of Massachusetts Now