Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-28
Progressive Candi=
date for Governor
Seeks Enforcement
In PenObscOt co.
Also Demands Removal OF The
Sheriff Of That County

bert r. JdIQDeT, 1IV5i coSiNO Nf
date for Governor, with request for
publication on Tuesday morning, was
mailed in Bangor, Monday afternoon,
too late to be answered by the editor
of the Journal in the same issue. 1t
will be answered later and it is the
hope of the Kennebec Journal that
papers publishing Mr.. Gardeners let
ter will publish Herewith the edlto-
rial that called it forth:
Hon. Halbert P. Gardner, Progress
sive candidate for Governor, has sent
the following letter to the Kennebec
Journal, in reply to an editorial pub
lished in that paper last Saturday,
April Is.
To the Editor of the Daily Kennebec
Journal:
have read your editorial of April
25. published under the captain:
Those Haines' Sheriffs Again" l in
fer from the somewhat oddly ar
ranged mass of questions, suggestions
and demands that you desire imme-
date and plain answer to mitigate any
surprise and disappointment you may
have that any one should suggest that
the prohibitory law is not enforced in
Penobscot county.
You say: I'VE demand to know if
the Hon. Halbert p. Gardner intends
for his hearers to understand that
Sheriff OConnell Is NOT enforcing the
law" / do.
You then ask IL Intend for my
hearers to understand that I think
that Governor Haines knows Sheriff
O'Connell is NOT enforcing the law"
] do not know whether Governor
Haines knows 1t or not. But / do
know that he ought to know it.
did not say that Governor Haines
has Sheriff O'Connelrs resignation. I
simpy asked IL he has it.
You then ask: "Is it the intention of
Mr.. Gardner to lead his hearers to
understand that Governor Haines does
not want the law enforced" And fur
Their: Does he intend to convey to
the people of Maine the idea that
Governor Haines is playing double? ?"
The answer to these two questions
rests entirely with the Governor and
the action which he takes in Penob-
scot county in the immediate future.
/ suggested in my speech, and sug-
gest now, that the situation in Pc
nobscot county is such as to lead to
the belief that the present admins
tration is not thoroughly sincere on
the question Of uniform enforcement.
This being the peoples law, twice
voted by direct method into the Con-
stitution. should be taken seriously
everywhere by every party and not
made a vote-catching devise by vary
ing its treatment to suit the supposed
situation in a certain community. The
prOhibitory law is a Statewide law.
The Republican party has made 1t a
plaything for half a century. 1t is
doing the same thing now. If not, let
me ask. why is it not enforced in Pc
nobscot and Knox counties as we'll as
in Oxford and Androscoggin counties?
/ say that 1t is not, it is currently re-
ported in the public newspapers of
the State that it is not, is common
knowledge that 1t is not. That is why
the present State administration has
foolishly and tactlessly, not to say de-
liberately. lost it's only issue in this
campaign. Its whole program must
win or lose on its sincerity or lack of
sincerity in any one county, and es-
pecially Penobscot county Bangor
was the test. Go over there. You
will find that the Republican party
and the present administration does
not stand the Bangor test.
You say: I'VE are looking for evil
dence against the sheriff of Penobscot
county, And l ask in all sincerity
that you go to Bangor and obtain it.
1t Is there. 1t is not my business to
furnish newspaper editor or any,
body else with evidence. But I will
go SO far as to herewith submit to Won
list of places in Bangor, submitted
10 me by reliable citizens of that CITY.
where liquor is not only sold but on.
emily sold. l request that this LIST he
kept confidential by you and not dis
cioseo until an investigation has been
properly made, depending on your
FAIRNESS TO see that by no means does
the Sheriff of Penobscot receive anv
advance notice.
you ma On proper inquiry that
me law has during the past three
months been openly disregarded in
fenonscot county, ! demand the re-
movai OF the sheriff of that county
4 am resident and taxpayer of Do
hooscot. l believe that the law is NOT
properly enforced there. If is cow
mon assertion throughout the state
that 1t is not. / see no reason H.,
the Governor should be Ignorant ~
conuieions there. Your suggestion that
have said that the Governor annrouas
OF nuiiihcation is without foundation
out do say that he should az onoa
investigate conditions In Penohscot
ana act ON the result. You sbo,,,a
know from your own observa t,or 20
anairs in Maine, that IT is a corny,on
peiier and general UNDERSTANDING 49,
lax enforcement prevails in Penobsoot
ana that no effort has been nada ~
change conditions in Knox. Ana sau
without qualification that all this bas
most unwholesome influence in co,,,-
ties where there is a sincere effort -
enforce the law.
AS taxpayer IN Penobscot county
I call for enforcement there. All tbe
taxpayers of the State were involved
In great expense in paying for iegisIa-
tive action for the removal of nullify-
ing Eheriffs, and the appointment OF