Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-05

is admitted that Governor Haines has
rant by obeying his oath to enforce
signed his own political death wtk
the laws of the State as he found
them And every man, woman and
child who reads those words, Haunted
before the citizens of the whole coun-
| try, will watch the result in Maine to
| learn whether a Governor signed his
| own death warrant by obeying his
oath to enforce the laws of the State
as he found them" What is the
duty in face of such a challenge OF
every voter who believes that that Is
precisely what a Governor ought &c
do? 1t cannot be TO go to the Demo
cratic party, which. despite the views
of many individuals in II, has persist
emily taken the other view. It can
not be to cavil over the failures OF
any previous Republican administra-
ton. 1t cannot be to fritter away
| the strength of those who endorse
such a course by dividing 1t. The
time is not long past when some per-
sons ostensibly in favor Of the Law
and it's enforcement criticised third
party prohibitionists for wasting theiI
strength.
The Governor is criticised for condt.
lions in Penobscot county. Nobody
questions his good faith in the appoint.
ment of Sheriff O'Connell. He got re.
suits until after the disastrous term
of court in Bangor in September. 1913
Neither Governor Haines nor the sher-
| If was responsible for that 1t Is moi
for me Ito sa ywhat influence that
! sheriff. 1 will not undertake to say.
But l will let our Democratic friends
do a little prophesying. 1 will take
my prophesy from the Watervtlle Sen
tinel with which Mr.. Pattangall is sup
posed to be associated,-the same Pat
tangall who was attorney for some OF
! these Bangor rumsellers with long rec
ords and short sentences.
On Monday morning, Sept. %. 1913,
the Sentinel in the course of news
dispatch purporting to come from
Bangor, whence Pattangall also had
/ just come If he went direct home,
said among other things:
The enforcement of the prohibitory
liquor law in this (PenebscoD county
received a staggering setback Saturday
when nearly zoo liquor dealers settled
from one to 20 cases against them with
fines of from 500 to $500 in the SUI
/ preme court.
There were no Jail sentences ex-
cept as alternative for non-payment of
| the fines and costs. -
REGULAR STAMPEDE.
LAS soon as it was noised about
that the Justice presiding at this
| term, was not affirming Jail sentences
! and that cash settlements could be
| effected there was a general stampede
| for liquor dealers and their counsel to
| the court house. Sheriff j. Fred
| O.ConneI who has been active in en-
| forcement. since he was appointed to
succeed Sheriff Emerson. impeached.
| has been making continual raids and
| search and seizures. -
The sheriff secured many Jail SEN
| fences. in the lower court and has been
depending largely on that action TO
put the most persistent liquor dealers
out of business, but the action taken
| by the supreme court today has Offset
| much of the moral effect of his efforts.
Many of the largest dealers have no
objection to paying a heavy: fine, but
fear jail sentences.
There were rumors about the street
last night that there will be a general
reopering of the saloons Monday, and
last night several bars were open that
have been dark for long time. -
1.-The outcome of this term of court
and the further actions of the sheriff
in the light of the events of the past
ew days is a burning question and it
is said will figure to a large extent
in Maine politics.
Please remember, gentlemen. that
am not reading from the Civic League
Record. That sheet is tame compared
with this. When 1 think of the article
for which DR. Berry was indicted I
almost wonder If 1t is safe for man
to carry copy of this in his pocket.
But it wouldn't do to indict the editor
of the Sentinel He wasn't finding any
fault with what had happened He was
only predicting what would happen.
And now they blame Governor Haines
for it.
Whatever the sheriffs motives may
have been in letting up. nobody be-
lieEes the Governor was in sympathy
with it. He could not remove a sher-
if. He could and did ask for his res
ignation, but he couldn't compel II. He
is criticised for not calling a special
session of the Legislature to remove
him. And the cruel part of this crit
icism is that it comes in part from
the same sources that reviled him for
government by impeachment. can
point to editorials from the same
source that condemned him for i'm
peaching county celebrates. If he had
thrust upon the people of this State
the expense of a special session of the
Legislature he would have unloaded
the responsibility for O'Connell's con-
tinuance in office, but these same per-
sons would have stormed at the act.
They want to beat him for other rea-
sons. They seize any excuse, and ask
you to swallow it.
You can't get away from the prop
osition that this will be a square test
of whether the people will support
Governor who takes his oath of office
seriously. You don't and won't find
any of the liquor vote sustaining him.
If you divide your strength and elect
a Democratic administration, you will